Tantilla is a large genus of harmless New World snakes in the family Colubridae. The genus includes 66 species, which are commonly known as centipede snakes, blackhead snakes, and flathead snakes. Description Tantilla are small snakes, rarely exceeding 20 cm (8 inches) in total length (including tail). They are generally varying shades of brown, red or black in color. Some species have a brown body with a black head. Behavior Tantilla are nocturnal, secretive snakes. They spend most of their time buried in the moist leaf litter of semi-forested regions or under rocks and debris. Diet The diet of snakes of the genus Tantilla consists primarily of invertebrates, including scorpions, centipedes, spiders, and various insects. Species Tantilla albiceps Barbour, 1925 – Barbour's centipede snake – Panama Tantilla alticola (Boulenger, 1903) – Boulenger's centipede snake – Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia Tantilla andinista Wilson & Mena, 1980 – Andes centipede snake – Ecuador Tantilla armillata Cope, 1876 – Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama Tantilla atriceps (Günther, 1895) – Mexican blackhead snake – USA (Arizona, Texas, New Mexico), northern Mexico Tantilla bairdi Stuart, 1941 – Baird's black-headed snake – Guatemala Tantilla berguidoi Batista, Mebert, Lotzkat & Wilson, 2016 – Chucantí centipede snake – Panama Tantilla bocourti (Günther, 1895) – Bocourt's black-headed snake – Mexico Tantilla boipiranga Sawaya & Sazima, 2003 – Brazil Tantilla brevicauda Mertens, 1952 – Mertens' centipede snake – El Salvador Tantilla briggsi Savitzky & H.M. Smith, 1971 – Briggs' centipede snake – Mexico Tantilla calamarina Cope, 1876 – Pacific Coast centipede snake – Mexico Tantilla capistrata Cope, 1876 – Capistrata centipede snake – Peru Tantilla carolina Palacios-Aguilar, Fucsko, Jiménez-Arcos, Wilson, & Mata-Silva, 2022 – Carolina’s little snake – Mexico Tantilla cascadae Wilson & Meyer, 1981 – Michoacán centipede snake – Mexico Tantilla ceboruca Canseco-Márquez et al., 2007 – Mexico Tantilla coronadoi Hartweg, 1944 – Guerreran centipede snake – Mexico Tantilla coronata Baird & Girard, 1853 – southeastern crowned snake – southeastern United States Tantilla cucullata Minton, 1956 – Big Bend blackhead snake – USA (Texas), Mexico Tantilla cuniculator H.M. Smith, 1939 – Peten centipede snake – south Mexico, Belize, Guatemala Tantilla deppei (Bocourt) – Deppe's centipede snake – Mexico Tantilla excelsa McCranie & E.N. Smith, 2017 – Honduras Tantilla flavilineata H.M. Smith & Burger, 1950 – yellow-lined centipede snake – Mexico Tantilla gottei McCranie & E.N. Smith, 2017 – Honduras Tantilla gracilis Baird & Girard, 1853