The southern black racer (''Coluber constrictor priapus'') is one of the more common

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 the nonvenomous ''

Coluber constrictor The eastern racer (''Coluber constrictor'') is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to North America and Central America. Eleven subspecies, including the nominotypical subspecies, are recognized, whic ...

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 ...

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 the

Southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern por ...

. The subspecific name ''priapus'' refers to the proximal spines of the

hemipenes A hemipenis (plural hemipenes) is one of a pair of intromittent organs of male squamates (snakes, lizards and worm lizards). Hemipenes are usually held inverted within the body, and are everted for reproduction via erectile tissue, much like ...

being much enlarged into basal hooks, which is characteristic of this subspecies. These snakes are quite active during the day, which increases the chance of sightings. They eat almost any animal they can overpower, including

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are na ...

frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely Carnivore, carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order (biology), order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-f ...

toad Toad is a common name for certain frogs, especially of the family Bufonidae, that are characterized by dry, leathery skin, short legs, and large bumps covering the parotoid glands. A distinction between frogs and toads is not made in scientif ...

s, 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. Members of this species generally do not tolerate handling – even after months in captivity – and typically strike and flail wildly every time they are handled, often defecating a foul-smelling musk, a common defense against predators in snakes. Adults of the species are usually thin with a jet black dorsal side with a grey belly and white chin. They are quite fast, giving them the name "racer".

Description

Typical size for this snake is , and the record is . The southern black racer has a white chin, whereas an

indigo snake ''Drymarchon'' is a genus of large nonvenomous colubrid snakes, commonly known as indigo snakes or cribos, found in the Southeastern United States, Central America, and South America. Reaching or more in length, they are among the world's larg ...

normally has a dark to reddish-orange chin.

Diet

The southern black racer is a

predator Predation is a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill th ...

that relies on lizards, insects, moles, birds, eggs, small snakes, rodents, and frogs. Despite its specific name '' constrictor'' (scientific name: ''Coluber constrictor''), the racer is more likely to suffocate or crush its victim into the ground, rather than coiling around it in typical constrictor fashion. Humans remain the greatest enemy of black racers. Many are killed on highways and others are intentionally killed out of fear. The southern black racer can be mistaken for a

cottonmouth ''Agkistrodon piscivorus'' is a species of pit viper in the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. It is one of the world's few semiaquatic vipers (along with the Florida cottonmouth), and is native to the southeastern United States. As ...

– a venomous snake more commonly called a water moccasin. The venomous snake has a white lining inside of its mouth. Racers are nonvenomous and do not breed with cottonmouths. Natural enemies include such birds of prey as

hawk Hawks are bird of prey, birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are widely distributed and are found on all continents except Antarctica. * The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks and others. Th ...

s, including the

red-shouldered hawk The red-shouldered hawk (''Buteo lineatus'') is a medium-sized buteo. Its breeding range spans eastern North America and along the coast of California and northern to northeastern-central Mexico. It is a permanent resident throughout most of its ...

and

broad-winged hawk The broad-winged hawk (''Buteo platypterus'') is a medium-sized hawk of the genus ''Buteo''. During the summer, some subspecies are distributed over eastern North America, as far west as British Columbia and Texas; they then migrate south to wi ...

. These perching and soaring birds have keen eyesight and drop down from above to capture black racers and other snakes in a manner that makes the snake's speed and ground awareness ineffectual.

Gallery

Image:blackracer.jpg, Black racers wait for prey in dry leaves and brush. Image:snakeintree.jpeg, Black racers are excellent climbers. Image:snakechair.jpeg, Black racers are not strangers to suburban yards. Image:Kanapaha-2008 04 09-IMG 0241.JPG, Black racer with head elevated Image:Kanapaha-2008_04_09-IMG_0245.JPG, Black racer Image:snakeracer.jpeg, Like most cold-blooded creatures, the black racer relies on sun and shade to regulate its temperature. Image:darkracer.jpeg, Note the white marking around the mouth Image:snakeandhose2.jpeg, A black racer examines a green hose. Image:snakeshed2.jpeg, A 24-in shed racer skin Image:BkRacer01_Asit.jpg, Stalking a dragonfly Image:BkRacer02_Asit.jpg, Resting and waiting for food from a tree Image:Coluber constrictor priapus.jpg, Southern black racer at St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park in Indian River County, Florida

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5149504 Colubrids Reptiles of the United States Reptiles described in 1939 Fauna of the Southeastern United States