Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Coluber constrictor flaviventris

Coluber constrictor flaviventris

9.9
A fast, nonpoisonous snake with a blue-green back and yellow belly found from Ohio to Texas
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Coluber constrictor flaviventris
  • The Coluber constrictor flaviventris is known for its speed and distinctive yellow underside.

Examples

  • The Coluber constrictor flaviventris is known for its bluish-green color and distinctive yellow belly.

  • The Coluber constrictor flaviventris is often seen swiftly moving through open fields in the Midwest.

  • Many herpetologists study the habits of the Coluber constrictor flaviventris because of its wide distribution.

  • The Coluber constrictor flaviventris is commonly found in grasslands.

  • I spotted a Coluber constrictor flaviventris while hiking in Texas.

  • Many herpetologists study the habits of the Coluber constrictor flaviventris because it is a common species in the United States.

  • While hiking in Texas, I spotted a quick-moving Coluber constrictor flaviventris gliding through the grass.

Synonyms

racer
vsColuber constrictor flaviventris
  • US
1 8.2

A thin fast snake found in North America that is not venomous

is a particular regional subspecies with bluish green back and yellow belly
Coluber constrictor
vsColuber constrictor flaviventris
  • Specialized
9.1

A large fast snake with no venom that lives in the eastern United States

is the specific subspecies with bluish green colour and yellow belly

Surface Forms

Coluber constrictor flaviventris singular
Coluber constrictor flaviventrises plural

Morphology

Coluber + constrictor + flaviventris

The element 'constrictor' clearly signals a type of snake and 'Coluber' names a genus, so a learner will infer this refers to a snake species. However, the full trinomial is a scientific Latin name and the specific epithet 'flaviventris' is not in learners' dictionaries; its meaning (yellow-bellied) depends on Latin roots that a B1 learner is unlikely to know. Thus a learner can guess it is a snake but cannot reliably derive the precise subspecies meaning (yellow belly, bluish-green racer, geographic range).

Etymology

Coluber constrictor flaviventris comes from Latin words that describe the animal: Coluber means 'snake', constrictor means 'one that squeezes', and flaviventris means 'yellow belly'. So the scientific name points to a snake with a yellow underside and helps you remember its look.