Cemophora

Taxobox
name = "Cemophora"


image_width =
image_caption =
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Reptilia
ordo = Squamata
subordo = Serpentes
familia = Colubridae
subfamilia = Colubrinae
genus = "Cemophora"
genus_authority = Cope, 1860

"Cemaphora" is a non-venomous genus of colubrid snakes commonly known as scarlet snakes. The genus contains only a single species, which has three subspecies. They are native to the southeastern United States.

Description

Scarlet snakes are relatively small snakes, growing to 14-20 inches (36-51 cm) at adult size. They are a base light grey in color, with black bordered red blotches down their back. Their belly is a uniformly light grey color. Their blotches can extend down to the sides of the body, appearing somewhat like banding, which sometimes leads to confusion with the venomous coral snake or the harmless scarlet king snake.

Behaviour

Scarlet snakes are nocturnal, and generally spend their day hiding under leaf litter or fallen logs, and venture out in the evenings to forage for food. They feed on lizards, small rodents, reptile eggs, and even other snakes. Breeding occurs from throughout the spring months, and eggs are laid throughout the summer. Clutch size is typically 3-8 eggs which hatch in the early fall.

Species

l.t. elapsiodes

Geographic distribution

They are found only in the United states, in: southeastern Texas, eastern Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware, with disjunct populations New Jersey, and central Missouri.

External links

* [http://www.snakesandfrogs.com/scra/snakes/scarlet.htm South Carolina Snake Species: Scarlet Snake]
* [http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/herpetology/FL-GUIDE/Cemophoraccoccinea.htm Florida Museum of Natural History: Florida Scarlet Snake]
* [http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/herpetology/FL-GUIDE/Cemophoraccopei.htm Florida Museum of Natural History: Northern Scarlet Snake]

References

*EMBL genus|genus=Cemophora