Coniophanes

Coniophanes
Coniophanes fissidens
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Subfamily: Xenodontinae
Genus: Coniophanes
Hallowell, 1860
Synonyms

Dromicus, Erythrolamprus, Glaphyrophis, Homalopsis, Hydrops, Rhadinaea, Tachymenis, Taeniophis[1]

Coniophanes is a large genus of colubrid snakes, typically referred to as black-striped snakes, but they also have many other common names. The genus consists of 13 species, and despite the common name, not all of them display striping.

Geographic range

They are found primarily in Mexico and Central America, but range as far north as southern Texas in the United States, and as far south as Peru in South America.

Description

Snakes of the genus Coniophanes grow to a length of 31-46 cm (12-18 in) and are typically brown in color, with black striping down their sides and center of their backs, and red or orange undersides. Some of the species, such as C. alvarezi, are solid brown.

Behaviour

Coniophanes snakes are secretive burrowers. They spend most of their time digging into loose soils, forest leaf litter, or under rotting cactus. They are nocturnal, emerging from their underground retreats in the late evening to feed on frogs, lizards, small rodents, and smaller snakes.

Reproduction

They are oviparous, laying clutches of up to 10 eggs in loose soil, which hatch in around 40 days, depending on relative temperature and humidity. Hatchlings are about 17 cm (6.5 inches) in length.

Species

References

  1. ↑ Wright, A.H. and A.A. Wright. 1957. Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada. Comstock. Ithaca and London.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, August 18, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.