|
Besucher: 
|
www.pinesnake.de
|
|
|
|
last changes: Sunday, January 06, 2008
|
Cincuate Pine Snake
Pituophis lineaticollis lineaticolis
|
 |
|
Pituophis lineaticollis lineaticollis, Photo by Lloyd Heilbrunn |
|
|
Distribution
|
|
This snake occurs from about central southern Mexico southward to Mexico City and possibly, continuing into Chiapas (Briggs, 2001). Its range of distribution apparently ends in the northwest region where Pituophis d. deppei occurs. The distribution range of the ssp. gibsoni has no known racial overlap.
|
|
Description
|
|
 |
The ground color of this snake is a sand color to light brown, or olive brown, too. Sometimes there are white markings in it. On the back of the fore-body there are 2 longitudinal stripes. Another lateral stripe is on each side. In the mid-body region, the 2 stripes of the back nearly separate into single spots that blend together or overlap each other forming saddle-like markings towards the tail. The coloration of these stripes and spots are is black at the fore-body and the tail region, whereas, the mid-body has spots with light centers. Within the body area, where stripes have broken up into spots, the spots partly wash out or blend with the ground color. Towards the tail, the borders of the saddles become black again. The saddle-like markings number between 39 and 45. On the side of the body, there is a row of larger dark spots between the saddles, which begins as a stripe on the neck, gradually breaking up. Every scale in its center is lighter than on its border. This gives the snake a kind of “speckled“ illusion. The belly is whitish and nearly patternless underneath the tail. The scales are keeled. Scale counts of head: 2 Prefrontals. The snout scale is as broad as high (rostral - nasal 1:1).
|
| Pituophis lineaticollis lineaticollis, Photo by Patrick H. Briggs |
|
|
|
Habitat
|
|
This striped Mexican Pituophis lives in pine and oak woodland in elevations of 1,400-2,200 m. It is seldom encountered and there are only a few stocked in private collections.
|
 |
|
Pituophis lineaticollis lineaticollis, Photo by Patrick H. Briggs |
|
|
Way of life
|
|
Diurnal
|
|
Diet
|
|
In its habitat, it preys mainly on a variety of small or young rodents.
|
|
Hibernation
|
|
The highland territory that these snake inhabit, becomes very cold in the winter, so these snakes must hibernate for a few months each year.
|
|
Reproduction
|
|
Current literature reports little or nothing about the reproduction habits of this ssp. in its natural habitat. It’s probably much like other species indigenous to similar habitat of the genus Pituophis.
|
|
|
|
|
