Hypsiglena facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hypsiglena |
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| Texas night snake Hypsiglena jani texana |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Subfamily: | Dipsadinae |
| Genus: | Hypsiglena Cope, 1860 |
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Hypsiglena is a group of small snakes often called night snakes. These snakes have fangs at the back of their mouths. There are nine different types, or species, of night snakes. Scientists are still studying them to learn more about their different kinds.
Contents
Types of Night Snakes
Scientists have found and named several types of night snakes. Here are some of them:
- Hypsiglena affinis - Boulenger's night snake
- Hypsiglena catalinae - Santa Catalina night snake
- Hypsiglena chlorophaea - Sonoran night snake
- Hypsiglena chlorophaea deserticola - desert night snake
- Hypsiglena chlorophaea loreala - Mesa Verde night snake
- Hypsiglena chlorophaea tiburonensis - Tiburón Island night snake
- Hypsiglena jani - Chihuahua night snake
- Hypsiglena jani texana - Texas night snake
- Hypsiglena jani dunklei - Tamaulipas night snake
- Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus - spotted night snake
- Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus baueri - Cedros Island night snake
- Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus gularis - Isla Partida night snake
- Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus klauberi - San Diego night snake
- Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus martinensis - San Martín Island night snake
- Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus nuchalata - California night snake
- Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus tortugaensis - Isla Tortuga night snake
- Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus venusta - Central Baja night snake
- Hypsiglena slevini - Baja California night snake
- Hypsiglena tanzeri - Tanzer's night snake
- Hypsiglena torquata - Sinaloa night snake
- Hypsiglena unaocularus - Islas Revillagigedo night snake
Where Night Snakes Live
Night snakes live in the southwestern and western parts of the United States. You can find them from Texas and Kansas all the way west to California. They also live north to Washington and south into Mexico. Some even live on islands near the coast of Mexico.
Night Snake Homes
These snakes like to live in dry, desert areas. They prefer places with rocky and sandy soils. This kind of home is called a semiarid desert.
What Night Snakes Look Like
Night snakes are usually not very long. They are typically less than 40 cm (16 in) (about 16 inches) from head to tail. They have thin bodies and flat heads. Their eyes are small with pupils that look like thin lines (vertical pupils).
Their color can change depending on where they live. This helps them blend in with the ground. They can be different shades of gray or brown. They often have dark brown, gray, or black spots on their backs and sides. Many also have special black marks on their necks.
Night Snake Habits
Night snakes are nocturnal, which means they are active at night. During the day, they usually hide. They are also terrestrial, meaning they live on the ground.
What Night Snakes Eat
Night snakes mostly eat lizards. But they also like to eat smaller snakes and amphibians, like frogs or salamanders.
Night Snake Venom
Night snakes do have venom. However, their venom is not considered dangerous to humans. If a night snake bites a person, it usually causes only mild symptoms.
See also
In Spanish: Hypsiglena para niños
