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Texas Patchnose Snake
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- Order: Squamata (scaled reptiles)
- Suborder: Serpentes (snakes)
- Family: Colubridae ("typical" snakes)
- Subfamily: Colubrinae ("typical"
snakes)
- Genus: Salvadora (patchnose snakes)
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| Also Known As:
mountain patchnose snake (all subspecies of S. grahamiae),
patch-nosed snake |
Scientific Name: Salvadora
grahamiae lineata Schmidt, 1940 |
| Habitat: A variety of
open, usually dry areas. |
Salvus="whole, sound," dura="hide/skin,"
grahamiae in honor of surveyor and Army officer James D.
Graham, lineata="striped"
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| Length: To almost 4
feet long. |
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| Food: Lizards. |
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This snake was found by Erik
and me on 22 March 2003 in a vacant lot in San Antonio. It
was sheltered under a discarded board. These snakes are
fairly common in this field, which means there must be a steady
supply of lizards on which to feed--I've seen Texas
spiny lizards and ground skinks in
the area. This specimen was cold (air temperature around 50
degrees Fahrenheit), so instead of quickly fleeing like most other
patchnoses do, it held its ground and "gaped" (held its
mouth open) at us. |
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| These snakes bear a resemblance
to garter and ribbon snakes, but there are several differences
upon closer inspection (I initially thought the first patchnose I
saw was a redstripe ribbon as I only saw
part of the body). The biggest difference is, of course, the
enlarged rostral scale which gives these snakes their common name. |
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