Trimorphodon biscutatus

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iWestern Lyre Snake

Texas Lyre Snake, Trimorphodon biscutatus vilkinsonii

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Genus:	Trimorphodon
Species:	T. biscutatus

Binomial name

Trimorphodon biscutatus
Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854

The Western Lyre Snake (Trimorphodon biscutatus) is a mildly venomous colubrid snake native to the western United States and northern Mexico.

1 Description
2 Behavior
3 Geographic range
4 Subspecies
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Description

They are a moderately sized snake, attaining lengths of approximately 1 meter at adult size. They are generally a brown, tan or grey in color with dark brown blotching down the back. They have large eyes with vertical pupils.

[edit] Behavior

They are nocturnal and secretive, spending most of their time in rock crevices, and other areas difficult for potential predators to access. Their diet consists of lizards, small rodents, frogs, and bats. Their venom is not considered to be harmful to humans.

[edit] Geographic range

Western lyre snakes are found in the United States from the western Texas, across the southwestern states of New Mexico and Arizona to California, and north into southern Nevada. In Mexico they are found primarily in the Baja California and Chihuahua regions. The most recently identified species of western lyre snake, Trimorphodon biscutatus quadruplex is found throughout Central America.

[edit] Subspecies

Western Lyre Snake, Trimorphodon biscutatus biscutatus (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854)
Sonoran Lyre Snake, Trimorphodon biscutatus lambda (Cope, 1886)
Baja California Lyre Snake, Trimorphodon biscutatus lyrophanes (Cope, 1860)
Trimorphodon biscutatus quadruplex (Smith, 1941)
Texas Lyre Snake, Trimorphodon biscutatus vilkinsonii (Cope, 1886)