Selasa, 11 Maret 2008

Snakes of North America


CLASS REPTILA
ORDER SQUAMATA

SUBORDER SERPENTES



FAMILY LEPTOTYPHLOPIDAE (slender blind snakes)

This family of snakes is composed of 50 species in two families. They are generally regarded as the most primitive snakes, having a pelvic girdle and vestiglial hind limbs. They have a single lung and oviduct and are well adapted to their burrowing life style. They feed exclusively on small invertebrates such as ant and termite larvae. Leptotyphlopids are oviparous. There are two species of this family in North America.

Leptotyphlops dulcis
Texas Blind Snake
Leptotyphlops humilis
Western Blind Snake


FAMILY BOIDAE (boas and pythons)

Boidae is a large family of snakes that includes all five of the world's giant snakes. Boids are an ancient family that are characterized by a mixture of modern and primitive traits. They have flexible jaws found in more advanced families but also retain a pelvic girdle, vestigial hind limbs, and many use both lungs. While there are close to one hundred species of boids worldwide, there are only two species of boas found in North America, both in the sub-family Eryciniae.

Charina bottae
Rubber Boa
Lichanura trivirgata
Rosy Boa


COLUBRIDAE (colubrid snakes)

The Colubrid snakes are sometimes refered to as "typical snakes". They comprise the largest family by far with over 2000 species worldwide. Most are medium sized snakes, and all lack a pelvic girdle and have no vestigial hind limbs and whose left lung is either absent or greatly reduced. Most species are considered members of two large subfamilies, Colubrinae and Natricinae which are distinguished by the presence (Natricinae) or absence (Colubrinae) of spines on the lumbar vertebrae. Both subfamilies contain over 200 genera. The Colubrinae subfamily includes two of the genera popular with herpetoculturists, Elaphe and Lampropeltis. The Natricinae subfamily includes water snakes (Nerodia) and garter snakes (Thamnophis) among others. With a family this large, there will always be disagreements about classification, especially regarding the numbers and types of subspecies. This list includes 102 species of Colubrid snakes found in North America. Subspecies are not included in this scheme. Other lists may vary.

Arizona elegans
Glossy Snake
Bogertophis rosaliae
Baja California Rat Snake
Bogertophis subocularis
Trans-Pecos Rat Snake
Carphophis amoenus
Worm Snake
Cemophora coccinea
Scarlet Snake
Chilomeniscus cinctus
Banded Sand Snake
Chionactis occipitalis
Western Shovelnose Snake
Chionactis palarostris
Sonoran Shovelnose Snake
Clonophis kirtlandii
Kirtland's Snake
Coluber constrictor
Racer
Coniophanes imperialis
Black-striped Snake
Contia tenuis
Sharptail Snake
Diadophis punctatus
Ringneck Snake
Drymarchon corais
Indigo Snake
Drymobius margaritiferus
Speckled Racer
Elaphe bairdii
Baird's Rat Snake
Elaphe emoryi
Emory's Rat Snake
Elaphe guttata
Corn Snake
Elaphe obsoleta
Common Rat Snake
Elaphe slowinskii
Slowinski's Corn Snake
Elaphe vulpina
Fox Snake
Farancia abacura
Mud Snake
Farancia erytrogramma
Rainbow Snake
Ficimia streckeri
Mexican Hooknose Snake
Gyalopion canum
Western Hooknose Snake
Gyalopion quadrangulare
Desert Hooknose Snake
Heterodon nasicus
Western Hognose Snake
Heterodon platirhinos
Eastern Hognose Snake | Picture 2
Heterodon simus
Southern Hognose Snake
Hypsiglena torquata
Night Snake
Lampropeltis alterna
Gray-banded Kingsnake
Lampropeltis calligaster
Lampropeltis getula
Common Kingsnake
Lampropeltis pyromelana
Sonora Mountain Kingsnake
Lampropeltis triangulum
Milk Snake
Lampropeltis zonata
California Mountain Kingsnake
Leptodeira septentrionalis
Cat-eyed Snake
Masticophis bilineatus
Sonoran Whipsnake
Masticophis flagellum
Coachwhip
Masticophis lateralis
Striped Racer
Masticophis taeniatus
Striped Whipsnake
Nerodia clarkii
Salt Marsh Snake
Nerodia cyclopion
Mississippi Green Water Snake
Nerodia erythrogaster
Plainbelly Water Snake
Nerodia fasciata
Southern Water Snake
Nerodia floridana
Florida Green Water Snake
Nerodia harteri
Brazos Water Snake
Nerodia paucimaculata
Concho Water Snake
Nerodia rhombifer
Diamondback Water Snake
Nerodia sipedon
Nothern Water Snake
Nerodia taxispilota
Brown Water Snake
Opheodrys aestivus
Rough Green Snake
Opheodrys vernalis
Smooth Green Snake
Oxybelis aeneus
Mexican Vine Snake
Phyllorhynchus browni
Saddle Leafnose Snake
Phyllorhynchus decurtatus
Spotted Leafnose Snake
Pituophis catenifer
Gopher Snake
Pituophis melanoleucus
PineSnake
Regina alleni