About Phrynonax poecilonotus (Günther, 1858)
Phrynonax poecilonotus is one of the most variably colored snakes in the world. Hatchlings and individuals under one year old are all dull in color and look identical to one another. Over the first four years of life, this species changes its appearance rapidly, shifting from initial shades of slate grey and yellow to other combinations such as slate and orange, among many other variants. Appearance changes slow greatly after the first four years, but continue throughout the snake's life. Adults can display a wide range of color combinations: black paired with any combination of red, orange, yellow, and lavender; or slate paired with any combination of red, orange, yellow, and lavender. Regardless of their color variation, all individuals share similar behavior when handled, and will bite readily. This species is distributed from Mexico through Central America, extending into northern and central South America, and also occurs on Trinidad and Tobago.
