Storeria occipitomaculata
| Storeria occipitomaculata | |
|---|---|
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| Redbelly snake | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Storeria |
| Species: | S. occipitomaculata
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| Binomial name | |
| Storeria occipitomaculata (Storer, 1839)
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| Synonyms | |
Storeria occipitomaculata, commonly known as the redbelly snake or the red-bellied snake, is a species of snake endemic to North America (Canada and the United States).[1][2]
Description[edit]
S. occipitomaculata is a small woodland species that ranges from 4–10 in (10-25 cm) long. Their colors range from an orange to gray, black, or brown. They can be distinguished from other species from their bright red or orange underbelly.[3]
Habitat[edit]
S. occipitomaculata prefers warmer habitats and in the more Northern limits of its range will inhabit abandoned ant mounds. These mounds absorb solar radiation and are insulated which allows for a longer active season. This species, with large eyes and a kinetic skull, are not able to burrow on their own effectively and abandoned ant mounds allow them access to a warm area to retreat to.[4] Individuals of this species can be found under logs and leafy debris due to their secretive nature.[3]
Reproduction[edit]
Redbelly snakes have been studied to reproduce annually and females have been found to be gravid during the spring and early summer.[5] While body size varies throughout the redbelly snake's region, the average clutch size tends to remain the same with an average of 7-9 eggs per clutch.[4] Redbelly snakes begin mating at around two years of age and must be a minimum of 22 cm in order to reach sexual maturity.[6]
Subspecies[edit]
Three subspecies, including the nominotypical subspecies, are recognized as being valid:[2]
- Florida redbelly snake – Storeria occipitomaculata obscura (Trapido, 1944)
- Northern redbelly snake – Storeria occipitomaculata occipitomaculata (Storer, 1839)
- Black Hills redbelly snake – Storeria occipitomaculata pahasapae (H.M. Smith, 1963)
References[edit]
- ^ a b Hammerson, G.A. (2007). "Storeria occipitomaculata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2007: e.T63930A12729296. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T63930A12729296.en. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
- ^ a b Storeria occipitomaculata at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 30 January 2022.
- ^ a b "Species Profile: Redbellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) | SREL Herpetology". srelherp.uga.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
- ^ a b Cairns, Nicholas A.; Rutherford, Pamela L.; Hoysak, Drew J. (2018). "Morphology, reproduction, habitat use, and hibernation of Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) near its northern range limit". The Canadian Field-Naturalist. 132 (2): 150–162. doi:10.22621/cfn.v132i2.2054. ISSN 0008-3550. S2CID 92805723.
- ^ Semlitsch, Raymond D.; Moran, Gary B. (1984). "Ecology of the Redbelly Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) Using Mesic Habitats in South Carolina". The American Midland Naturalist. 111 (1): 33–40. doi:10.2307/2425539. ISSN 0003-0031. JSTOR 2425539.
- ^ Semlitsch, Raymond D.; Moran, Gary B. (January 1984). "Ecology of the Redbelly Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) Using Mesic Habitats in South Carolina". American Midland Naturalist. 111 (1): 33. doi:10.2307/2425539. JSTOR 2425539.
External links[edit]
- Redbelly Snake, Reptiles and Amphibians of Iowa
- Red-bellied Snake, Illinois Natural History Survey
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