Trans-pecos Ratsnake

About the Trans-pecos Ratsnake

The Trans-Pecos rat snake or Davis Mountain rat snake (Bogertophis subocularis), is a species of medium to large, nonvenomous rat snake in the family Colubridae. Bogertophis subocularis is endemic to the Chihuahuan Desert.

The Trans-Pecos rat snake is found in the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, and Nuevo León, and its range extends northward into Texas and New Mexico in the United States. B. subocularis has a row of small scales (suboculars) between the lower border of the eye and the upper labials. Coloration is yellow to tan dorsally with a series of black, or dark brown, H-shaped markings. The eye is large and prominent, light-colored with a contrasting round black pupil. The tongue is pink. The dorsal scales are in 31-35 rows at midbody. The ventrals number 260-277; the subcaudals number 69-79.

Adults are usually 36-54 inches (90–137 cm) in total length (including tail). The record total length is 66 inches (168 cm). The Trans-Pecos rat snake's habitat consists of desert flats and brushy slopes, and rocky outcrops where it dens. B. subocularis feeds on small vertebrates. A nocturnal... Wikipedia →