''Coluber constrictor etheridgei'', commonly known as the tan racer, is a

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 ...

of non venomous snake in the family

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 ...

, a subspecies of the eastern racer (''Coluber constrictor''). The subspecies is native to the southern United States.

Geographic range

''C. c. etheridgei'' is found in west-central Louisiana and adjacent eastern Texas. www.reptile-database.org.

Etymology

The subspecific name or epithet, ''etheridgei'', is in honor of the American herpetologist Richard Emmett Etheridge. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Coluber constrictor etheridgei'', p. 86).

Description

The tan racer, as its name implies, is typically a solid tan in color.

Powell Powell may refer to: People * Powell (surname) * Powell (given name) * Powell baronets, several baronetcies *Colonel Powell (disambiguation), several military officers *General Powell (disambiguation), several military leaders *Governor Powell (di ...

et al. (2016). Juveniles have a pattern of dark brown dorsal blotches, which fade to solid tan at about a year of age. The underside is typically gray or white, sometimes with yellow spotting. It typically grows from .75 – 1.5 m (30 to 60 inches) in total length (including tail). It has large

eye Eyes are organs of the visual system. They provide living organisms with vision, the ability to receive and process visual detail, as well as enabling several photo response functions that are independent of vision. Eyes detect light and conv ...

s, with round pupils, and excellent vision.

Behavior

Like all racers, the tan racer is diurnal and highly active. Its diet consists of a wide variety of prey, but primarily includes rodents, and

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...

s. It is fast moving, and generally seeks to use its speed to escape if approached.

Habitat

The tan racer prefers

habitats In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

of pine flatwoods.

Reproduction

''C. c. etheridgei'' 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 ...

. Mating occurs in the spring, and a

clutch A clutch is a mechanical device that engages and disengages power transmission, especially from a drive shaft to a driven shaft. In the simplest application, clutches connect and disconnect two rotating shafts (drive shafts or line shafts). ...

of approximately 30 eggs is laid typically in the month of May, to hatch mid summer.

References

External links

*
Herps of Texas: ''Coluber constrictor''
Colubrids Endemic reptiles of the United States Reptiles of the United States Fauna of the Southeastern United States {{Colubrids-stub