| Texas lyre snake | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Trimorphodon |
| Species: | T. biscutatus |
| Subspecies: | T. b. vilkinsonii |
| Trinomial name | |
| Trimorphodon biscutatus vilkinsonii Cope, 1886 |
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| Synonyms | |
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Trimorphodon vilkinsonii |
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The Texas lyre snake (Trimorphodon biscutatus vilkinsonii) is a subspecies of mildly venomous rear-fanged colubrid. The epithet vilkinsonii is in honor of amateur American naturalist Edward Wilkinson, who collected the first specimen near the city of Chihuahua.[1] Some sources consider it to be its own species (Trimorphodon vilkinsonii).
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It is found in the United States in the Big Bend region of Texas and southern New Mexico, and in Mexico in northeastern Chihuahua.
They are medium-sized snakes, attaining lengths of approximately 1 meter (39 inches) at adult size.[1] They are brown, tan or gray with 17-24 dark brown blotches down the back. They have large eyes with vertical pupils. The common name, lyre snakes, comes from a distinctive V shaped pattern on the head which resembles the shape of a lyre. However, it should be noted that this particular subspecies (T. b. vilkinsonii) has no V mark on the head.[2]
Lyre snakes are nocturnal, spending most of their time hiding in rock crevices, emerging to feed mainly on lizards,[3] and also on small rodents, frogs, bats and birds.[4] Their venom is not considered to be harmful to humans. Also, if their venom is not fatal to their prey, they may kill by constriction.[5]
Lyre snakes are oviparous, laying about a dozen eggs per clutch.[6]