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Species of snake From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The long-nosed snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei) is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to North America. It has two recognized subspecies. The other species in the genus were previously considered subspecies. [citation needed]
This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2022) |
Long-nosed snake | |
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Texas long-nosed snake Rhinocheilus lecontei tessellatus | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Colubridae |
Genus: | Rhinocheilus |
Species: | R. lecontei |
Binomial name | |
Rhinocheilus lecontei | |
Synonyms | |
The specific name, lecontei, commemorates American entomologist John Lawrence Le Conte (1825-1883).[5]
The long-nosed snake is distinguished by a long, slightly upturned snout, which is the origin of its common name. It is tricolor, vaguely resembling a coral snake, with black and red saddling on a yellow or cream-colored background. Cream-colored spots within the black saddles are a distinct characteristic of the long-nosed snake. It differs from all other harmless snakes in the United States by having undivided subcaudal scales.[6] The total length (including tail) of adults is usually 22–32 in (56–81 cm), but the maximum record total length is 41 in (100 cm).[7]
R. lecontei is a shy, nocturnal burrowing snake. It spends most of its time buried underground.[citation needed]
The long-nosed snake feeds on lizards, amphibians, and sometimes smaller snakes and infrequently rodents.[citation needed]
R. lecontei is oviparous,[8] laying clutches of 4-9 eggs in the early summer, which hatch in the late summer or early fall.[citation needed]
The long-nosed snake is not apt to bite, but will release a foul smelling musk and blood[9] from the cloaca as a defense mechanism if harassed.
The preferred natural habitats of the long-nosed snake are desert, grassland, shrubland, and savanna.[1]
R. lecontei is found in northern Mexico from San Luis Potosí to Chihuahua, and into the southwestern United States, in California, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Arizona, New Mexico, southeastern Colorado, southwestern Kansas,[8] Oklahoma,[10] and Texas.[8]
The long-nosed snake is not often found in the exotic pet trade as it frequently rejects rodent-based diets that are most readily available for captive snakes.[citation needed]
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