Carphophis vermis

Taxobox
name = Western Worm Snake
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Reptilia
ordo = Squamata
subordo = Serpentes
familia = Colubridae
subfamilia = Xenodontinae
genus = "Carphophis"
species = "C. vermis"
binomial = "Carphophis vermis"
binomial_authority = Kennicott, 1859
synonyms = "Celuta vermis"
Kennicott, 1859

The Western Worm Snake ("Carphophis vermis") is a small, non-venomous colubrid snake native to the United States.

Description

Western worm snakes have a dark, black or brownish dorsal coloration, with a pink or reddish underside. They can grow to lengths of 11 inches (28 cm).

Geographic range

Western worm snakes are found in the United States in southern Iowa, southeastern Nebraska, eastern Kansas, western Illinois, Missouri, Louisiana, eastern Oklahoma, and northeastern Texas with isolated records from southwestern Wisconsin, and southeastern Arkansas.

Behavior

Worm snakes are fossorial snakes, and spend the vast majority of their time buried in loose, rocky soil, or under damp forest leaf litter. They are abundant within their range, but rarely seen due to their secretive nature. Little is known about their mating habits, but breeding likely occurs in the early spring and eggs are laid in the early summer. Clutch size is normally 1-8 eggs and hatching takes place in August or September. Hatchlings range in size from 3 to 4 inches (7 to 10 cm). Worm snake diet consists almost entirely of earthworms, but they will also consume other soft bodied insects. If harassed, they will often release a foul smelling musk from its cloaca. If handled, they may press their tail tip into the captor's hand as a defense mechanism.

References

* [http://www.zo.utexas.edu/research/txherps/snakes/carphophis.vermis.html Herps of Texas: Western Worm Snake]
*EMBL species|genus=Carphophis|species=vermis