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Mexican Hognose Snake Range Map






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Mexican Hognose Snake Juvenile

Home »» Snakes »» Colubridae (Colubrids) »» Mexican Hognose Snake (Heterodon kennerlyi)


Mexican Hognose Snake (Heterodon kennerlyi)STATUS





Description: This species often has been considered a southern subspecies of the western hognose, Heterodon nasicus, but has been elevated to species rank. Keeled scales, heavy body, and large size (14 to 30 inches) will differentiate the various hog-noses from the diminutive smooth scaled hook nose snakes. This western species has from 2 to 6 small scales (azygous scales) immediately posterior to the upturned rostral scale. Keeled scales, upturned snout and habit of feigning death if stressed, are identifying characteristics.


Habitat: Prairie, grasslands, ranchlands, desert brushlands are all utilized.


Range: Range extends from southeastern Arizona, southern New Mexico, and southern Texas to northern central Mexico.


Found in these States: AZ | NM | TX


Diet: Primarily feeds on toads. Toads and other amphibians; nestling birds and mammals; lizards.


Reproduction: Hognose Snakes begin breeding as early as February and March. The species is oviparous, animals that lay their eggs with little or no other embryonic development within the mother, with females laying 4 to 23 elongate, thin-shelled eggs in June or August. The eggs take 60 days to hatch. Each hatchling is 5 to 9 in.


Status: Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.


Taxonomy:

»» Kingdom: Animalia - Animals
   »» Phylum: Chordata - Chordates
     »» Subphylum: Vertebrata - Vertebrates
       »» Class: Reptilia - Reptiles
         »» Order: Squamata - Scaled Reptiles
           »» Suborder: Serpentes
             »» Superfamily: Colubroidea
               »» Family: Colubridae - Colubrids
                   »» Genus: Heterodon
                     »» Species: Heterodon kennerlyi - Mexican Hognose Snake

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Heterodon kennerlyi", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0. Content may have been omitted from the original, but no content has been changed or extended.

 

 

 

 


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U.S. Guide to Venomous Snakes and Their Mimics     Venomous Snakebite in the Western United States     Venomous Snakes Of The Southeast     The 10 Most Dangerous Snakes in the United States and Canada



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Disclaimer: ITIS taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available, and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties. However, it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes. While every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up-to-date information available, ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the United States is a party, wildlife statutes, regulations, and any applicable notices that have been published in the Federal Register. For further information on U.S. legal requirements with respect to protected taxa, please contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

 
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