McMartinVille--Reptiles

 
NO NEED FOR A CAR, CLICKED YER MOUSE... AND HERE YOU ARE! "McMartinVille"
 

Texas Glossy Snake

Order:  Squamata (scaled reptiles)
Suborder:  Serpentes (snakes)
Family:  Colubridae ("typical" snakes)
Subfamily:  Colubrinae ("typical" snakes)
Genus:  Arizona (glossy snakes)

Scientific Name:  Arizona elegans arenicola Dixon, 1960

Habitat:  Open sandy areas with cover; areas of creosote bush or mesquite.

Areo="dry," zona="earth" (reference to habitat), elegans="elegant," arenicola="inhabitant of a sandy area"

Length:  Can reach almost 6 feet.
Food: lizards; may also eat rodents. Glossy Snake Range
I, along with two other members of the South Texas Herpetology Association, found this snake while road cruising in south Texas in April 2004, on a less-than-favorable night (air temperatures were in the 60s, but numerous snakes were found). Texas Glossy Snake
This pic attempts to capture the sheen for which this snake receives its common name.  Personally, I didn't see too much difference in the "glossiness" of this snake compared to other species!  The colors were very nice, though; an orange stripe ran all the way down its back. A Closer View