Cemophora coccinea lineri

Taxobox
name = Texas Scarlet Snake
regnum = Animalia
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, 1966

The Texas Scarlet Snake ("Cemophora coccinea lineri") is a subspecies of non-venomous colubrid snake native to the United States in southern Texas. Its range does not overlap with other subspecies of Scarlet Snake. The epithet "lineri" is in honor of American zoologist Ernest 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 small rodents and lizards.

References

*EMBL species|genus=Cemophora|species=coccinea
* [http://www.zo.utexas.edu/research/txherps/snakes/cemophora.coccinea.html Herps of Texas: "Cemophora coccinea"]