Diadophis punctatus regalis
Encyclopedia
The regal ringneck snake (Diadophis punctatus regalis) is a subspecies
of ringneck snake found in the southwestern United States
and northern Mexico
.
, having a diet
that consists primarily of other snakes, such as the earth snakes (genus Virginia
) and the blackhead or flathead snakes (genus Tantilla
). They have enlarged rear teeth (opisthoglypha) and a weak venom that serves to immobilize their small prey, but is harmless to humans.
, secretive snakes which spend most of their time hiding under rocks or other ground debris. If threatened, the ringneck snake typically hides its head and twists its tail in a corkscrew
type motion, exposing its brightly colored underside, and expels a foul smelling musk
from its cloaca
.
being laid at a time in a moist, protected area, sometimes in a communal nest with the eggs of several other females. The eggs are on average 19 mm (¾ in.) long by 7 mm (¼ in.) wide.
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of ringneck snake found in the southwestern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and northern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
Description
The regal ringneck snake is typically gray in color, with a dark-speckled white or cream underside, which becomes bright red or orange near and under the tail. It is distinguished by a yellow to orange ring around its neck which is typically bordered with black. However, the neck ring is frequently absent in this subspecies. The belly color extends onto one or more dorsal scale rows. They are among the larger of the ringneck snake subspecies, growing from 8 to 34 inches (20 to 87 cm) long. Their scales are smooth.Diet
The regal ringneck snake, unlike other subspecies, is almost exclusively ophiophagousOphiophagy
Ophiophagy is a specialized form of feeding or alimentary behavior of animals which hunt and eat snakes. There are ophiophagous mammals , birds , lizards , and even other snakes, such as the Central and South American mussuranas and...
, having a diet
Diet (nutrition)
In nutrition, diet is the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism. Dietary habits are the habitual decisions an individual or culture makes when choosing what foods to eat. With the word diet, it is often implied the use of specific intake of nutrition for health or weight-management...
that consists primarily of other snakes, such as the earth snakes (genus Virginia
Virginia (genus)
Virginia is a genus of small, terrestrial, colubrid snakes, native to the United States. They are commonly referred to as earth snakes.-Species:*mountain earth snake, Virginia pulchra...
) and the blackhead or flathead snakes (genus Tantilla
Tantilla
Tantilla is a large genus of harmless colubrid snakes which includes 64 species commonly known as centipede snakes, blackhead snakes, and flathead snakes.- Description :...
). They have enlarged rear teeth (opisthoglypha) and a weak venom that serves to immobilize their small prey, but is harmless to humans.
Behavior
Ringneck snakes are nocturnalNocturnal animal
Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by activity during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal"....
, secretive snakes which spend most of their time hiding under rocks or other ground debris. If threatened, the ringneck snake typically hides its head and twists its tail in a corkscrew
Corkscrew
A corkscrew is a kitchen tool for drawing stopping corks from wine bottles. Generally, a corkscrew consists of a pointed metallic helix attached to a handle. The user grips the handle and screws the metal point into the cork, until the helix is firmly embedded, then a vertical pull on the...
type motion, exposing its brightly colored underside, and expels a foul smelling musk
Musk
Musk is a class of aromatic substances commonly used as base notes in perfumery. They include glandular secretions from animals such as the musk deer, numerous plants emitting similar fragrances, and artificial substances with similar odors. Musk was a name originally given to a substance with a...
from its cloaca
Cloaca
In zoological anatomy, a cloaca is the posterior opening that serves as the only such opening for the intestinal, reproductive, and urinary tracts of certain animal species...
.
Reproduction
Mating occurs throughout the warmer months, with 3 to 10 eggsEgg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
being laid at a time in a moist, protected area, sometimes in a communal nest with the eggs of several other females. The eggs are on average 19 mm (¾ in.) long by 7 mm (¼ in.) wide.