The genus Erythrolamprus belongs to the subfamily Dipsadinae, which is sometimes referred to as the family Dipsadidae.

[6] Dorsally, it is black or dark brown with white crossbands.

The dorsal scales, which are smooth and without apical pits, are arranged in 17 rows at midbody.

[6] It is found in northern South America east of the Andes,[7] in the Guianas, eastern Venezuela, and Trinidad and Tobago[8] (although only on the island of Trinidad, not Tobago.

)[5] It is a semi-aquatic species,[5] and lives in lowland rainforest river floodplains and coastal mangrove swamps.