Xenodon dorbignyi

Xenodon dorbignyi, the South American hognose snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to southern South America. There are four recognized subspecies.

Etymology
The specific name, dorbignyi, is in honor of French naturalist Alcide d'Orbigny.

Geographic range
X. dorbignyi is found in Argentina, southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

Habitat
The preferred natural habitats of X. dorbignyi are forest and grassland, both with sandy soil.

Description
X. dorbignyi may attain a total length of 56 cm, including a tail 8 cm long. It resembles the sympatric venomous snake Bothrops alternatus.

Diet
X. dorbignyi preys upon insects, amphibians, and lizards.

Reproduction
X. dorbignyi is oviparous.

Subspecies
Four subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.
 * Xenodon dorbignyi chacoensis (Lema, 1994)
 * Xenodon dorbignyi dorbignyi (Bibron, 1854)
 * Xenodon dorbignyi orientalis (Lema), 1994)
 * Xenodon dorbignyi uruguayensis (Lema, 1994

Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Xenodon.