Masticophis
| Masticophis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Western coachwhip, Masticophis flagellum testaceus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Subfamily: | Colubrinae |
| Genus: | Masticophis Baird & Girard, 1853 |
| Species | |
|
9, see text. | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Bascanion, Bascanium, Coluber, Coryphodon, Drymobius, Herpetodryas, Leptophis, Liophis, Natrix, Psammophis, Zamenis[1] | |
Masticophis is a genus of colubrid snakes, commonly referred to as whip snakes or coachwhips, which are endemic to the Americas.[2] They are characterized by having a long, thin body and are not dangerous to humans.
Geographic range
Species of Masticophis are found in the United States, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.[2]
Description
Adults may attain total lengths from 152 cm (5 ft) for M. lateralis to 259 cm (8.5 ft) for M. flagellum. A distinctive character of this genus is the shape of the frontal scale (the large scale in the center of the upper surface of the head) which is bell-shaped and elongated. At the rear of the body, the dorsal scales are arranged in only 13 rows.[3]
Species
- Clarion Island whip snake, Masticophis anthonyi (Stejneger, 1901)
- Baja California striped whip snake, Masticophis aurigulus
- M. a. aurigulus (Cope, 1861)
- M. a. barbouri (Van Denburgh & Slevin, 1921)
- Sonoran whip snake, Masticophis bilineatus
- Coachwhip, Masticophis flagellum
- Sonoran coachwhip, M. f. cingulum Lowe & Woodin, 1954
- Eastern coachwhip, M. f. flagellum (Shaw, 1802)
- Baja California coachwhip, M. f. fuliginosus (Cope, 1895)
- Lined coachwhip, M. f. lineatulus H.M. Smith, 1941
- Red coachwhip, M. f. piceus (Cope, 1892)
- San Joaquin coachwhip, M. f. ruddocki Brattstrom & Warren, 1953
- Western coachwhip, M. f. testaceus (Say, 1823)
- California whip snake, Masticophis lateralis
- Alameda striped racer, M. l. euryxanthus Riemer, 1954
- California striped racer, M. l. lateralis (Hallowell, 1853)
- Ajo Mountain whip snake, Masticophis lineolatus (Hensley, 1950)
- Neotropical whip snake, Masticophis mentovarius
- M. m. centralis (Roze, 1953)
- M. m. mentovarius (A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854)
- M. m. suborbitalis (W. Peters, 1868)
- M. m. striolatus (Mertens, 1934)
- M. m. variolosus H.M. Smith, 1943
- Schott's whip snake, Masticophis schotti
- Striped whip snake, Masticophis taeniatus
- M. t. australis H.M. Smith, 1941
- Central Texas whip snake, M. t. girardi (Stejneger & Barbour, 1917)
- Ornate whip snake, M. t. ornatus Baird & Girard, 1853
- Desert striped whip snake, M. t. taeniatus (Hallowell, 1852)
References
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- ↑ Wright AH, Wright AA (1957). Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada. Ithaca and London: Comstock. 1,105 pp. (in 2 volumes). (Genus Masticophis, pp. 423-425).
- 1 2 Conant R (1975). A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. xviii + 429 pp. ISBN 0-395-19977-8 (paperback). (Genus Masticophis, pp. 177-178).
- ↑ Smith HM, Brodie ED Jr (1982). Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification. New York: Golden Press. 240 pp. ISBN 0-307-13666-3 (paperback). (Genus Masticophis, pp. 190-193).
Further reading
- Baird SF, Girard C (1853). Catalogue of North American Reptiles in the Museum of the Smithsonian Institution. Part I.—Serpents. Washington, District of Columbia: Smithsonian Institution. xvi + 172 pp. (Masticophis, new genus, p. 98).
External links
- Genus Coluber at The Reptile Database.