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Kirtland's snake

March 01, 2024

Kirtland's snake (Clonophis kirtlandii) is a threatened or endangered (depending on location) North American species of nonvenomous snake of the subfamily Natricinae, of the family Colubridae.[2] It is the only species in the genus Clonophis.[3]

Kirtland's snake
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Clonophis
Cope, 1889
Species:
C. kirtlandii
Binomial name
Clonophis kirtlandii
(Kennicott, 1856)
Synonyms
  • Regina kirtlandii
    Kennicott, 1856
  • Tropidonotus kirtlandii
    — Garman, 1884
  • Ischnognathus kirtlandii
    — Jan, 1860
  • Natrix kirtlandii
    — Cope, 1900
  • Clonophis kirtlandi
    — H. M. Smith & Brodie, 1982

Etymology edit

The specific name, kirtlandii, is in honor of Dr. Jared Potter Kirtland, an American naturalist of the nineteenth century.[4][5] The snake was first identified by Robert Kennicott in 1855. Kennicott sent a specimen to Spencer Fullerton Baird, the assistant secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, who offered to publish a description of the animal in Kennicott's name. Baird suggested Regina kirtlandii as a scientific name, as Kirtland had been a mentor to Kennicott.[6]

Common names edit

Common names for C. kirtlandii include: Cora Kennicott's snake, Kirtland's red snake, Kirtland's water snake, little red snake, Ohio Valley water snake, and spread head.[7]

Description edit

Kirtland's snake is small and slender. Adults reach a total length (including tail) of 12-18 inches (30–46 cm). It is grayish brown with a double series of large black spots down the back, and alternating smaller spots running down each side.[8] The ventral scales are brick red with a prominent round black spot at each outer end.[9] It has 19 rows of keeled dorsal scales at midbody, and the anal plate is divided.[10]

Geographic range edit

Clonophis kirtlandii is currently known to occur in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, southern Michigan, northeastern Missouri, Ohio, and northwestern Tennessee.[9][11] Clonophis kirtlandii was historically known from Western Pennsylvania, but it has not been documented in the state since 1966.[11]

Habitat edit

The preferred natural habitats of C. kirtlandii are forest, grassland, and wetlands[1] such as swamps and marshes. It is almost always found very close to a water source, even though it is less aquatic than water snakes of the genus Nerodia which share its geographic range.[7] Field studies have shown that populations are found within areas with abundant grass, herbaceous vegetation, and shrubs during the spring season. [12]

Conservation status edit

The species Clonophis kirtlandii is listed as endangered in Indiana,[13] Michigan, and Pennsylvania.[14] It is listed as threatened in Illinois and Ohio, though current research in Ohio is leaning towards the snake being listed as vulnerable.[citation needed]

Diet edit

Kirtland's snake preys primarily on earthworms, slugs, minnows, salamanders, frogs, and toads.[7] It has also been found to prey on juvenile crayfish, earthworms, slugs, small minnows, and leeches. [11]

Defensive behavior edit

When alarmed C. kirtlandii flattens its entire body to a remarkable thinness, and becomes rigid.[15] Kirtland's snake will also coil up into a disc the size of about a quarter in an attempt to hide from potential threats. If this does not succeed, it will then flee instead of fight.[citation needed]

No person on record has ever been bitten by a Kirtland's snake. This species prefers intimidation, hiding, and fleeing rather than any form of fighting.[16]

Reproduction edit

Kirtland's snake is ovoviviparous. Females give birth in August and September. Brood size varies from 4 to 22. Each newborn is 13–17 cm (5–6¾ in.) in total length and averages 1.4 gm in weight.[7]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Hammerson, G. A. (2007). "Clonophis kirtlandii ". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2007: e.T63747A12712865. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T63747A12712865.en. Downloaded on 22 March 2020.
  2. ^ Species Clonophis kirtlandii at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
  3. ^ "Clonophis kirtlandii ". ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System). www.itis.gov.
  4. ^ Beltz, Ellin (2006). Scientific and Common Names of the Reptiles and Amphibians of North America – Explained. ebeltz.net/herps/biogappx.html#K.
  5. ^ Beolens, Bo; Michael Watkins; Michael Grayson (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Clonophis kirtlandi, p. 142).
  6. ^ Vasile, Ronald S. (Autumn 1994). "The Early Career of Robert Kennicott, Illinois' Pioneering Naturalist". Illinois Historical Journal. 87 (3): 165. JSTOR 40192718.
  7. ^ a b c d Wright, A.H., and A.A. Wright (1957). Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada. Ithaca and London: Comstock. 1,105 pp. (in 2 volumes) (Natrix kirtlandi, pp. 496-499, Figure 146 + Map 40 on p. 491).
  8. ^ Boulenger, G.A. (1893). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume I., Containing the Families ... Colubridæ Aglyphæ, part. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 448 pp. + Plates I.- XXVIII. (Ischnognathus kirtlandii, p. 286).
  9. ^ a b Conant, R. (1975). A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. xviii + 429 pp. + Plates 1-48.
    ISBN 0-395-19979-4 (hardcover), ISBN 0-395-19977-8 (paperback). (Natrix kirtlandi, p. 151 + Plate 22 + Map 106).
  10. ^ Smith, H.M., and E.D. Brodie Jr. (1982). Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification. New York: Golden Press. 240 pp. ISBN 0-307-13666-3.
    (Clonophis kirtlandi, pp. 156-157).
  11. ^ a b c U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (2017). Species status assessment report for Kirtland’s snake (Clonophis kirtlandii). 43 pp.
  12. ^ Life Science Weekly (2020). Exploration of Environmental DNA (eDNA) to Detect Kirtland's Snake
  13. ^ Indiana Legislative Services Agency (2011), "312 IAC 9-5-4: Endangered species of reptiles and amphibians", Indiana Administrative Code, retrieved 28 Apr 2012.
  14. ^ Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission.
  15. ^ Schmidt, K.P., and D.D. Davis (1941). Field Book of Snakes of the United States and Canada. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 365 pp. (Natrix kirtlandii, pp. 209-210 + Plate 22, Center, on p. 342).
  16. ^ "Clonophis kirtlandii - Kirtland's Snake". USA Snakes. 2020-10-22. Retrieved 2020-10-22.

Further reading edit

  • Behler, J.L., and F.W. King (1979). The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 743 pp. ISBN 0-394-50824-6. ("Clonophis kirtlandi [sic]", p. 596 + Plate 551).
  • Conant, R., and W. Bridges (1939). What Snake Is That? A Field Guide to the Snakes of the United States East of the Rocky Mountains. (With 108 drawings by Edmond Malnate). New York and London: D. Appleton-Century Company. Frontispiece map + viii + 163 pp. + Plates A-C, 1-32. (Natrix kirtlandii, p. 95 + Plate 16, figure 47).
  • Kennicott, R. (1856). "Description of a new Snake from Illinois". Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 8: 95-96. (Regina kirtlandii, new species).
  • McCoy, C.J. (1980). Identification Guide to Pennsylvania Snakes. (Design and illustrations by Michael Antonoplos). Pittsburgh Pennsylvania: Carnegie Museum of Natural History. 12 pp. (Clonophis kirtlandi, p. 8).
  • Netting, M.G., and Richmond, N.D. (editors) (1970). Pennsylvania Reptiles and Amphibians. (Photographs by Hal H. Harrison). Third Edition, Fifth Printing. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Fish Commission. 24 pp. (Natrix kirtlandii, p. 3).
  • Powell, R., R. Conant, and J.T. Collins (2016). Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. xiv + 494 pp. ISBN 978-0-544-12997-9. (Clonophis kirtlandii, pp. 410–411+ Plate 40).
  • Rossman, D.A. (1963). "Relationships and taxonomic status of the North American natricine snake genera Liodytes, Regina and Clonophis ". Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, Louisiana State University (29): 1–29.
  • Stejneger, L., and T. Barbour (1917). A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. 125 pp. (Natrix kirtlandii, p. 95).

External links edit

  • Michigan state Department of Natural Resources entry

March 01, 2024
kirtland, snake, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, march, 202. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Kirtland s snake news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message Kirtland s snake Clonophis kirtlandii is a threatened or endangered depending on location North American species of nonvenomous snake of the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae 2 It is the only species in the genus Clonophis 3 Kirtland s snakeConservation statusNear Threatened IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ReptiliaOrder SquamataSuborder SerpentesFamily ColubridaeGenus ClonophisCope 1889Species C kirtlandiiBinomial nameClonophis kirtlandii Kennicott 1856 SynonymsRegina kirtlandii Kennicott 1856 Tropidonotus kirtlandii Garman 1884 Ischnognathus kirtlandii Jan 1860 Natrix kirtlandii Cope 1900 Clonophis kirtlandi H M Smith amp Brodie 1982 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Common names 3 Description 4 Geographic range 5 Habitat 6 Conservation status 7 Diet 8 Defensive behavior 9 Reproduction 10 References 11 Further reading 12 External linksEtymology editThe specific name kirtlandii is in honor of Dr Jared Potter Kirtland an American naturalist of the nineteenth century 4 5 The snake was first identified by Robert Kennicott in 1855 Kennicott sent a specimen to Spencer Fullerton Baird the assistant secretary of the Smithsonian Institution who offered to publish a description of the animal in Kennicott s name Baird suggested Regina kirtlandii as a scientific name as Kirtland had been a mentor to Kennicott 6 Common names editCommon names for C kirtlandii include Cora Kennicott s snake Kirtland s red snake Kirtland s water snake little red snake Ohio Valley water snake and spread head 7 Description editKirtland s snake is small and slender Adults reach a total length including tail of 12 18 inches 30 46 cm It is grayish brown with a double series of large black spots down the back and alternating smaller spots running down each side 8 The ventral scales are brick red with a prominent round black spot at each outer end 9 It has 19 rows of keeled dorsal scales at midbody and the anal plate is divided 10 Geographic range editClonophis kirtlandii is currently known to occur in Illinois Indiana Kentucky southern Michigan northeastern Missouri Ohio and northwestern Tennessee 9 11 Clonophis kirtlandii was historically known from Western Pennsylvania but it has not been documented in the state since 1966 11 Habitat editThe preferred natural habitats of C kirtlandii are forest grassland and wetlands 1 such as swamps and marshes It is almost always found very close to a water source even though it is less aquatic than water snakes of the genus Nerodia which share its geographic range 7 Field studies have shown that populations are found within areas with abundant grass herbaceous vegetation and shrubs during the spring season 12 Conservation status editThe species Clonophis kirtlandii is listed as endangered in Indiana 13 Michigan and Pennsylvania 14 It is listed as threatened in Illinois and Ohio though current research in Ohio is leaning towards the snake being listed as vulnerable citation needed Diet editKirtland s snake preys primarily on earthworms slugs minnows salamanders frogs and toads 7 It has also been found to prey on juvenile crayfish earthworms slugs small minnows and leeches 11 Defensive behavior editWhen alarmed C kirtlandii flattens its entire body to a remarkable thinness and becomes rigid 15 Kirtland s snake will also coil up into a disc the size of about a quarter in an attempt to hide from potential threats If this does not succeed it will then flee instead of fight citation needed No person on record has ever been bitten by a Kirtland s snake This species prefers intimidation hiding and fleeing rather than any form of fighting 16 Reproduction editKirtland s snake is ovoviviparous Females give birth in August and September Brood size varies from 4 to 22 Each newborn is 13 17 cm 5 6 in in total length and averages 1 4 gm in weight 7 References edit a b Hammerson G A 2007 Clonophis kirtlandii The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2007 e T63747A12712865 https dx doi org 10 2305 IUCN UK 2007 RLTS T63747A12712865 en Downloaded on 22 March 2020 Species Clonophis kirtlandii at The Reptile Database www reptile database org Clonophis kirtlandii ITIS Integrated Taxonomic Information System www itis gov Beltz Ellin 2006 Scientific and Common Names of the Reptiles and Amphibians of North America Explained ebeltz net herps biogappx html K Beolens Bo Michael Watkins Michael Grayson 2011 The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles Baltimore Johns Hopkins University Press xiii 296 pp ISBN 978 1 4214 0135 5 Clonophis kirtlandi p 142 Vasile Ronald S Autumn 1994 The Early Career of Robert Kennicott Illinois Pioneering Naturalist Illinois Historical Journal 87 3 165 JSTOR 40192718 a b c d Wright A H and A A Wright 1957 Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada Ithaca and London Comstock 1 105 pp in 2 volumes Natrix kirtlandi pp 496 499 Figure 146 Map 40 on p 491 Boulenger G A 1893 Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum Natural History Volume I Containing the Families Colubridae Aglyphae part London Trustees of the British Museum Natural History Taylor and Francis printers xiii 448 pp Plates I XXVIII Ischnognathus kirtlandii p 286 a b Conant R 1975 A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America Second Edition Boston Houghton Mifflin xviii 429 pp Plates 1 48 ISBN 0 395 19979 4 hardcover ISBN 0 395 19977 8 paperback Natrix kirtlandi p 151 Plate 22 Map 106 Smith H M and E D Brodie Jr 1982 Reptiles of North America A Guide to Field Identification New York Golden Press 240 pp ISBN 0 307 13666 3 Clonophis kirtlandi pp 156 157 a b c U S Fish and Wildlife Service 2017 Species status assessment report for Kirtland s snake Clonophis kirtlandii 43 pp Life Science Weekly 2020 Exploration of Environmental DNA eDNA to Detect Kirtland s Snake Indiana Legislative Services Agency 2011 312 IAC 9 5 4 Endangered species of reptiles and amphibians Indiana Administrative Code retrieved 28 Apr 2012 Pennsylvania Fish amp Boat Commission Schmidt K P and D D Davis 1941 Field Book of Snakes of the United States and Canada New York G P Putnam s Sons 365 pp Natrix kirtlandii pp 209 210 Plate 22 Center on p 342 Clonophis kirtlandii Kirtland s Snake USA Snakes 2020 10 22 Retrieved 2020 10 22 Further reading editBehler J L and F W King 1979 The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians New York Alfred A Knopf 743 pp ISBN 0 394 50824 6 Clonophis kirtlandi sic p 596 Plate 551 Conant R and W Bridges 1939 What Snake Is That A Field Guide to the Snakes of the United States East of the Rocky Mountains With 108 drawings by Edmond Malnate New York and London D Appleton Century Company Frontispiece map viii 163 pp Plates A C 1 32 Natrix kirtlandii p 95 Plate 16 figure 47 Kennicott R 1856 Description of a new Snake from Illinois Proc Acad Nat Sci Philadelphia 8 95 96 Regina kirtlandii new species McCoy C J 1980 Identification Guide to Pennsylvania Snakes Design and illustrations by Michael Antonoplos Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Carnegie Museum of Natural History 12 pp Clonophis kirtlandi p 8 Netting M G and Richmond N D editors 1970 Pennsylvania Reptiles and Amphibians Photographs by Hal H Harrison Third Edition Fifth Printing Harrisburg Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Fish Commission 24 pp Natrix kirtlandii p 3 Powell R R Conant and J T Collins 2016 Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America Fourth Edition Boston and New York Houghton Mifflin Harcourt xiv 494 pp ISBN 978 0 544 12997 9 Clonophis kirtlandii pp 410 411 Plate 40 Rossman D A 1963 Relationships and taxonomic status of the North American natricine snake genera Liodytes Regina and Clonophis Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology Louisiana State University 29 1 29 Stejneger L and T Barbour 1917 A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles Cambridge Massachusetts Harvard University Press 125 pp Natrix kirtlandii p 95 External links editMichigan state Department of Natural Resources entry The Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management entry Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kirtland 27s snake amp oldid 1185849039, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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