Corn Snake
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| Elaphe guttata Linnaeus, 1766 |
The Corn Snake or Red Rat Snake (Elaphe guttata) is a species of Rat Snake. The Latin word elaphe means deerskin.[1] Popular in the pet trade, they are known for being smaller and more docile than other snake species. They are non-venomous, another reason why they are often kept as pets or breeders. Their average adult length is about 3-4 feet and they can live up to 20 years. They are found throughout the south-eastern and central United States as well as parts of Mexico. The name 'corn snake' refers to the splotched pattern on its belly, which resembles Indian maize. Some, however, believe it is because they are often found in corn fields where they search for rodent prey.
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[edit] Subspecies
There are two subspecies of Pantheropis guttatus, referred to as the Corn Snake
- Common Corn Snake (Pantheropis guttatus) is prevalent in the southeastern United States and is distinguished by having orange skin with red blotches, the blotches having black borders.
[edit] Taxonomy
In 2002, all North American rat snakes of the genus Elaphe were suggested for reclassification into the genus Pantherophis, thus changing the scientific name of the Corn Snake from Elaphe guttata to Pantherophis guttatus, however many people have not accepted the change, and it is still widely referred to as Elaphe.
In 2003 Herpetological Review rejected the change from Elaphe to Pantherophis on the basis that further research was needed. Furthermore, the International Committee for Zoological Nomenclature has not ruled on the change. Taxonomic changes do not become official until they are approved by the ICZN, until such time any published articles with reclassification of the taxonomic names are regarded as taxonomic suggestions. Official taxonomy, whether used or not, remains with the older nomenclature until changes are approved by the ICZN.
[edit] Habitat
Wild Corn Snakes prefer habitats such as overgrown fields, forest openings, and abandoned or seldom used buildings and farms.
[edit] Habits
In the wild, Corn Snakes tend to be quite secretive and appear mostly at night (nocturnal) or during the twilight hours (crepuscular). During daylight hours they may be found hiding under loose tree bark and beneath logs, rocks, and other debris.In colder regions, snakes hibernate during winter. However, in the more temperate climate along the coast they shelter in rock crevices and logs during cold weather and come out on warm days to soak up the heat of the sun. During cold weather, snakes are less active and therefore hunt less.
[edit] Diet
Corn Snakes have a diet primarily consisting of rodents, but they are proficient climbers and may scale trees in search of birds and bats. As litters of infant mice are difficult to find in nature, many neonate Corn Snakes are known to eat small lizards as their first meals, and Carolina anoles are the preferred choice.[citation needed] Some individuals retain these dietary tendencies well into adulthood. Pet corn snakes are usually fed by their owners on a diet of commercially available rodents, predominantly mice.
[edit] Corn Snakes as pets
The Corn Snake was one of the first snakes to be kept in captivity.[2] Due to their docile nature, ease of care and wide variety of patterns and morphs, Corn Snakes are one of the most common snakes available in the pet trade.[3] Large numbers are bred annually ensuring that there is a large captive-bred population, lifting the need to collect specimens from the wild.
As pets, juvenile corn snakes should be fed a pinky mouse (or similar prey item) once or twice weekly, and adults may be fed an appropriatly-sized rodent every other week. It is advised to give captive corn snakes a temperature gradient from 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit (from a lamp or undertank heater), and a light cycle of eight to 12 hours of light per day. They require little humidity, roughly 40 percent, and should be provided several hiding places as well as something to climb on. Aspen or cypress shavings make a suitable bedding.
[edit] Variations
After many generations of selective breeding, domesticated corn snakes are found in a wide variety of different colors and patterns. These result from recombining the dominant and recessive genes that code for proteins involved in chromatophore development, maintenance or function. Corn Snake Color Variations
- Miami Corn (Florida wildtype) These are usually a smallish corn snake with better specimens having high contrasting light silver to gray ground color with orange blotches surrounded in black. Selective breeding has lightened the ground color and darkened the blotches. The "Miami" name, coined by Rich Zuchowski, now is considered an appearance trait. Many Miami corn snakes are difficult to start feeding as hatchlings, as they prefer lizards. Miami corns, unlike other varieties, will often readily accept anoles as food for life. This can simplify feeding for residents of Florida, but care should be taken to avoid introducing parasites from wild caught food.
- Okeetee Corns (classic corns, South Carolina wildtype) These snakes are characterized by deep red dorsal blotches surrounded by very black borders. The ground color varies with bright orange being the most desirable. As with the Miami phase, selective breeding has changed the term "Okeetee" to an appearance trait rather than a local designation. Over hunting in their natural range for the pet trade has caused a decline in wild Okeetee specimens. Responsible purchasers should seek captive bred Okeetees.
- Amelanistic (red albino) corn snakes, produced from a single recessive genetic mutation, show wide variations in colors. They can be almost solid orange, to a dark orange on a light orange background, or red/orange on a very light background. These varying color schemes are due to reflective cells in the skin and iridophores which may contribute to subtle shades of color. These red eyed snakes lack the melanin pigment.
- Candy Cane corn snakes are created with the goal of obtaining bright red blotches on a white background. Some on the market originate solely from selectively breeding Miami corns. Others are produced using light creamsicle (emory/albino corn hybrids x corn) bred with Miami phase corns. Most candy canes develop orange coloration around the neck region as they mature. Their bright red markings as hatchlings often fade with maturity.
- Albino Okeetee (reverse okeetee) an amelanistic okeetee corn snake which has the normal black rings around blotches replaced with wide white rings. Most are high contrast snakes with light orange to yellow background and dark orangish/red saddles. Note: Albino Okeetees are not okeetees, they are selectively bred amelanistics
- Sunglow corn snakes are another designer albino corn that lacks the usual white speckling that often appears in most albinos. The orange background surrounds dark orange blotches.
- Charcoal These Anerythristic type 'B' snakes are lacking the yellow color pigment usually found in all corn snakes. This morph is the starter for blizzard corns.
- Anerythristic (black albino) are the compliment to amelanism. The inherited recessive mutation of lacking erythrin (red, yellow, and orange) pigments produce a snake that is mostly black and gray. When mature, many type A anerythristic corn snakes develop yellow on their neck regions. In 1984 a wild caught Type B anerythristic corn snake was caught which is the ancestor of anerythristics missing the yellow neck regions. Similar snakes include: stonewashed -- copper or light brown blotches; charcoal (aka muted anerythristic, Pine Island anerythristic)-- type B anerythristic, very low contrast with shaded of gray on white and black background.
- Snow (white albino) are a blending of the amelanistic and anerythristic recessive traits. These predominantly white snakes tend to have yellow neck and throat regions when mature. Light blotches and background colors have subtle shades of beige, ivory, pink, green, or yellow.
- Blizzard corns resulted from a type B anerythristic corn caught in 1984. Blizzards are a totally white snake with very little to no visible pattern.
- Hypomelanistic or rosy corn snakes carry a recessive trait that reduces the dark pigments causing the reds, whites, and oranges to become more vivid. Their eyes remain dark. These snakes range in appearance between amelanistic corns snakes to normals with greatly reduced melanin.
- Ghost corn snakes are a hypomelanistic anerythristic (type A) snakes. They exhibit varying shades of grays, browns, and blacks on a lighter background. These often create pastel colors in: lavenders, pinks, oranges, and browns.
- Bloodred corn snakes carry a recessive trait that eliminates ventral checkered patterns. These originated from a somewhat unicolor Jacksonville and Gainesville, Florida strain of corn snake. Through selective breeding, an almost solid ground color has been produced. Hatchlings have a slight pattern that fade as they mature into a solid orange red to ash red colored snake. The earlier bloodreds tend to have large clutches of smaller than average eggs that produce hard to feed offspring. Through out crossing with amelanistic and anerythristic corns hatchlings tend to be larger with fewer feeding problems.
- Butter corns (snow caramel) cultured by Rich Zuchowski from a female purchased in Florida marked with blotches on an unusual straw colored background. Selective breeding has produced intense yellow colored corns snakes with yellow markings.
- Caramel corns are another Rich Zuchowski engineered corn snake. The background is varying shades of yellow to yellow brown. Dorsal blotches vary from caramel yellow, brown, and rich chocolate brown.
- Amber corns are a hypomelanistic caramel snake with amber markings on a brownish background.
- Lavender corn snakes contain a light pink background with darker purple gray markings and burgundy eyes or lavender gray blotches on an orangish background. Variation with this same genetic strain are arguably called: mocha, cocoa, and chocolate.
- Albino lavender look like blizzard corns once mature with pink to purple highlights.
- Crimson (hypomelanistic Miami) are very light high contrast snakes with a light background and dark reddish/orange blotches.
- Fluorescent orange develop white borders around bright red blotches as adults on an orange background.
- Pewter or Peppercorn (Type B Anerytheristic blood red) are silvery lavender with very slight blotches as adults.
- Creamsicle are hybrids between an albino corn snake and an emory's ratnsake/common corn cross. These snakes bring out the yellow and downplay the reds of the corn snake. Most are varying shades of yellow with darker yellow to orangish blotches. Clutches are generally smaller in number but produce larger more vigorous hatchlings. Creamsicle with less emory background and increased amelanistic corn generally have lighter backgrounds and red to orange saddles(red creamsicle).
- Jungle corns are hybrids using the corn snake and California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula californiae). These show extreme pattern variations taking markings from both parents -- sometimes looking very similar to one parent or the other. However, as a hybrid of different species, these attractive snakes are typically sterile.
[edit] Pattern Morphs
- Aztec: blotches and spots are exhibited in various sizes
- Milksnake phase: banded blotches resembling coastal plains milk snake.
- Motley: a catch all name for irregularities -- ranging from exhibiting an aberrant line of light colored spots, fused blotches, to stripes down the back
- Striped phase: a single stripe running longitudinally from head to tail
- Zigzag (zipper): dorsal blotches connected forming a "zigzag" type pattern
See also the Jungle variety listed under colors.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.anapsid.org/corn.html
- ^ http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/Biolab/wlhcornsnake.html
- ^ http://www.kingsnake.com/rockymountain/RMHPages/RMHnewpage11.htm
- Pantherophis replaces Elaphe. Utiger, Helfenberger, Schatti, Schmidtkutrjytdf(2002) Russian Journal of Herpetology 9(2): 105-124.
- Taxonomy citation
- Animal Facts: CORN SNAKE
- Taxonomy Citation - Herpetological Review [1]
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: |
- Comprehensive corn snake care information
- American Cornsnake Registry
- The Cornsnake Morph Guide - identification and genetic guide for collectors and breeders
- The Cornsnakes Forums
