All Topics  
Hypsiglena

 
Hypsiglena

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Hypsiglena
 
 
  Topics Hypsiglena Topic Home

Hypsiglena is a genus
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
 of small, rear-fanged, colubrid
Colubrid

A colubrid is a snake that is a member of the family Colubridae. It is a broad classification of snakes that includes about two thirds of all snake species on earth....
 snake
Snake

Snakes are elongate legless carnivore reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears....
s commonly referred to as night snakes. The genus consists of two distinct species
Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring....
, many subspecies
Subspecies

In biology, subspecies is the taxonomic rank immediately subordinate to a species. A subspecies is a taxonomic group which is less distinct than the Common descent or species from which it originates....
 may be considered synonymous depending on the source.


ypsiglena are found throughout the north and eastern United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 from Texas
Texas

Texas is a U.S. state located in the South Central United States, nicknamed the Lone Star State. Texas is the second largest U.S. state in both area and population, spanning , and with a growing population of 24.3 million residents....
 and Kansas
Kansas

The State of Kansas is a Midwestern U.S. state in the Central United States of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the United States "Heartland"....
, west to California
California

California is a U.S. state on the West Coast of the United States of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, Arizona to the southeast, and to the south the Mexico state of Baja California....
, north to Washington
Washington

Washington is a U.S. state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Washington was carved out of the western part of Washington Territory which had been ceded by Britain in 1846 by the Oregon Treaty as settlement of the Oregon Boundary Dispute....
, and south into Mexico
Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism 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 Mexico....
, as well as islands off the coasts of Mexico.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Hypsiglena'
Start a new discussion about 'Hypsiglena'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Hypsiglena is a genus
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
 of small, rear-fanged, colubrid
Colubrid

A colubrid is a snake that is a member of the family Colubridae. It is a broad classification of snakes that includes about two thirds of all snake species on earth....
 snake
Snake

Snakes are elongate legless carnivore reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears....
s commonly referred to as night snakes. The genus consists of two distinct species
Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring....
, many subspecies
Subspecies

In biology, subspecies is the taxonomic rank immediately subordinate to a species. A subspecies is a taxonomic group which is less distinct than the Common descent or species from which it originates....
 may be considered synonymous depending on the source.

Species

  • Tanzer's Day Snake, Hypsiglena tanzeri (Dixon
    James R. Dixon

    Dr. James Ray Dixon is Professor Emeritus and Curator Emeritus of Amphibians and Reptiles at the Texas Cooperative Wildlife Collection at Texas A&M University....
     & Lieb, 1972)
  • Hypsiglena torquata
    Hypsiglena torquata

    Hypsiglena torquata is a species of rear-fanged, colubrid snake known as the night snake. They are found through the south and western United States, as well as Mexico....
    • Hypsiglena torquata affinis (Boulenger
      George Albert Boulenger

      George Albert Boulenger was a Belgium-United Kingdom zoologist....
      , 1894)
    • Cedros Island
      Cedros Island

      Cedros Island is a Mexican island in the Pacific Ocean.It is located off the west coast of the Mexican state of Baja California from which it is separated by 100 km -wide Sebasti?n Vizca?no Bay, 22 km northwest of Punta Eugenia in Muleg? municipality - the westernmost point of Baja California Sur mainland....
       Night Snake, Hypsiglena torquata baueri (Zweifel, 1958)
    • Santa Catalina
      Santa Catalina

      Santa Catalina may refer to:*Argentina**Santa Catalina, Jujuy**Santa Catalina, C?rdoba**Santa Catalina, Santiago del Estero*Colombia**Santa Catalina, Colombia...
       Night Snake, Hypsiglena torquata catalinae (Tanner, 1966)
    • Sonoran
      Sonora

      Sonora is one of the 31 States of Mexico and is located in the northwest of the country....
       Night Snake, Hypsiglena torquata chlorophaea (Cope
      Edward Drinker Cope

      Edward Drinker Cope was an United States paleontology and comparative anatomy, as well as a noted herpetology and ichthyology.Born to a wealthy Society of Friends family, Cope quickly distinguished himself as a child prodigy interested in science; he published his first scientific paper in 1859....
      , 1860)
    • Desert Night Snake, Hypsiglena torquata deserticola (Tanner, 1966)
    • Isla Partida Norte Night Snake, Hypsiglena torquata gularis (Tanner, 1954)
    • Texas Night Snake, Hypsiglena torquata jani
      Hypsiglena torquata jani

      The Texas Night Snake is a species of small colubrid snake native to the southern United States and Mexico. The epithet jani is in honor of taxonomy Georg Jan....
       (Dugés
      Alfredo Dugčs

      File:Dug?s Alfredo 1826-1910.jpgAlfredo Dug?s ; was a French-born, Mexican physician and naturalist who was born in Montpellier. He was the son of zoologist Antoine Louis Dug?s ....
      , 1865)
    • San Diego Night Snake, Hypsiglena torquata klauberi (Tanner, 1944)
    • Mesa Verde
      Mesa Verde

      Mesa Verde may refer to:*Mesa Verde National Park, a national park in Montezuma County, Colorado, U.S.*Mesa Verde Middle School , a middle school in Moorpark, California, California...
       Night Snake, Hypsiglena torquata loreala (Tanner, 1944)
    • San Martin Island Night Snake, Hypsiglena torquata martinensis (Tanner & Banta 1962)
    • California
      California

      California is a U.S. state on the West Coast of the United States of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, Arizona to the southeast, and to the south the Mexico state of Baja California....
       Night Snake, Hypsiglena torquata nuchalata (Tanner, 1943)
    • Spotted Night Snake, Hypsiglena torquata ochrorhyncha (Cope
      Edward Drinker Cope

      Edward Drinker Cope was an United States paleontology and comparative anatomy, as well as a noted herpetology and ichthyology.Born to a wealthy Society of Friends family, Cope quickly distinguished himself as a child prodigy interested in science; he published his first scientific paper in 1859....
      , 1860)
    • Tiburon Island
      Tiburón Island

      Tibur?n Island Tibur?n Island is part of the Mexican state of Sonora, as well as the municipalities of Mexico of Hermosillo, and is located at approximately the same latitude as the city of Hermosillo....
       Night Snake, Hypsiglena torquata tiburonensis (Tanner, 1981)
    • Hypsiglena torquata torquata (Günther
      Albert C. L. G. Günther

      Albrecht Karl Ludwig Gotthilf G?nther Fellow of the Royal Society October 3, 1830 ? February 1 1914, was a Germany-born British zoologist.G?nther was born in Esslingen in Swabia ....
      , 1860)
    • Hypsiglena torquata tortugensis (Tanner, 1944)
    • Hypsiglena torquata unaocularis (Tanner, 1944)
    • Central Baja
      Baja

      Baja may refer to:* Baja California Peninsula, a peninsula in North America* States of Mexico**Baja California** Baja California Sur* Baja, Hungary...
       Night Snake, Hypsiglena torquata venusta (Mocquard, 1899)


Geographic range

Hypsiglena are found throughout the north and eastern United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 from Texas
Texas

Texas is a U.S. state located in the South Central United States, nicknamed the Lone Star State. Texas is the second largest U.S. state in both area and population, spanning , and with a growing population of 24.3 million residents....
 and Kansas
Kansas

The State of Kansas is a Midwestern U.S. state in the Central United States of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the United States "Heartland"....
, west to California
California

California is a U.S. state on the West Coast of the United States of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, Arizona to the southeast, and to the south the Mexico state of Baja California....
, north to Washington
Washington

Washington is a U.S. state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Washington was carved out of the western part of Washington Territory which had been ceded by Britain in 1846 by the Oregon Treaty as settlement of the Oregon Boundary Dispute....
, and south into Mexico
Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism 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 Mexico....
, as well as islands off the coasts of Mexico. Their preferred habitat is semi-arid desert
Désert

?D?sert? is ?milie Simon's debut single, released in October 2002. The song was a huge success both critically and commercially in her homeland....
 regions with rocky and sandy soil
Soil

Soil is the naturally occurring, unconsolidated or loose covering on the Earth's surface. Soil is composed of particles of broken rock that have been altered by chemical and environmental processes including weathering and erosion....
s.

Description

Night snakes typically do not get much larger than 40 cm. They are slender bodied with a flattened head, and have small eye
Eye

Eyes are Organ that detect light, and send signals along the optic nerve to the visual system and other areas of the brain. Complex optical systems with resolving power have come in ten fundamentally different forms, and 96% of animal species possess a complex optical system....
s with vertical pupil
Pupil

The pupil is the sphere that is located in the center of the Iris of the eye and that controls the amount of light that enters the eye. It appears black because most of the light entering the pupil is absorbed by the biological tissue inside the eye....
s. Their color varies depending on their locality, often matching the soil color of their native habitat. They are occur in various shades of gray, and brown
Brown

Brown, when used as a general term, is a color that is a dark yellow, orange , or red, of low luminance relative to lighter or white colored objects....
, with dark brown, gray or black
Black

Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflection light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light....
 blotches on the back and the sides. Many also have distinctive black markings on the neck region.

Behavior

Hypsiglena are a nocturnal and terrestrial
Terrestrial animal

Terrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land, as compared with aquatic animals, which live predominantly or entirely in the water , or amphibians, which rely on a combination of aquatic and terrestrial habitats ....
. Their diet consists primarily of lizard
Lizard

Lizards are a large and widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 5,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains....
s, but they will also consume smaller snake
Snake

Snakes are elongate legless carnivore reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears....
s, and amphibian
Amphibian

Amphibians , such as frogs, toads, salamanders, newts and caecilians, are cold-blooded animals that metamorphose from a juvenile, water-breathing form to an adult, air-breathing form....
s. Their venom is not considered to be dangerous to humans.