Reptiles of Arizona - Long-nosed Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei)

Long-nosed Snake - Rhinocheilus lecontei
Maricopa County, AZ

Aberrant (striped). Pima Co., AZ

Pima Co., AZ

Cochise Co., AZ

LONG-NOSED SNAKE Rhinocheilus lecontei	Non-Venomous

DESCRIPTION: A medium (up to 895 mm or 35" in total length) snake with variable markings that generally consist of black saddles surrounded by white, cream, or yellow interspaces. There are light-centered scales within the black saddles on the sides of the body and the lateral interspaces often contain black-centered scales. Red, pink, or orange coloration is often present in the interspaces in the form of speckles, patches, or suffusions. Some specimens are black and white banded with no speckling other than a patch of light-centered scales on the lower lateral portion of each saddle. The underside is predominantly white with some dark speckles near the outer edges. The scales are smooth and shiny. The pupils are round. The irises are usually red or orange, distinguishing this snake from the similar looking Common Kingsnake. DISTRIBUTION: This snake is found across southern and western Arizona at elevations ranging from near sea level along the Colorado River to about 5,000'. It is also found on the Arizona Strip (land north of the Colorado River) and, based on a record from neighboring Utah, might occur on the Colorado Plateau in northeastern Arizona. HABITAT: In Arizona it is found primarily in the desertscrub communities and Semidesert Grassland. It inhabits low desert ranges, foothills, valleys, and flatlands with sandy, gravelly, or moderately rocky soils. BEHAVIOR: This ground-dweller is almost exclusively nocturnal in Arizona. It uses its enlarged and pointed rostral scale to burrow undergroung for shelter and to unearth shallowly-buried lizard prey. It hibernates during the cold months of late fall and winter. When captured or threatened it may writhe and hide its head beneath its coils, vibrate its tail, evert the lining of the cloaca, and releasing musk and foul-smelling waste. Females have been observed to release blood from the cloaca, nostrils, an mouth during defensive displays. Rhinocheilus lecontei rarely bites when captured. DIET: The Long-nosed Snake is a constrictor that feeds on lizards, small mammals, snake and lizard eggs, and occasionally insects. Whiptail lizards (Aspidoscelis) make up a large percentage of its diet. REPRODUCTION: Mating probably takes place in spring and a clutch of up to 11 eggs is laid in June, July, or August. Hatchlings begin to emerge in August. By Thomas C. Brennan Bartlett. 2000. Snakes of North America: Western Region. Gulf Publishing Co. Houston, TX Brennan, T. C., and A. T. Holycross. 2006. A Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles in Arizona. Arizona Game and Fish Department. Phoenix, AZ Brennan, T. C., and A. T. Holycross. 2005. A Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of Maricopa County. Arizona Game and Fish Department. Phoenix, AZ Degenhardt, W. G., Painter, C. W., and Price, A. H.. 1996. Amphibians and Reptiles of New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press. Albuquerque. Fowlie. 1965. The Snakes of Arizona. Azul Quinta Press, Fallbrook, California Stebbins. 1985. Western Reptiles and Amphibians. Houghton Mifflin. New York, NY

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