Chionactis palarostris

Chionactis palarostris
Sonoran shovelnose snake
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Subfamily: Colubrinae
Genus: Chionactis
Species: C. palarostris
Binomial name
Chionactis palarostris
(Klauber, 1937)
Subspecies

C. p. organica Klauber, 1951
C. p. palarostris (Klauber, 1937)
Synonyms

The Sonoran shovelnose snake (Chionactis palarostris) is a small nonvenomous colubrid which is a native of the Sonoran Desert. The specific name, palarostris, is from Latin: pāla (shovel) and rōstrum (beak or snout). It is one of only two species in the genus Chionactis.

Contents

Range

In the United States it is found only in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument of western Pima County, Arizona. The subspecies occurring there is called the Organ Pipe shovelnose snake (C. p. organica).

Description

It is cross-banded with black, yellow (or whitish), and red bands. Consequently, it resembles the Sonoran coral snake (Micruroides euryxanthus), but unlike the coral snake, it has a black snout and is not venomous. Maximum length of adults is 43 cm (17 in.).

Behavior

It is active in the evening and at night, mostly near washes.

Reproduction

It mates in the spring and lays a clutch of up to five eggs in summer.

External links


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