Snakes of North America: Eastern and Central Regions (Lone Star Field Guides)

Providing thorough descriptions of almost 200 species, this guide presents thousands of facts and figures that will help you identify, understand, and appreciate these important and remarkable animals. Each species and subspecies account includes the latest findings on abundance, size, reproductive habits, prey, habitat, behavior and venomous/nonvenomous status. SNAKES OF NORTH AMERICA......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 21 Preface......Page 27 Introduction......Page 32 The Evolution of Snakes......Page 35 Snake Venom Poisoning......Page 49 Venom Potency Table......Page 60 Ramphotyphlops ......Page 61 1 Brahminy Blind Snake, Ramphotyphlops braminus......Page 62 Leptotyphlops ......Page 63 2 Plains Blind Snake, Leptotyphlops dulcis dulcis......Page 64 3 New Mexico Blind Snake, Leptotyphlops dulcis dissectus......Page 65 4 Trans-Pecos Blind Snake, Leptotyphlops humilis segregus......Page 67 Tantilla ......Page 68 5 Southeastern Crowned Snake, Tantilla coronata......Page 69 6 Peninsula Crowned Snake, Tantilla relicta relicta......Page 71 7 Central Florida Crowned Snake, Tantilla relicta neilli......Page 72 8 Coastal Dunes Crowned Snake, Tantilla relicta pamlica......Page 73 9 Rim Rock Crowned Snake, Tantilla oolitica......Page 74 10 Flat-headed Snake, Tantilla gracilis......Page 76 11 Plains Black-headed Snake, Tantilla nigriceps......Page 78 12 Southwestern Black-headed Snake, Tantilla hobartsmithi......Page 79 13 Mexican Black-headed Snake, Tantilla atriceps......Page 81 14 Black-hooded Snake, Tantilla rubra cucullata......Page 82 Storeria ......Page 84 15 Northern Red-bellied Snake, Storeria occipitomaculata occipitomaculata......Page 85 16 Florida Red-bellied Snake, Storeria occipitomaculata obscura......Page 87 17 Black Hills Red-bellied Snake, Storeria occipitomaculata pahasapae......Page 89 18 Northern Brown Snake, Storeria dekayi dekayi......Page 90 19 Florida Brown Snake, Storeria dekayi victa......Page 92 20 Midland Brown Snake, Storeria dekayi wrightorum......Page 93 21 Texas Brown Snake, Storeria dekayi texana......Page 95 22 Marsh Brown Snake, Storeria dekayi limnetes......Page 97 Virginia ......Page 98 23 Eastern Earth Snake, Virginia valeriae valeria......Page 99 24 Mountain Earth Snake, Virginia valeriae pulchra......Page 100 25 Western Earth Snake, Virginia valeriae elegans......Page 102 26 Rough Earth Snake, Virginia striatula......Page 103 Diadophis ......Page 105 27 Southern Ring-necked Snake, Diadophis punctatus punctatus......Page 106 28 Northern Ring-necked Snake, Diadophis punctatus edwardsii......Page 107 29 Key Ring-necked Snake, Diadophis punctatus acricus......Page 109 30 Mississippi Ring-necked Snake, Diadophis punctatus stictogenys......Page 110 31 Prairie Ring-necked Snake, Diadophis punctatus arnyi......Page 112 32 Regal Ring-necked Snake, Diadophis punctatus regalis......Page 113 33 Ground Snake, Sonora semiannulata......Page 115 34 Eastern Worm Snake, Carphophis amoenus amoenus......Page 117 35 Midwestern Worm Snake, Carphophis amoenus helenae......Page 119 36 Western Worm Snake, Carphophis amoenus vermis......Page 120 37 Pine Woods Snake, Rhadinaea flavilata......Page 121 Stilosoma ......Page 123 38 Short-tailed Snake, Stilosoma extenuatum......Page 124 39 Lined Snake, Tropidoclonion lineatum......Page 126 Thamnophis ......Page 127 40 Eastern Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis......Page 129 41 Maritime Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis pallidulus......Page 131 42 Blue-striped Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis similis......Page 132 43 Chicago Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis semifasciatus......Page 133 44 Red-sided Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis......Page 134 45 Texas Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis annectens......Page 136 46 Short-headed Garter Snake, Thamnophis brachystoma......Page 137 47 Butler's Garter Snake, Thamnophis butleri......Page 138 48 Wandering Garter Snake, Thamnophis elegans vagrans......Page 139 49 Eastern Plains Garter Snake, Thamnophis radix radix......Page 141 50 Western Plains Garter Snake, Thamnophis radix haydeni......Page 142 51 Checkered Garter Snake, Thamnophis marcianus marcianus......Page 144 52 Western Black-necked Garter Snake, Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis......Page 146 53 Eastern Black-necked Garter Snake, Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus......Page 147 54 Eastern Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis sauritus sauritus......Page 149 55 Northern Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis sauritus septentrionalis......Page 151 56 Peninsula Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis sauritus sackenii......Page 152 57 Blue-striped Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis sauritus nitae......Page 153 58 Western Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis proximus proximus......Page 154 59 Red-striped Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis proximus rubrilineatus......Page 156 60 Gulf Coast Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis proximus orarius......Page 158 61 Arid Land Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis proximus diabolicus......Page 159 Nerodia ......Page 161 62 Northern Water Snake, Nerodia sipedon sipedon......Page 162 63 Lake Erie Water Snake, Nerodia sipedon insularum......Page 164 64 Midland Water Snake, Nerodia sipedon pleuralis......Page 167 65 Carolina Water Snake, Nerodia sipedon williamengelsi......Page 168 66 Red-bellied Water Snake, Nerodia erythrogaster erythrogaster......Page 169 67 Copper-bellied Water Snake, Nerodia erythrogaster neglecta......Page 171 68 Yellow-bellied Water Snake, Nerodia erythrogaster flavigaster......Page 173 69 Blotched Water Snake, Nerodia erythrogaster transversa......Page 175 70 Banded Water Snake, Nerodia fasciata fasciata......Page 177 71 Broad-banded Water Snake, Nerodia fasciata confluens......Page 179 72 Florida Water Snake, Nerodia fasciata pictiventris......Page 180 73 Gulf Salt Marsh Snake, Nerodia clarki clarkii......Page 182 74 Atlantic Salt Marsh Snake, Nerodia clarki taeniata......Page 183 75 Mangrove Salt Marsh Snake, Nerodia clarki compressicauda......Page 185 76 Florida Green Water Snake, Nerodia floridana......Page 186 77 Mississippi Green Water Snake, Nerodia cyclopion......Page 188 78 Brown Water Snake, Nerodia taxispilota......Page 189 79 Diamond-backed Water Snake, Nerodia rhombifer rhombifer......Page 191 80 Brazos Water Snake, Nerodia harteri harteri......Page 193 81 Concho Water Snake, Nerodia harteri paucimaculata......Page 195 Seminatrix......Page 196 82 North Florida Swamp Snake, Seminatrix pygaea pygaea......Page 197 83 South Florida Swamp Snake, Seminatrix pygaea cyclas......Page 198 84 Carolina Swamp Snake, Seminatrix pygaea paludis......Page 199 Regina ......Page 200 85 Striped Crayfish Snake, Regina alleni......Page 201 86 Glossy Crayfish Snake, Regina rigida rigida......Page 202 87 Delta Crayfish Snake, Regina rigida deltae......Page 203 88 Gulf Crayfish Snake, Regina rigida sinicola......Page 204 89 Queen Snake, Regina septemvittata......Page 206 90 Graham's Crayfish Snake, Regina grahamii......Page 207 Farancia ......Page 209 91 Eastern Mud Snake, Farancia abacura abacura......Page 210 92 Western Mud Snake, Farancia abacura reinwardtii......Page 211 93 Rainbow Snake, Farancia erytrogramma erytrogramma......Page 213 94 South Florida Rainbow Snake, Farancia erytrogramma seminola......Page 216 Clonophis ......Page 217 95 Kirtland's Snake, Clonophis kirtlandii......Page 218 Salvadora ......Page 219 96 Mountain Patch-nosed Snake, Salvadora grahamiae grahamiae......Page 220 97 Texas Patch-nosed Snake, Salvadora grahamiae lineata......Page 221 98 Big Bend Patch-nosed Snake, Salvadora deserticola......Page 223 Liochlorophis and Opheodrys ......Page 224 99 Smooth Green Snake, Liochlorophis vernalis......Page 225 100 Rough Green Snake, Opheodrys aestivus......Page 228 Masticophis ......Page 229 101 Eastern Coachwhip, Masticophis flagellum flagellum......Page 230 102 Western Coachwhip, Masticophis flagellum testaceus......Page 233 103 Desert Striped Whipsnake, Masticophis taeniatus taeniatus......Page 355 104 Central Texas Whipsnake, Masticophis taeniatus girardi......Page 356 105 Schott's Whipsnake, Masticophis schotti......Page 358 106 Ruthven's Whipsnake, Masticophis ruthveni......Page 359 Coluber ......Page 361 107 Northern Black Racer, Coluber constrictor constrictor......Page 362 108 Southern Black Racer, Coluber constrictor priapus......Page 364 109 Blue Racer, Coluber constrictor foxii......Page 366 110 Everglades Racer, Coluber constrictor paludicola......Page 367 111 Brown-chinned Racer, Coluber constrictor helvigularis......Page 368 112 Black-masked Racer, Coluber constrictor latrunculus......Page 369 113 Buttermilk Racer, Coluber constrictor anthicus......Page 371 114 Tan Racer, Coluber constrictor etheridgei......Page 372 115 Eastern Yellow-bellied Racer, Coluber constrictor flaviventris......Page 374 116 Mexican Racer, Coluber constrictor oaxaca......Page 376 Drymarchon ......Page 378 117 Eastern Indigo Snake, Drymarchon corais couperi......Page 379 118 Texas Indigo Snake, Drymarchon corais erebennus......Page 381 119 Central American Speckled Racer, Drymobius margaritiferus margaritiferus......Page 384 Hog-Nosed Snakes ......Page 386 120 Eastern Hog-nosed Snake, Heterodon platirhinos......Page 387 121 Southern Hog-nosed Snake, Heterodon simus......Page 390 122 Plains Hog-nosed Snake, Heterodon nasicus nasicus......Page 392 123 Dusty Hog-nosed Snake, Heterodon nasicus gloydi......Page 394 124 Mexican Hog-nosed Snake,Heterodon nasicus kennerlyi......Page 396 Pituophis ......Page 398 125 Northern Pine Snake, Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus......Page 399 126 Florida Pine Snake, Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus......Page 402 127 Black Pine Snake, Pituophis melanoleucus lodingi......Page 403 128 Louisiana Pine Snake, Pituophis ruthveni......Page 405 129 Bullsnake, Pituophis catenifer sayi......Page 408 130 Sonoran Gopher Snake, Pituophis catenifer affinis......Page 411 131 Kansas Glossy Snake, A rizona elegans elegans......Page 413 132 Texas Glossy Snake, A rizona elegans arenicola......Page 415 133 Painted Desert Glossy Snake, Arizona elegans philipi......Page 416 Elaphe ......Page 418 134 Black Rat Snake, Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta......Page 419 135 Yellow Rat Snake, Elaphe obsoleta quadrivittata......Page 423 136 Everglades Rat Snake, Elaphe obsoleta rossalleni......Page 425 137 Gray Rat Snake, Elaphe obsoleta spiloides......Page 426 138 Texas Rat Snake, Elaphe obsoleta lindheimerii......Page 428 139 Baird's Rat Snake, Elaphe bairdi......Page 430 140 Corn Snake, Elaphe guttata guttata......Page 432 141 Great Plains Rat Snake, Elaphe guttata emoryi......Page 434 142 Eastern Fox Snake, Elaphe gloydi......Page 437 143 Western Fox Snake, Elaphe vulpina......Page 439 Bogertophis ......Page 441 144 Trans-Pecos Rat Snake, Bogertophis subocularis......Page 442 145 Mexican Hook-nosed Snake, Ficimia streckeri......Page 445 146 Western Hook-nosed Snake, Gyalopion canum......Page 447 Lampropeltis ......Page 449 147 Prairie Kingsnake, Lampropeltis calligaster calligaster......Page 450 148 Mole Kingsnake, Lampropeltis calligaster rhombomaculata......Page 452 149 South Florida Mole Kingsnake, Lampropeltis calligaster occipitolineata......Page 453 150 Eastern Kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula getula......Page 454 151 Florida Kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula floridana......Page 457 152 Black Kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula nigra......Page 460 153 Speckled Kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula holbrooki......Page 462 154 Desert Kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula splendida......Page 464 155 Eastern Milk Snake, Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum......Page 467 156 Scarlet Kingsnake, Lampropeltis triangulum elapsoides......Page 469 157 Red Milk Snake, Lampropeltis triangulum syspila......Page 472 158 Louisiana Milk Snake, Lampropeltis triangulum amaura......Page 474 159 Mexican Milk Snake, Lampropeltis triangulum annulata......Page 477 160 New Mexico Milk Snake, Lampropeltis triangulum celaenops......Page 478 161 Central Plains Milk Snake, Lampropeltis triangulum gentilis......Page 480 162 Pale Milk Snake, Lampropeltis triangulum multistrata......Page 482 163 Gray-banded Kingsnake, Lampropeltis alterna......Page 484 Cemophora ......Page 488 164 Florida Scarlet Snake, Cemophora coccinea coccinea......Page 489 165 Northern Scarlet Snake, Cemophora coccinea copei......Page 490 166 Texas Scarlet Snake, Cemophora coccinea lineri......Page 492 Rhinocheilus ......Page 494 167 Texas Long-nosed Snake, Rhinocheilus lecontei tessellatus......Page 495 Hypsiglena ......Page 497 168 Texas Night Snake, Hypsiglena torquata jani......Page 498 Leptodeira ......Page 500 169 Northern Cat-eyed Snake, Leptodeira septentrionalis septentrionalis......Page 501 Coniophanes ......Page 502 170 Black-striped Snake, Coniophanes imperialis imperialis......Page 503 Trimorphodon ......Page 505 171 Texas Lyre Snake, Trimorphodon biscutatus vilkinsonii......Page 506 Micrurus ......Page 509 172 Eastern Coral Snake, Micrurus fulvius fulvius......Page 511 173 Texas Coral Snake, Micrurus fulvius tener......Page 514 Viperidae......Page 517 Agkistrodon ......Page 518 174 Southern Copperhead, Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix......Page 519 175 Northern Copperhead, Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen......Page 523 176 Osage Copperhead, Agkistrodon contortrix phaeogaster......Page 526 177 Broad-banded Copperhead, Agkistrodon contortrix laticinctus......Page 528 178 Trans-Pecos Copperhead, Agkistrodon contortrix pictigaster......Page 530 179 Eastern Cottonmouth, Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus......Page 532 180 Florida Cottonmouth, Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti......Page 534 181 Western Cottonmouth, Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma......Page 537 Rattlesnakes ......Page 540 Sistrurus ......Page 541 182 Carolina Pigmy Rattlesnake, Sistrurus miliarius miliarius......Page 542 183 Dusky Pigmy Rattlesnake, Sistrurus miliarius barbouri......Page 544 184 Western Pigmy Rattlesnake, Sistrurus miliarius streckeri......Page 546 185 Eastern Massasauga, Sistrurus catenatus catenatus......Page 548 186 Western Massasauga, Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus......Page 550 187 Desert Massasauga, Sistrurus catenatus edwardsii......Page 552 Crotalus ......Page 554 188 Timber Rattlesnake, Crotalus horridus horridus......Page 555 189 Canebrake Rattlesnake Crotalus horridus atricaudatus......Page 559 190 Eastern Diamond-backed Rattlesnake, Crotalus adamanteus......Page 563 191 Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake, Crotalus atrox......Page 567 192 Northern Black-tailed Rattlesnake, Crotalus molossus molossus......Page 572 193 Prairie Rattlesnake, Crotalus viridis viridis......Page 574 194 Mojave Rattlesnake, Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus......Page 576 195 Mottled Rock Rattlesnake, Crotalus lepidus lepidus......Page 580 196 Banded Rock Rattlesnake, Crotalus lepidus klauberi......Page 582 Glossary ......Page 585 Bibliography ......Page 593 Index ......Page 624 About the Author ......Page 636