- Cemophora coccinea lineri
Taxobox
name = Texas Scarlet Snake
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis =Reptilia
ordo =Squamata
familia =Colubridae
subfamilia =Colubrinae
genus = "Cemophora "
species = "C. coccinea"
subspecies = "C. c. lineri"
trinomial = "Cemophora coccinea lineri"
trinomial_authority = Williams, Brown, Wilson, 1966The Texas Scarlet Snake ("Cemophora coccinea lineri") is a
subspecies of non-venomouscolubrid snake native to theUnited States in southernTexas . Its range does not overlap with other subspecies of Scarlet Snake. The epithet "lineri" is in honor of American zoologistErnest A. Liner , who collected the first specimen in 1963. [http://ebeltz.net/herps/biogappx.html]Description
The Texas Scarlet Snake is the largest of the scarlet snake subspecies, and is capable of growing to 26 inches. It has an overall grey or white color, with distinct red blotches that have black borders. Unlike other subspecies, the black borders do not join on the sides. Their belly is a solid white or grey.
Behavior
Like all scarlet snakes, the Texas Scarlet Snake is a secretive burrower, spending most of its time under ground. It prefers sandy thicket habitats along the
Gulf of Mexico coastline. Its preferred diet is the eggs of other reptiles, but it will also eat smallrodent s andlizard s.References
*EMBL species|genus=Cemophora|species=coccinea
* [http://www.zo.utexas.edu/research/txherps/snakes/cemophora.coccinea.html Herps of Texas: "Cemophora coccinea"]
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