Red whip snake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red whip snake |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Platyceps |
| Species: |
P. collaris
|
| Binomial name | |
| Platyceps collaris (Müller, 1878)
|
|
| Script error: The function "autoWithCaption" does not exist. | |
| Synonyms | |
|
|
Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".
The red whip snake or collared dwarf racer (Platyceps collaris) is a type of snake that belongs to the Colubridae family. This family includes many common snakes found around the world. These snakes live naturally in the Middle East. You can find them in places like shrubby areas with Mediterranean plants, rocky spots, farmland, pastures, plantations, and even gardens in the countryside.
Contents
About the Red Whip Snake
The red whip snake is a thin snake with a long tail. In Europe, it usually grows to about 70 cm (28 in) long. However, in the eastern parts of its home range in Asia, it can grow up to 100 cm (39 in)!
This snake looks a lot like another snake called Dahl's whip snake. But the red whip snake has a smaller, flatter head. Its back is usually reddish-brown or reddish-grey. It has a dark band around its neck with lighter edges. There are also smaller, scattered dark bands with light edges on its front body. These markings are spaced out more than on Dahl's whip snake.
Another way to tell them apart is by their belly scales. Dahl's whip snake has a small ridge, called a keel, on each side of its belly scales. But the red whip snake's belly scales are smooth and do not have these keels. The red whip snake also has a light ring around its eye, and the skin in front of and behind its eye is dark. Its belly is a whitish-yellow color.
Where Red Whip Snakes Live
The red whip snake lives in several countries. These include Bulgaria, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestinian Territory, Syria, and Turkey.
It prefers dry, rocky places. You might find it on coastal plains with low bushes and other plants. It also lives in areas used for farming and in gardens. These snakes can live from sea level all the way up to 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) high in the mountains.
Red Whip Snake Behavior
The red whip snake is a diurnal animal, which means it is active during the day. It can move very quickly! When it sees prey, it will run towards it and grab it with its mouth.
These snakes mostly eat lizards. They also eat large insects to add to their diet.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
Female red whip snakes lay eggs. They usually lay a group, or "clutch," of three to five eggs. These eggs are shaped like cylinders and are about 25 to 30 mm (1.0 to 1.2 in) long and 8 to 9 mm (0.3 to 0.4 in) wide.
Conservation Status
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has looked at the red whip snake. They have listed it as being of "least conservation concern." This means that the snake's population is stable, and there are many of them spread across a wide area. It is common in many places and can even live in areas where humans have changed the habitat a bit.
The red whip snake doesn't seem to have any major threats. However, in some areas, people sometimes harm them.
Images for kids
-
A red whip snake in Bulgaria.
 | Frances Mary Albrier |
 | Whitney Young |
 | Muhammad Ali |
