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Racer Snake
Coluber Constrictor
29.9051, -96.0655
Field Notes
Description:
A long, slender snake with silver-blue scales with darker specks. The eyes were large, with round pupils. The tail was brown rather than silver like the body. The nose was squarish-round, and appeared pinkish to me. The scales were pronounced and raised in texture, like a dragon's armor in a fairy tale. The snake sat almost perfectly still while I watched; I did not see it flick its tongue even once.
Habitat:
This beautiful snake was found under a tree beside a manure pile at the back of a horse shed. The shed is located by an area of tall grass adjoining a forest in the Gulf Coast Region of Texas. (Location on the map does not reflect accurate coordinates.)
Notes:
The snake was found in the late afternoon, just before dusk. My younger brother and the cats spotted it first. (We moved the cats to another area of the property and fed them supper to prevent their meeting the snake again this evening.) I was very excited to see this critter, as I had seen one once before as a little girl and hadn't had the chance to take a picture. Not everyone believed the little girl who said she had found a blue snake in Texas. Thanks to my mother and brother for contributing photographs to this spotting.
Based on the range, I would identify the subspecies as C. c. anthicus, Buttermilk Racer, C. c. etheridgei, Tan Racer, or C. c. flaviventris, Eastern Yellowbelly Racer (AKA Yellow-Bellied). Based on the blue and speckled scales, my bet is on C. c. anthicus, Buttermilk Racer.
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