The Texas scarlet snake (''Cemophora lineri'') is a 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 ...

. The species is endemic to the South Central United States. It was previously considered 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 '' Cemophora coccinea''.

Etymology

The specific name or epithet, ''lineri'', is in honor of American herpetologist

Ernest A. Liner Ernest is a given name derived from Germanic word ''ernst'', meaning "serious". Notable people and fictional characters with the name include: People *Archduke Ernest of Austria (1553–1595), son of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor *Ernest, M ...

(1925–2010), who collected the first specimen in 1963.

Geographic range

''C. lineri'' is found in southern Texas. Its range does not overlap with the other species of scarlet snake. Powell R, Conant R, Collins JT (2016). ''Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition''. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. xiv + 494 pp., 47 plates, 207 figures. . (''Cemophora coccinea lineri'', pp. 367-368 + Plates 32, 44 + Figure 159 on p. 330).

Description

The Texas scarlet snake is the larger of the two scarlet snake species, and is capable of growing to a total length (including tail) of 66 cm (26 inches). It has a gray or white background color, with distinct red blotches that have black borders. Unlike the other species, the black borders do not join on the sides. Its belly is a solid white or gray.

Behavior

Like all scarlet snakes ( genus ''Cemophora''), the Texas scarlet snake is a secretive burrower, spending most of its time under ground. It prefers sandy thicket

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 ...

along the Gulf of Mexico coastline.

Diet

The preferred diet of ''C. lineri'' is the eggs of other reptiles, but it will also eat small 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 ...

References

External links

* Behler JL, King FW (1979). ''The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians''. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 743 pp. . (''Cemophora coccinea lineri'', p. 593). * Conant R (1975). ''A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition''. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. xviii + 429 pp. + Plates 1-48 (hardcover), (paperback). (''Cemophora coccinea lineri'', p. 212 + Map 152). * Smith HM, Brodie ED Jr (1982). ''Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification''. New York: Golden Press. 240 pp. (paperback), (hardcover). (''Cemophora coccinea lineri'', p. 178). *Weinell, Jeffrey L.; Austin, Christopher C. (2017). "Refugia and Speciation in North American Scarlet Snakes (''Cemophora'')". ''Journal of Herpetology'' 51: 161–171. (''Cemophora lineri'', new status). * Williams KL, Brown BC, Wilson LD (1966). "A new subspecies of the colubrid snake ''Cemophora coccinea'' (Blumenbach) from Southern Texas". ''Texas Journal of Science'' 18: 85–88. (''Cemophora coccinea lineri'', new subspecies). Cemophora Reptiles of the United States Fauna of the Southwestern United States Taxa named by Kenneth L. Williams {{Colubrids-stub