Trimorphodon biscutatus vilkinsonii
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| Trimorphodon biscutatus vilkinsonii Cope, 1886 |
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Trimorphodon vilkinsonii |
The Texas Lyre Snake (Trimorphodon biscutatus vilkinsonii) is a subspecies of midly venomous rear-fanged colubrid snake found in the United States in the Big Bend region of Texas and southern New Mexico, to northeastern Chihuahua, Mexico. The epithet vilkinsonii is in honor of amateur American naturalist Edward Wilkinson, who collected the first specimen near the city of Chihuahua, Mexico.[1] Some sources consider it to be its own species, as Trimorphodon vilkinsonii.
[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. Their common name comes from a distinctive V shaped pattern on their head which resembles the shape of a lyre.
[edit] Behavior
Lyre snakes are nocturnal, spending most of their time hiding in rock crevices, emerging to feed on lizards, and small rodents, frogs and bats. Their venom is not considered to be harmful to humans.
[edit] References
- Species Trimorphodon biscutatus at the Species2000 Database
- NatureServe Explorer Comprehensive Species Report: Trimorphodon biscutatus
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