Hypsiglena

Taxobox
name = "Hypsiglena"

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image_size = 240px
image_caption = Texas Night Snake
"Hypsiglena torquata jani"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Reptilia
ordo = Squamata
subordo = Serpentes
familia = Colubridae
genus = "Hypsiglena"
genus_authority = Cope, 1860

"Hypsiglena" is a genus of small, rear-fanged, colubrid snakes commonly referred to as night snakes. The genus consists of two distinct species, many subspecies may be considered synonymous depending on the source.

Species

*Tanzer's Day Snake, "Hypsiglena tanzeri" (Dixon & Lieb, 1972)
*"Hypsiglena torquata"
**"Hypsiglena torquata affinis" (Boulenger, 1894)
**Cedros Island Night Snake, "Hypsiglena torquata baueri" (Zweifel, 1958)
**Santa Catalina Night Snake, "Hypsiglena torquata catalinae" (Tanner, 1966)
**Sonoran Night Snake, "Hypsiglena torquata chlorophaea" (Cope, 1860)
**Desert Night Snake, "Hypsiglena torquata deserticola" (Tanner, 1966)
**Isla Partida Norte Night Snake, "Hypsiglena torquata gularis" (Tanner, 1954)
**Texas Night Snake, "Hypsiglena torquata jani" (Dugés, 1865)
**San Diego Night Snake, "Hypsiglena torquata klauberi" (Tanner, 1944)
**Mesa Verde Night Snake, "Hypsiglena torquata loreala" (Tanner, 1944)
**San Martin Island Night Snake, "Hypsiglena torquata martinensis" (Tanner & Banta 1962)
**California Night Snake, "Hypsiglena torquata nuchalata" (Tanner, 1943)
**Spotted Night Snake, "Hypsiglena torquata ochrorhyncha" (Cope, 1860)
**Tiburon Island Night Snake, "Hypsiglena torquata tiburonensis" (Tanner, 1981)
**"Hypsiglena torquata torquata" (Günther, 1860)
**"Hypsiglena torquata tortugensis" (Tanner, 1944)
**"Hypsiglena torquata unaocularis" (Tanner, 1944)
**Central Baja Night Snake, "Hypsiglena torquata venusta" (Mocquard, 1899)

Geographic range

"Hypsiglena" are found throughout the north and eastern United States from Texas and Kansas, west to California, north to Washington, and south into Mexico, as well as islands off the coasts of Mexico. Their preferred habitat is semi-arid desert regions with rocky and sandy soils.

Description

Night snakes typically do not get much larger than 40 cm. They are slender bodied with a flattened head, and have small eyes with vertical pupils. Their color varies depending on their locality, often matching the soil color of their native habitat. They are occur in various shades of gray, and brown, with dark brown, gray or black blotches on the back and the sides. Many also have distinctive black markings on the neck region.

Behavior

"Hypsiglena" are a nocturnal and terrestrial. Their diet consists primarily of lizards, but they will also consume smaller snakes, and amphibians. Their venom is not considered to be dangerous to humans.

References

*EMBL genus|genus=Hypsiglena