Cope's Mountain Meadow Snake
Adelophis copei
Thamnophis copei, Cope's mountain meadow snake, is a vulnerable species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species was originally described by Alfredo Dugès in 1897, and is endemic to Mexico.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thamnophis_copei
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Squamata
Family
Colubridae
Genus
Adelophis
Cope's Mountain Meadow Snake belongs to the family Colubridae, order unknown, within the Squamata class.
Species Profile
Thamnophis copei, Cope's mountain meadow snake, is a vulnerable species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species was originally described by Alfredo Dugès in 1897, and is endemic to Mexico. It is the type species of the genus Adelophis Dugès, 1879.
Cope's Mountain Meadow Snake faces significant threats from habitat loss and fragmentation due to agricultural expansion and urban development in its limited montane range. The species' restricted distribution in high-elevation meadows and grasslands makes it particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts and human encroachment.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
This species inhabits high-elevation mountain meadows, grasslands, and pine-oak forest clearings typically between 1,500-3,000 meters elevation in the Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico. It prefers open areas with dense grass cover and scattered shrubs within montane forest ecosystems.
Threats
Habitat loss from agricultural conversion
Urban and infrastructure development
Climate change affecting montane ecosystems
Habitat fragmentation
Livestock grazing pressure
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Cope's Mountain Meadow Snake (Adelophis copei). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/copes-mountain-meadow-snake