''Senticolis'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

of non

venomous snake Venomous snakes are species of the suborder Serpentes that are capable of producing venom, which they use for killing prey, for defense, and to assist with digestion of their prey. The venom is typically delivered by injection using hollow or ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Colubridae Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from la, coluber, 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family. The earliest species of the family date back to the Oligocene epoch. Colubrid snakes are found on ev ...

. The genus ''Senticolis'' is

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...

, containing the sole

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

''Senticolis triaspis'', also known as the green rat snake. The species is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...

Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...

Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...

, southern

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States. It is the list of U.S. states and territories by area, 6th largest and the list of U.S. states and territories by population, 14 ...

, and southern

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe, New Mexico, Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Albuquerque metropolitan area, Tiguex , Offi ...

Description

''Senticolis triaspis'' may grow to a total length (including tail) of .

Dorsally Standard anatomical terms of location are used to unambiguously describe the anatomy of animals, including humans. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position prov ...

, it is green or olive green, and ventrally it is light yellow. The head is elongated, the body is slender, and the smooth

dorsal scales In snakes, the dorsal scales are the longitudinal series of plates that encircle the body, but do not include the ventral scales. Campbell JA, Lamar WW (2004). ''The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere''. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publis ...

are arranged in 31-39 rows.Wright & Wright 1957.

Habitat

''Senticolis triaspis'' usually inhabits evergreen forests and grassland.

Geographic range

''Senticolis triaspis'' is well distributed in the Baboquivari, Pajarito, Atascosa,

Santa Rita Santa Rita may refer to: * Rita of Cascia (1381–1457), Catholic saint *Associação Atlética Santa Rita, a Brazilian football (soccer) club *Santa Rita de Cássia FC, an Angolan football (soccer) club Places Belize * Santa Rita, Corozal, a Ma ...

, Empire,

Patagonia Patagonia () refers to a geographical region that encompasses the southern end of South America, governed by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and ...

, Chiricahua, Swisshelm, Pedregosa, and Peloncillo mountains of southeastern

Diet

''Senticolis triaspis'' consumes small animals such as

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia al ...

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...

s, and bats, killing them by deadly

constriction Constriction is a method used by various snake species to kill or subdue their prey. Although some species of venomous and mildly venomous snakes do use constriction to subdue their prey, most snakes which use constriction lack venom. The snake i ...

Behavior

''Senticolis triaspis'' is primarily diurnal.

Reproduction

During reproduction, an adult female of ''S. triaspis'' is able to lay up to 9

egg An egg is an organic vessel grown by an animal to carry a possibly fertilized egg cell (a zygote) and to incubate from it an embryo within the egg until the embryo has become an animal fetus that can survive on its own, at which point the a ...

s in a clutch.Brennan, Thomas C. (2008)
Green Ratsnake (''Senticolis triaspis'')
- Reptiles of Arizona. The Reptiles and Amphibians of Arizona. Retrieved December 18, 2010.

Subspecies

Three subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the

nominotypical subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics ( morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all specie ...

."''Senticolis triaspis'' ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org. *'' Senticolis triaspis intermedia'' – Arizona, New Mexico, northern Mexico *'' Senticolis triaspis mutabilis'' – Central America *'' Senticolis triaspis triaspis'' – southern Mexico ''

Nota bene (, or ; plural form ) is a Latin phrase meaning "note well". It is often abbreviated as NB, n.b., or with the ligature and first appeared in English writing . In Modern English, it is used, particularly in legal papers, to draw the atte ...

'': A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than ''Senticolis''.

References

External links

* Behler, John L.; F. Wayne King (1979). ''The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians''. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 743 pp., 657 plates. . (''Elaphe triaspis'', p. 608 + Plate 479). * Cope ED (1866). "Fourth Contribution to the HERPETOLOGY of Tropical America". ''Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia'' 18: 123–132. (''Coluber triaspis'', new species, p. 128). *Dowling, Herndon G.; Isabelle Fries (1987). "A Taxonomic Study of the Ratsnakes. VIII. A Proposed New Genus for ''Elaphe Triaspis'' (Cope)". ''Herpetologica'' 43 (2): 200–207. (''Senticolis'', new genus). * Schmidt, Karl P.; D. Dwight Davis (1941). ''Field Book of Snakes of the United States and Canada''. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 365 pp., 34 plates, 103 figures. (''Elaphe chlorosoma'', p. 146). * Smith, Hobart M.; Edmund D. Brodie, Jr. (1982). ''Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification''. New York: Golden Press. 240 pp. (paperback), (hardcover). (''Elaphe triaspis'', pp. 184–185). * Stebbins RC (2003). ''A Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians, Third Edition''. The Peterson Field Guide Series ®. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. xiii + 533 pp. 56 plates. . (''Senticolis triaspis'', pp. 359–360 + Plate 45 + Map 149). * Stejneger L, T Barbour (1917). ''A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles''. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. 125 pp. (''Elaphe chlorosoma'', p. 82). * Wright, Albert Hazen; Anna Allen Wright (1957). ''Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada''. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publishing Associates, a division of Cornell University Press. 1,105 pp. (in two volumes). (''Elaphe triaspis'', pp. 258–262, Figure 80 + Map 23 on p. 223). {{Taxonbar, from=Q1870466 Rat snakes Monotypic snake genera