Striped Whipsnake

Appearance

The striped whipsnake is approximately 30-72 inches in total length. This snake exhibits black, dark brown, or gray coloration on its back, often with an olive or bluish tint.

Along the center of each of the first four rows of pale dorsal scales, is a dark longitudinal stripe. There is a white to cream-colored stripe down its side that is bisected by either a solid or dashed black line.

The coloring on the snake's belly tends to be cream to yellowish, fading to white toward the head, and coral pink toward the tail. This snake also features a lower preocular between the upper labial scales of the mouth. The anal scale is divided.

Naming

There are two subspecies of ''Masticophis taeniatus'' which are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.
⤷ ''Masticophis taeniatus girardi''
⤷ ''Masticophis taeniatus taeniatus''

''Nota bene'': A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than ''Masticophis''.The subspecific name, ''girardi'', is in honor of French-American herpetologist Charles Frédéric Girard.

Behavior

The species ''M. taeniatus'' is diurnal, active during the day, and is very alert and fast moving. It seeks shelter in rock outcrops, small mammal burrows, as well as in trees and shrubs depending on the habitat they occupy.

Habitat

The striped whipsnake is commonly found in a wide variety of habitats including shrub lands, grasslands, sagebrush flats, canyons, piñon-juniper woodlands, and open pine-oak forests. It is attracted to both permanent and seasonal rocky streams, and it frequents both flatlands and mountains.

Reproduction

Little is known about the reproductive activities of ''M. taeniatus''. After fertilization the female striped whipsnake will lay a clutch of 3-12 eggs, between the months of June and July, usually in an abandoned rodent burrow. One study has shown a natural incubation period of 44 to 58 days.

Food

This snake is nonvenomous, but it preys on a wide variety of species including lizards, other snakes , small mammals, young birds, frogs, and insects.