Masticophis
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Masticophis is a genus of colubrid snakes, commonly referred to as whip snakes or coachwhips, which are endemic to the Americas. They are characterized by having a long, thin body and are not dangerous to humans.
Distribution and habitat
Species of Masticophis are found in the United States, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.
Description
Adults of species in the genus Masticophis may attain a total length (including tail) from 152 cm (5 ft) for M. lateralis to 259 cm (8.5 ft) for M. flagellum. A distinctive character of this genus is the shape of the frontal scale (the large scale in the center of the upper surface of the head) which is bell-shaped and elongated. At the rear of the body, the dorsal scales are arranged in only 13 rows.
Species and subspecies
The genus Masticophis contains eleven species that are recognized as being valid, five of which have recognized subspecies.
- Masticophis anthonyi (Stejneger, 1901) – Clarion Island whip snake
- Masticophis aurigulus (Cope, 1861) – Baja California striped whip snake
- Masticophis barbouri (Van Denburgh & Slevin, 1921) – Baja California striped whip snake, Espiritu Santo striped whip snake
- Masticophis bilineatus Jan, 1863 – Sonoran whip snake
- Masticophis flagellum (Shaw, 1802) – coachwhip Masticophis flagellum cingulum Lowe & Woodin, 1954 – Sonoran coachwhip Masticophis flagellum flagellum (Shaw, 1802) – eastern coachwhip Masticophis flagellum lineatulus H.M. Smith, 1941 – lined coachwhip Masticophis flagellum piceus (Cope, 1892) – red coachwhip Masticophis flagellum ruddocki Brattstrom & Warren, 1953 – San Joaquin coachwhip Masticophis flagellum testaceus (Say, 1823) – western coachwhip
- Masticophis fuliginosus (Cope, 1895) – Baja California coachwhip
- Masticophis lateralis (Hallowell, 1853 – California whipsnake Masticophis lateralis euryxanthus Riemer, 1954 – Alameda striped racer Masticophis lateralis lateralis (Hallowell, 1853) – California striped racer
- Masticophis mentovarius (A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854) – neotropical whip snake Masticophis mentovarius centralis (Roze, 1953) Masticophis mentovarius mentovarius (A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854) Masticophis mentovarius suborbitalis (W. Peters, 1868) Masticophis mentovarius striolatus (Mertens, 1934) Masticophis mentovarius variolosus H.M. Smith, 1943
- Masticophis schotti Baird & Girard, 1853 – Schott's whip snake Masticophis schotti ruthveni Ortenburger, 1923 – Ruthven's whip snake Masticophis schotti schotti Baird & Girard, 1853 – Schott's whip snake
- Masticophis slevini (Lowe & Norris, 1955) – Isla San Esteban whipsnake, San Esteban Island whipsnake
- Masticophis taeniatus (Hallowell, 1852) – striped whip snake Masticophis taeniatus girardi (Stejneger & Barbour, 1917) – Central Texas whip snake Masticophis taeniatus taeniatus (Hallowell, 1852) – desert striped whip snake
Nota bene: A binomial authority or trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species or subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Masticophis.
Further reading
- Baird SF, Girard C (1853). Catalogue of North American Reptiles in the Museum of the Smithsonian Institution. Part I.—Serpents. Washington, District of Columbia: Smithsonian Institution. xvi + 172 pp. (Masticophis, new genus, p. 98).