Rhachidelus brazili Boulenger, 1908

De Alencar, Arília Aiarsa Laura R. V. & Martins, Marcio, 2013, Natural History Of Pseudoboine Snakes, Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 53 (19), pp. 261-283 : 274

Rhachidelus brazili Boulenger, 1908

Distribution: Rhachidelus brazili is distributed from central and southeastern Brazil ( Moura-Leite et al., 1996; Fernandes & Passos, 2002), with one record for Missiones, Argentina ( Giraudo & Scrocchi, 2002).

Habitat and time of activity: This large snake (maximum SVL = 1372 mm, female; this study) appears to inhabit both open and forested areas, and can also be found in disturbed habitats ( Sawaya et al., 2008; T.C.C. Margarido, unpublished data; S. Morato, unpublished data; L.A. Silva, unpublished data; P. Valdujo, unpublished data). It appears to be a terrestrial (N = 5) and nocturnal species (N = 5) ( Sawaya et al., 2008; T.C.C. Margarido, unpublished data; P. Valdujo, unpublished data).

Feeding: Rhachidelus brazili is a bird egg specialist. There are reports of 12 events of R. brazili feeding on bird eggs and two records of birds as prey (O.A. V. Marques, unpublished data; P. Valdujo, unpublished data).

Reproduction: Clutch size varies from two to seven eggs (N = 6, mean = 4.5; R. Scartozzoni, unpublished data). The smallest mature female was 984 mm ( SVL) and the smallest mature male was 867 mm SVL ( R. Scartozzoni, unpublished data) .