Pine snake

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Pine snake
Pine snake

Pine snake

Systematics
Subordination : Snakes (serpentes)
Superfamily : Adder-like and viper-like (Colubroidea)
Family : Adders (Colubridae)
Subfamily : True snakes (Colubrinae)
Genre : Pituophis
Type : Pine snake
Scientific name
Pituophis melanoleucus
( Daudin , 1803)

The pine snake ( Pituophis melanoleucus ), also known as bull snake , is a non-poisonous snake with three subspecies.

description

The diurnal and spirited pine snake reaches a length of 120 to 180 cm. Their basic color ranges from light green tones to gray, the head is brownish. Hexagonal black spots run one behind the other over the entire back and on the flanks.

distribution

The pine snake inhabits prairies, dry pine and oak forests, bushland and rocky desert areas in central North America from southern Canada to northern Mexico.

nutrition

The pine snakes devour large numbers of rodents and thus help agriculture. Many have specialized in gopher rats. Most also eat birds and their eggs.

Hibernation

Depending on the area of ​​distribution, the snakes have a more or less extended hibernation. In northern or higher areas up to about 4 months, in the southern and flatter areas there may be only short breaks due to unfavorable weather. Investigations have shown that the animals mostly hibernate individually. Many pine snakes overwinter in rodent burrows. There are also egg-laying sites in the immediate vicinity of the wintering sites.

Subspecies

  • Pine snake, Northern pine snake - Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus
  • Florida Pine Snake , Southern Pine Snake - Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus
  • Black pine snake - Pituophis melanoleucus lodingi

literature

  • Dieter Schmidt: GU animal guide, adders fascinating and exotic . 2005

Web links

Commons : Pine Snake  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files