| Texas lyre snake | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Trimorphodon |
| Species: | T. vilkinsonii |
| Binomial name | |
| Trimorphodon vilkinsonii Cope, 1886 | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
The Texas lyre snake (Trimorphodon vilkinsonii) is a species of mildly venomous, rear-fanged snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the southwestern United States and adjacent northern Mexico.
The epithet vilkinsonii is in honor of amateur American naturalist Edward Wilkinson, who collected the first specimen near the city of Chihuahua. [3] [4]
T. vilkinsonii is found in the United States in the Big Bend region of Texas and southern New Mexico, and in Mexico in northeastern Chihuahua.
The preferred natural habitats of T. vilkinsonii are desert and rocky areas. [1]
The Texas lyre snake is a medium-sized snake, attaining a total length (including tail) of approximately 1 meter (39 inches) at adult size. [5] It is brown, tan or gray with 17-24 dark brown blotches down the back. It has large eyes with vertical pupils. The common name, "lyre snake", refers to a distinctive V-shaped pattern on the head which resembles the shape of a lyre. However, this particular subspecies (T. b. vilkinsonii ) has no V mark on the head. [6]
Lyre snakes of the genus Trimorphodon are nocturnal, spending most of their time hiding in rock crevices, emerging to feed mainly on lizards, [7] and also on small rodents, frogs, bats and birds. [8] Their venom is not considered to be harmful to humans. Also, if their venom is not fatal to their prey, they may kill by constriction. [9]
The Texas lyre snake was formerly listed as Threatened in Texas, but was removed from the list in 2020. This species is secretive and often difficult to find, but is seemingly common throughout its habitat, much of which is in protected or private land.
Lyre snakes are oviparous, laying about a dozen eggs per clutch. [7]
Plestiodon multivirgatus, commonly known as the many-lined skink, the northern many-lined skink, or the variable skink, is a medium-sized species of lizard, a member of the North American skink genus Plestiodon in the family Scincidae. The species is native to the western United States.
Rena humilis, known commonly as the western blind snake, the western slender blind snake, or the western threadsnake, is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae. The species is endemic to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Six subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.
Rena dulcis, also known commonly as the Texas blind snake, the Texas slender blind snake, or the Texas threadsnake, is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae. The species is endemic to the Southwestern United States and adjacent northern Mexico. Three subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.
Sceloporus poinsettii, the crevice spiny lizard, is a species of small, phrynosomatid lizard.
The gray-banded kingsnake, sometimes referred to as the alterna or the Davis Mountain king snake, is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the southwestern United States and adjacent Mexico. Some sources list two distinct subspecies of Lampropeltis alterna, as L. a. alterna and L. a. blairi differentiated by patterning and locale, but research has shown them to be color morphs of the same species.
Trimorphodon is a genus of mildly venomous, rear-fanged, colubrid snakes. They are commonly known as lyre snakes, named after the distinctive V shaped pattern on their head that is said to resemble the shape of a lyre. In Mexico, they are commonly called "víbora de uña," or "nail viper." The word Trimorphodon is a combination of three Greek words, 'tri' - three, 'morph' - shape, and 'odon' - teeth, which refers to the three distinct kinds of teeth that lyre snakes have: recurved anterior teeth; shorter middle teeth, and large grooved fangs at the rear of the jaw. There are seven distinct species in the genus Trimorphodon.
Tropidoclonion is a genus of snake in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The genus is monotypic, containing the sole species Tropidoclonion lineatum, commonly known as the lined snake. The species is endemic to North America.
Salvadora is a genus of colubrid snakes commonly called patchnose snakes or patch-nosed snakes, which are endemic to the western United States and Mexico. They are characterized by having a distinctive scale on the tip of the snout.
The Trans-Pecos rat snake or Davis Mountain rat snake, is a species of medium to large, nonvenomous rat snake in the family Colubridae. Bogertophis subocularis is endemic to the Chihuahuan Desert.
Crotalus viridis is a venomous pit viper species native to the western United States, southwestern Canada, and northern Mexico. Currently, two subspecies are recognized, including the prairie rattlesnake, the nominate subspecies, and the Hopi rattlesnake.
The night snake is a species of rear-fanged colubrid. It is found in Mexico.
Carphophis vermis is a species of small, nonvenomous colubrid snake native to the United States.
Holbrookia maculata, commonly known as the lesser earless lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Phrynosomatidae. The species is native to the southwestern and central United States and northern Mexico. There are eight recognized subspecies.
Hypsiglena jani, commonly known as the Texas night snake or the Chihuahuan night snake, is a small species of mildly venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to the southwestern United States and adjacent northeastern Mexico.
The Texas scarlet snake is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the South Central United States. It was previously considered a subspecies of Cemophora coccinea.
Gyalopion canum, commonly known as the Western hooknose snake, is a species of small colubrid snake endemic to the deserts of the United States and Mexico. It is sometimes referred to as the Chihuahuan hook-nosed snake because it is commonly found in the Chihuahuan Desert.
The Big Bend slider, also called commonly the Mexican Plateau slider and la jicotea de la meseta mexicana in Mexican Spanish, is a species of aquatic turtle in the family Emydidae. The species is native to the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
The Brazos water snake, also called commonly Harter's water snake, is a species of mostly aquatic, nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Texas in the United States.
The crayfish snake, also known commonly as the glossy crayfish snake, the glossy swampsnake, the glossy water snake, and the striped water snake, is a species of semiaquatic snake in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the southeastern United States, and preys mainly on crayfish.
Thamnophis proximus, commonly known as the western ribbon snake, is a species of garter snake in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the western United States, Mexico, and Central America. The species has six recognized subspecies.
