Gulf crayfish snake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gulf crayfish snake |
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| Regina rigida sinicola in Texas | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Liodytes |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: |
L. r. sinicola
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| Trinomial name | |
| Liodytes rigida sinicola (Huheey, 1959)
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| Synonyms | |
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Natrix rigida sinicola Huheey, 1959 |
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The Gulf crayfish snake (Liodytes rigida sinicola) is a type of snake found only in the southeastern United States. It is a subspecies, which means it's a special group within a larger snake species. This snake is not venomous, so it's harmless to humans.
About the Gulf Crayfish Snake
These snakes are usually about 20 inches (51 cm) long when they are fully grown. That's about the length of a typical school ruler! The longest one ever found was 31.5 inches (80 cm). Imagine a snake that's almost as long as your arm!
The Gulf crayfish snake has a beautiful chocolate brown color. This helps it blend in with its surroundings, like muddy banks and watery areas where it lives.
What Do They Eat?
The Gulf crayfish snake is a very picky eater! It almost always eats crayfish. Crayfish are like small freshwater lobsters. These snakes are experts at finding and catching crayfish in the water. They use their quick movements to grab their favorite meal.
Snake Family and Relatives
The Gulf crayfish snake is part of a larger snake family. It has close relatives that look quite similar. These include the glossy crayfish snake (Liodytes rigida rigida) and the Delta crayfish snake (Liodytes rigida deltae). All these snakes are part of the same main species, but they are slightly different subspecies.
