Storeria dekayi
- For other species commonly referred to as the brown snake, see brown snake.
| Storeria dekayi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| brown snake or De Kay's snake | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Subfamily: | Natricinae |
| Genus: | Storeria |
| Species: | S. dekayi |
| Binomial name | |
| Storeria dekayi (Holbrook, 1836) | |
| Synonyms | |
Storeria dekayi, commonly known as the brown snake or De Kay's snake, is a small species of colubrid snake.[3][4]
Geographic range
It is native to Southern Ontario and Quebec, most of the eastern half of the United States, through Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and possibly El Salvador.[1][2]
Description
Dorsally it is brown to gray with a lighter center stripe bordered by small black spots; ventrally it is lighter brown or pink with small black dots at the ends of the ventral scales.[5] Adults usually measure less than 12 inches (30 cm), but the record size is 19 2⁄8 inches (49 cm).[6] It has keeled dorsal scales, and no loreal scale.[7]
Reproduction
Like other Natricine snakes (such as watersnakes, genus Nerodia; and gartersnakes, genus Thamnophis), Storeria dekayi are ovoviviparous.
Diet
It eats earthworms, slugs, snails, and most other small insects.
Etymology
The specific name, dekayi, is in honor of American zoologist James Ellsworth De Kay (1792–1851), who collected the first specimen in Long Island, New York, while the generic name, Storeria, honors zoologist David Humphreys Storer.[8] This is the only North American snake whose binomial is a double honorific - that is, both the generic name and the specific name honor people.
Subspecies
There are eight recognized subspecies of S. dekayi, including the nominotypical subspecies.
- Storeria dekayi anomala Dugès, 1888
- Storeria dekayi dekayi (Holbrook, 1836) - northern brown snake
- Storeria dekayi limnetes Anderson, 1961 - marsh brown snake
- Storeria dekayi temporalineata Trapido, 1944
- Storeria dekayi texana Trapido, 1944 - Texas brown snake
- Storeria dekayi tropica Cope, 1885
- Storeria dekayi victa O.P. Hay, 1892 - Florida brown snake
- Storeria dekayi wrightorum Trapido, 1944 - midland brown snake
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hammerson, G.A., Mendoza-Quijano, F., & Lee, J. (2007). "Storeria dekayi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
- ↑ Stejneger, L., & T. Barbour. 1917. A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. Harvard University Press. Cambridge, Massachusetts. 125 pp. (Storeria dekayi, p. 98.)
- ↑ Wright, A.H., & A.A. Wright. Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada. Comstock. Ithaca and London. 1,105 pp. (in two volumes) (Storeria dekayi, pp. 697-714, Figures 205.-209., Map 53.)
- ↑ Schmidt, K.P., & D.D. Davis. 1941. Field Book of Snakes of the United States and Canada. G.P. Putnam's Sons. New York. 365 pp. (Storeria dekayi, pp. 227-228 + Plate 25.)
- ↑ Conant, R. 1975. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition. Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 429 pp. ISBN 0-395-19977-8. (Storeria dekayi, pp. 153-156, Figure 35. + Plate 22 + Map 28.)
- ↑ Smith, H.M., & E.D. Brodie, Jr. 1982. Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification. Golden Press. New York. 240 pp. (Storeria dekayi, pp. 158-159.)
- ↑ Scientific and Common Names of the Reptiles and Amphibians of North America – Explained. http://ebeltz.net/herps/biogappx.html
External links
- Species Storeria dekayi at The Reptile Database
- Storeria dekayi at Animal Diversity Web
- Brown Snake, Natural Resources Canada
Further reading
- Clausen, H.J. 1936. Observations on the Brown Snake Storeria dekayi (Holbrook), with especial Reference to the Habits and Birth of Young. Copeia 1936: 98-102.
- Holbrook, J.E. 1842. North American Herpetology; or, a Description of the Reptiles Inhabiting the United States. Vol. IV. J. Dobson. Philadelphia. 136 pp. (Tropidonotus dekayi, pp. 53–55 & Plate XIV [opposite p. 53].)
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