Oxyrhopus melanogenys
Silhouette: Beth Reinke · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~60% in a week ~80%
Oxyrhopus melanogenys, commonly known as Tschudi's false coral snake, is a colubrid snake species found in the northern part of South America. Adults may attain a total length of 68 cm (27 in), which includes a tail 17 cm (6.7 in) long.
Dorsally, it is red or reddish brown, with the dorsal scales black-edged or black-tipped. There may be a few black crossbands in groups of three (triads) on the anterior portion of the body. The top of the head and the nape of the neck are black. Ventrally, it is yellowish. It is often confused with Oxyrhopus trigeminus.
The dorsal scales are smooth, with apical pits, and are arranged in 19 rows at midbody. There are two subspecies, including the nominate subspecies: Oxyrhopus melanogenys melanogenys (Tschudi, 1845) Cunha, O.R. da, and F.P. do Nascimento. 1983. Os Ofidios da Amazônia. XIX. As espécies de Oxyrhopus... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tambopata National Reserve | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 2 | Manu National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Tschudi's False Coral Snake sighting in Manu National Park on a given day, based on 37 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 11th most-seen of the 56 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January, April–May, August and October
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Tschudi's False Coral Snake in Manu National Park on a given day, against under 5% in December, the lowest month.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Tschudi's False Coral Snake sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Tschudi's False Coral Snake sightings, Manu National Park ranks 2nd at about 20%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Tambopata National Reserve (Peru, about 20%).
Same genus: Oxyrhopus
The closest relatives of the Tschudi's False Coral Snake that you can see in Manu National Park (genus Oxyrhopus) are Forest Flame Snake (about 10%) and Northern Calico Snake (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Tschudi's False Coral Snake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Manu National Park (37 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
