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Eastern Yellow-bellied Racer

Coluber constrictus

Photo by TextileRanger
Published on Project Noah
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30.2055, -95.4526

Field Notes

Habitat:

Pasture near a pine forest

Notes:

We found it in a pile of old fence posts - I took it inside just long enough to take pictures and then turned it back outside.
ID by Ashley T.

Species ID Suggestions

Eastern Racer (juvenile)

Coluber constrictor

Reference Link
AshleyT
1

Comments (6)
AshleyT
Will always be glad to help, herps are what I'm studying right now and absolutely love them :) I've really wanted to see a buttermilk racer but I haven't been able to find one, they are such pretty snakes!
TextileRanger
Okay, I'm glad to have found a nearby expert! I am trying to learn the snakes but I don't know if I will ever keep them straight. I just read Alan Tennant's description of Eastern racer habitat likes, and it fits where we found this young snake. And I didn't get any pictures, but I have seen a plain gray snake up there too, and now I am thinking that's an adult Eastern racer.
AshleyT
They are all subspecies of Coluber constrictor. The ones in our area are yellow-bellied, buttermilk, and tan (I live in Houston and am quite familiar with all the snakes here). To my knowledge the juveniles all look similar. But either way they are all the same species so it doesn't matter too much
TextileRanger
Okay, I am looking at Werler and Dixon's Texas Snakes, and their distribution map shows a lot of specimens in my area, including 2 in my part of the county, and they also say that the Eastern Yellow-bellied racer doesn't occupy the pine forests of East Texas. So that's why I guessed Mexican racer. But I will go check the link now. Thanks!
AshleyT
Mexican racers are not found in east Texas, only in south Texas and Mexico

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Biodiversity of Texas
Mission
Texas Wildlife Photographers
Mission
Herps of Texas
Mission
National Geographic's Great Nature Project
Photographed
PublishedAugust 15, 2014

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