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| SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION |
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| COMMON
NAME: |
Honduran milksnake |
| KINGDOM: |
Animalia |
| PHYLUM: |
Chordata |
| CLASS: |
Reptilia |
| ORDER: |
Squamata |
| FAMILY: |
Colubridae |
| GENUS
SPECIES: |
Lampropeltis (shining, beautiful scales)
triangulum (three colors) hondurensis
(coming from Honduras); occurs in several color
morphs |
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| DESCRIPTION: |
Narrow
bodied snake; black and red banded |
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| WEIGHT: |
Average
1270 g (2.77 lb.) |
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| DIET: |
Small
mammals, eggs, and other reptiles including snakes |
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| INCUBATION: |
10
weeks |
| CLUTCH
SIZE |
3-24
eggs |
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| SEXUAL
MATURITY: |
3-12 years |
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| RANGE: |
Nicaragua, Northeastern Costa Rica, Caribbean slope
of Honduras |
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| HABITAT: |
Leaf
litter in rainforests |
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| POPULATION: |
GLOBAL |
No
data |
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| STATUS: |
IUCN |
No
data |
| CITES |
Not
listed |
| USFWS |
Not
listed |
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| 1. |
Like
many reptiles, the incubation temperature of their
eggs may determine the offsprings' sex; warmer temperatures
usually create males while cool temperatures create
females. |
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| 2. |
These snakes are known for their imitation of the
markings and behavior of the venomous coral snake.
By such mimicry, they lead potential predators to
believe they are dealing with a dangerous animals,
and are thus left alone. |
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| 3. |
Milksnakes use quick, jerky movements so that their
bands flash, startling predators. Their bright colors
signal danger and often confuse predators, making
these snakes hard to follow. |
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| 4. |
Milksnakes
are known for eating other snakes. |
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| 5. |
Milksnakes
have one of the widest distributions of any snake
in the Americas. |
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| 6. |
They
get their name from an old belief that it drinks
milk from the udders of cows. This myth probably
arose because they were commonly spotted in barns
and stables, where there is a concentration of rodents. |
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Many other important predators like birds-of-prey
feed on young snakes. This means that snakes fulfill
roles as both predators and prey in regional food
chains. Milksnakes are also valuable in their role
of curbing rodent populations, especially those
near human settlement. |
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|
|
Coborn, John. The Atlas of Snakes of the World.
New Jersey: T.F.H. Publications, inc. 1991. |
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Markel, R. and R. D. Bartlette. Kingsnakes and
Milksnakes. TFH Publications, Inc. 1990. |
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Mehrtens, John M. Living Snakes of the World.
New York: Sterling Publishing Co., 1987.
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| www.kingsnake.com |
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