Texas Snakes : Identification, Distribution, and Natural History

by Werler, John E.

• ISBN13: 9780292791305
• ISBN10: 0292791305
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-07-01
• Publisher: Univ of Texas Pr

Summary

"I can't think of two better persons to take on the daunting task of preparing a book on the snakes of Texas. . . . This book was obviously a labor of love and the culmination of many years of effort by both authors." --Jonathan A. Campbell, Professor of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington From the legendary, fear-inspiring Western Diamondback rattlesnake to the tiny, harmless Plains blind snake, Texas has a greater diversity of snake species than any other state in the country. Recognizing the public's need for a complete guide to identifying and understanding Texas' snakes, two of the state's most respected herpetologists have joined forces to create this definitive reference to all 109 species and sub-species of Texas snakes. Well-written species accounts describe each snake's appearance, lookalikes, size, habitat, behavior, feeding, and reproduction. The authors also include color photos and finely detailed line drawings to aid field identification, along with accurate range maps, a checklist of Texas snakes, a key to the species, and a brief discussion of classification and taxonomy. The authors round out this volume with essays on snake myths and misinformation, snakebite and its prevention, conservation, Texas biotic provinces, and a brief history of Texas herpetology.

Author Biography

James R. Dixon is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Texas AandM University.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Acknowledgements	xiii
Introduction	1	(20)
Conservation	1	(1)
Myths and Other Misinformation	2	(1)
The Snakebite Hazard	3	(3)
Texas Herpetology	6	(2)
Biotic Provinces of Texas	8	(5)
Snake Classification and Identification	13	(4)
Taxonomic Issues	17	(4)
Checklist of Texas Snakes	21	(4)
Key to the Species of Texas Snakes	25	(14)
Organization of Species and Subspecies Accounts	39	(6)
Species Accounts	45	(1)
BLIND SNAKES	45	(12)
Family Leptotyphlopidae	45	(12)
Plains Blind Snake	47	(4)
New Mexico Blind Snake	51	(2)
Trans-Pecos Blind Snake	53	(4)
COLUBRIDS	57	(276)
Family Colubridae	57	(276)
Kansas Glossy Snake	59	(2)
Texas Glossy Snake	61	(2)
Painted Desert Glossy Snake	63	(1)
Trans-Pecos Rat Snake	64	(3)
Western Worm Snake	67	(2)
Northern Scarlet Snake	69	(4)
Texas Scarlet Snake	73	(1)
Buttermilk Racer	74	(2)
Tan Racer	76	(2)
Eastern Yellow-bellied Racer	78	(6)
Mexican Racer	84	(2)
Southern Black Racer	86	(2)
Black-striped Snake	88	(2)
Prairie Ring-necked Snake	90	(4)
Regal Ring-necked Snake	94	(2)
Mississippi Ring-necked Snake	96	(2)
Texas Indigo Snake	98	(4)
Speckled Racer	102	(2)
Baird's Rat Snake	104	(3)
Corn Snake	107	(4)
Great Plains Rat Snake	111	(2)
Southwestern Rat Snake	113	(3)
Texas Rat Snake	116	(6)
Western Mud Snake	122	(3)
Mexican Hook-nosed Snake	125	(2)
Western Hook-nosed Snake	127	(2)
Plains Hog-nosed Snake	129	(2)
Dusty Hog-nosed Snake	131	(6)
Mexican Hog-nosed Snake	137	(2)
Eastern Hog-nosed Snake	139	(5)
Texas Night Snake	144	(4)
Gray-banded King Snake	148	(4)
Prairie King Snake	152	(2)
Speckled King Snake	154	(5)
Desert King Snake	159	(3)
Louisiana Milk Snake	162	(2)
Mexican Milk Snake	164	(3)
New Mexico Milk Snake	167	(1)
Central Plains Milk Snake	168	(3)
Northern Cat-eyed Snake	171	(3)
Western Smooth Green Snake	174	(3)
Eastern Coachwhip	177	(2)
Western Coachwhip	179	(5)
Scott's Whipsnake	184	(3)
Ruthven's Whipsnake	187	(1)
Central Texas Whipsnake	188	(4)
Gulf Salt Marsh Snake	192	(2)
Mississippi Green Water Snake	194	(3)
Yellow-bellied Water Snake	197	(4)
Blotched Water Snake	201	(2)
Broad-banded Water Snake	203	(2)
Florida Water Snake	205	(2)
Brazos Water Snake	207	(2)
Concho Water Snake	209	(8)
Diamond-backed Water Snake	217	(3)
Midland Water Snake	220	(2)
Rough Green Snake	222	(7)
Sonoran Gopher Snake	229	(2)
Bull Snake	231	(5)
Louisiana Pine Snake	236	(3)
Graham's Crayfish Snake	239	(5)
Gulf Crayfish Snake	244	(2)
Texas Long-nosed Snake	246	(3)
Big Bend Patch-nosed Snake	249	(3)
Mountain Patch-nosed Snake	252	(2)
Texas Patch-nosed Snake	254	(2)
Great Plains Ground Snake	256	(4)
Taylor's Ground Snake	260	(1)
Marsh Brown Snake	261	(2)
Texas Brown Snake	263	(4)
Florida Red-bellied Snake	267	(3)
Mexican Black-headed Snake	270	(2)
Trans-Pecos Black-headed Snake	272	(3)
Flat-headed Snake	275	(3)
Southwestern Black-headed Snake	278	(2)
Plains Black-headed Snake	280	(2)
Western Black-necked Garter Snake	282	(5)
Eastern Black-necked Garter Snake	287	(2)
Checkered Garter Snake	289	(4)
Western Ribbon Snake	293	(4)
Arid Land Ribbon Snake	297	(1)
Gulf Coast Ribbon Snake	298	(3)
Red-striped Ribbon Snake	301	(3)
Western Plains Garter Snake	304	(3)
Eastern Garter Snake	307	(7)
Texas Garter Snake	314	(2)
Red-sided Garter Snake	316	(4)
Texas Lyre Snake	320	(3)
Lined Snake	323	(3)
Rough Earth Snake	326	(3)
Western Earth Snake	329	(4)
CORAL SNAKES AND THEIR ALLIES	333	(10)
Family Elapidae	333	(10)
Texas Coral Snake	335	(8)
VIPERS	343	(70)
Family Viperidae	343	(70)
Southern Copperhead	345	(5)
Broad-banded Copperhead	350	(3)
Trans-Pecos Copperhead	353	(3)
Western Cottonmouth	356	(9)
Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake	365	(13)
Canebrake Rattlesnake	378	(4)
Mottled Rock Rattlesnake	382	(4)
Banded Rock Rattlesnake	386	(3)
Northern Black-tailed Rattlesnake	389	(4)
Mojave Rattlesnake	393	(3)
Prairie Rattlesnake	396	(6)
Desert Massasauga	402	(2)
Western Massasauga	404	(5)
Western Pygmy Rattlesnake	409	(4)
Glossary	413	(4)
References	417	(14)
Index of Common Names	431	(4)
Index of Scientific Names	435