''Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus'', also known
commonly as the coast night snake and the spotted night snake, is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
snake
Snakes are elongated, Limbless vertebrate, limbless, carnivore, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other Squamata, squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping Scale (zoology), scales. Ma ...
in the
subfamily
In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...
Dipsadinae of the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Colubridae
Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from la, coluber, 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family. The earliest species of the family date back to the Oligocene epoch. Colubrid snakes are found on ever ...
. The species is native to California in the United States and to the
Baja California Peninsula in Mexico. There are eight recognized
subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
.
Reproduction
''H. ochrorhynchus'' is
oviparous
Oviparous animals are animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive method of most fish, amphibians, most reptiles, and all pterosaurs, dinosaurs (including birds), and ...
.
[
]
Subspecies
Eight subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
.[
*''Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus baueri''
*''Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus gularis''
*''Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus klauberi''
*''Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus martinensis''
*''Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus nuchalata''
*''Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus ochrorhynchus''
*''Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus tortugaensis''
*''Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus venusta''
]
References
Further reading
* Cope ED (1860). "Catalogue of the Colubridæ in the Museum of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, with notes and descriptions of new species. Part 2". ''Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia'' 12: 241–266. (''Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus'', new species, pp. 246–247).
* Mocquard F (1899). "''Contribution a la faune herpétologique de la Basse-Californie'' ". ''Nouvelles Archives du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle, Quatrième Série'' 1: 297–343 + Plates XI–XIII. (''Hypsiglena venusta'', new species, p. 327). (in French).
* Tanner WW (1943). "Two New Species of ''Hypsiglena'' from Western North America". ''Great Basin Naturalist'' 4 (1 & 2): 49–54. (''Hypsiglena nuchalatus'', new species, pp. 49–53).
*Tanner WW (1946). "A Taxonomic Study of the Genus ''Hypsiglena'' ". ''Great Basin Naturalist'' 5 (3 & 4): 25–92, Plates I–III. (''Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus klauberi'', new subspecies, pp. 71–74; ''H. o. tortugaensis'', new subspecies, pp. 69–71 + Plate II, figures 3–4). (''Nota bene
(, or ; plural form ) is a Latin phrase meaning "note well".
It is often abbreviated as NB, n.b., or with the ligature
and first appeared in English writing . In Modern English, it is used, particularly in legal papers, to draw the atten ...
'': This issue is dated "1944", but was not published until 1946, due to World War II).
*Tanner WW (1954). "Additional Note on the Genus ''Hypsiglena'' With a Description of a New Subspecies". ''Herpetologica'' 10: 54–56. (''Hypsiglena torquata gularis'', new subspecies).
*Tanner WW, Banta BH (1962). "Description of a new ''Hypsiglena'' from San Martín Island, México, with a Resumé of the Reptile Fauna of the island". ''Herpetologica'' 18 (1): 21–25.
* Zweifel RG (1958). "Results of the Puritan-American Museum of Natural History Expedition to Western Mexico. 2. Notes on Reptiles and Amphibians from the Pacific Coastal Islands of Baja California". ''American Museum Novitates'' (1895): 1–17. (''Hypsiglena torquata baueri'', new subspecies, pp. 12–16, Figure 1).
Hypsiglena
Reptiles of Mexico
Reptiles of the United States
Taxa named by Edward Drinker Cope
Reptiles described in 1860
{{Dipsadinae-stub