| Texas night snake | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Subfamily: | Dipsadinae |
| Genus: | Hypsiglena |
| Species: | H. torquata |
| Subspecies: | H. t. jani |
| Trinomial name | |
| Hypsiglena torquata jani (Dugès, 1866) |
|
| The distribution of Hypsiglena torquata jani (brown), which now includes the two former subspecies Hypsiglena torquata dunklei (orange), and Hypsiglena torquata texana (yellow). | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Liophis janii Dugès, 1866 |
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The Texas night snake (Hypsiglena torquata jani) is a species of small colubrid snake native to the southern United States and Mexico. The epithet jani is in honor of Italian taxonomist Giorgio Jan.
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The Texas night snake grows from 10 to 16 inches (25 to 40 cm) in length, record 20 inches (51 cm).[1] It is typically a light grey or tan in color, with dark brown or dark grey blotching down the back and an unmarked underside. They have smooth scales, eyes with vertically elliptical pupils, and are considered to be rear-fanged venomous, though they are not dangerous to humans.
As their common name implies, they are a primarily nocturnal snake. Their diet consists of primarily lizards, but they will also eat smaller snakes and occasionally soft bodied insects. They prefer semi-arid habitats with rocky soils.
They are an oviparous species that breed in the spring rainy season, laying 4-6 eggs that take approximately 8 weeks to incubate before hatching. The eggs average 27 mm (1 inch) long by 10 mm (⅜ inch) wide. The hatchlings are about 15 cm (6 inches) in total length.[2]
The Texas night snake ranges from southern Kansas to southern Colorado, and south throughout New Mexico, the western half of Texas to central Mexico.