Midwestern worm snake
| Midwestern worm snake | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Subfamily: | Xenodontinae |
| Genus: | Carphophis |
| Species: | C. amoenus |
| Subspecies: | C. a. helenae |
| Trinomial name | |
| Carphophis amoenus helenae Kennicott, 1859[1] | |
| Synonyms | |
The midwestern worm snake, Carphophis amoenus helenae, is a subspecies of C. amoenus, a nonvenomous, colubrid snake, endemic to the Midwest and Southern United States.[3][4]
Etymology
The subspecific name, helenae, is in honor of "Miss Helen Tennison", Robert Kennicott's cousin, who collected specimens for him in Mississippi.[5][6]
Geographic range
The subspecies ranges from southern Ohio to northern Georgia in the east and from southern Illinois to eastern Louisiana in the west.[7]
Description
Adults are small and wormlike, rarely growing longer than 9.8 in (25 cm) in total length. It is plain dark brown on top and light pink on its underside.[3]
Habitat
The midwestern worm snake is fossorial. It spends its life burrowing in moist soil or under the leaf litter searching for soft-bodied prey, with a preference for earthworms. This secretive snake prefers mesic deciduous forest.[3][4]
References
- ↑ ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System). www.itis.gov.
- ↑ The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
- 1 2 3 "Midwestern Wormsnake". ODNR Division of Wildlife. Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved June 7, 2012.
- 1 2 "Snakes in Alabama". Outdoor Alabama. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved June 6, 2012.
- ↑ Beltz, Ellin. 2006. Scientific and Common Names of the Reptiles and Amphibians of North America - Explained. http://ebeltz.net/herps/biogappx.html.
- ↑ Beolens, Bo; Michael Watkins; Michael Grayson. 2011. The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore. xiii + 312 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. ("Helen T.", p. 120.)
- ↑ Conant, R. 1975. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition. Houghton MIfflin. Boston. xviii + 429 pp. ISBN 0-395-19979-4 (hardcover), ISBN 0-395-19977-8 (paperback). (Carphophis amoenus helenae, p. 175 + Map 131.)
Further reading
- Kennicott, R. 1859. Notes on Coluber calligaster of Say, and a description of new species of Serpents in the collection of the North Western University of Evanston, Ill[inois]. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia [11]: 98-100. (Celuta helenæ, p. 100.)