Appearance
''Liophis miliaris'' is stout-bodied and relatively short-tailed. Tail length/total length ratios vary from 15.0%-19.8% with an average of 18.6.Adults may attain a total length of about 50 cm .
Dorsally, it is pale olive-brown or yellowish, with each smooth dorsal scale edged with black. Ventrally, it is uniformly yellow.
Naming
South American common names for this species include ''cobra-d'água'' and ''cobra-lisa'' in Portuguese, and simply ''culebra'' in Spanish.Seven subspecies are recognized, including the nominotypical subspecies.⤷ ''Liophis miliaris amazonicus''
⤷ ''Liophis miliaris chrysostomus''
⤷ ''Liophis miliaris kogiorum'' Bernal-Carlo, 1994
⤷ ''Liophis miliaris merremi''
⤷ ''Liophis miliaris miliaris''
⤷ ''Liophis miliaris orinus''
⤷ ''Liophis miliaris semiaureus''
The subspecific name, ''merremi'' is in honor of German herpetologist Blasius Merrem.
Habitat
''Liophis miliaris'' is seen in the Atlantic forest of South America, the rainforest in eastern Brazil, and the semideciduous forests in southeastern Brazil.Reproduction
With respect to reproductive output in the northern and southern coast Atlantic forest, and the northern and southern inland forest, the reproductive output recorded for ''Liophis miliaris orinus'' and ''Liophis miliaris merremi'' were determined via number of eggs, size of eggs, and number of neonates. The mean egg volume in the southern coast Atlantic forest was seen to be the largest of the four regions. The reproductive frequency was lower in the northern coast Atlantic forest than the other regions.Food
''Liophis miliaris'' feeds on a wide range of prey items. They include amphibians , invertebrates, lizards, fish, birds, and small rodents. However, there is little information on its feeding habits.A study indicated that females with oviductal eggs did not feed, whereas those '' Liophis miliaris'' snakes with secondary vitellogenic follicles fed more often than did the non-reproductive females.
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