| Western worm snake | |
|---|---|
| Carphophis vermis in Arkansas, USA | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Subfamily: | Xenodontinae |
| Genus: | Carphophis |
| Species: | C. vermis |
| Binomial name | |
| Carphophis vermis (Kennicott, 1859) |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Celuta vermis |
|
Carphophis vermis is a small, nonvenomous colubrid snake native to the United States.
Contents |
Western worm snakes have a dark, black or purplish dorsal coloration, with a pink or reddish underside. They can grow to lengths of 28 centimetres (11 in).
Western worm snakes are found in the United States in southern Iowa, southeastern Nebraska, eastern Kansas, western Illinois, Missouri, Louisiana, eastern Oklahoma, and northeastern Texas with isolated records from southwestern Wisconsin, and southeastern Arkansas.
Worm snakes are fossorial, and spend the vast majority of time buried in loose, rocky soil, or under damp forest leaf litter. They are abundant within their range, but rarely seen due to their secretive nature.
Little is known about their mating habits, but breeding likely occurs in the early spring. Eggs are laid in the early summer. Clutch size is normally 1-8 eggs, and hatching takes place in August or September. Hatchlings range in size from 3 inches (7.6 cm) to 4 inches (10 cm).
Worm snake diet consists almost entirely of earthworms, but they will also consume other soft-bodied insects.
If harassed, they will often release foul smelling musk from their cloacae. If handled, they may press their tail tip into the captor's hand as a defense mechanism.