Coachwhips subdue prey by grasping and holding them with their jaws and do not use constriction. They thrive in sandhill scrub and coastal dunes.Ĭoachwhips are diurnal, and actively hunt and eat lizards, small birds, and rodents. Ĭoachwhips are commonly found in open areas with sandy soil, open pine forests, old fields, and prairies. They are also found in the northern half of Mexico. Distribution and habitat Ĭoachwhips range throughout the southern United States from coast to coast. Young specimens, mostly just over 100 cm (40 in) in length, were found to have weighed 180 to 675 g ( 6 + 1⁄ 2 to 24 oz), whereas good-sized mature adults measuring 163 to 235 cm (64 to 93 in) weighed 1.2 to 1.8 kg (2 lb 10 oz to 3 lb 15 oz). The record sized specimen, of the eastern coachwhip race, was 259 cm (102 in) in total length. Adult sizes of 127–183 cm (50–72 in) in total length (including tail) are common. Subspecies can be difficult to distinguish in areas where their ranges overlap. Coachwhip scales are patterned so at first glance, the snake appears braided. piceus was given its common name because specimens frequently, but not always, have some red in their coloration. testaceus is typically a shade of light brown with darker brown flecking, but in the western area of Texas, where the soil color is a shade of pink, the coachwhips are also pink in color. They vary greatly in color, but most reflect a proper camouflage for their natural habitat. flagellum), Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, AlabamaĬoachwhips are thin-bodied snakes with small heads and large eyes with round pupils. Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Masticophis.Įastern coachwhip ( Masticophis f. Masticophis flagellum testaceus ( Say, 1823) – western coachwhip.Masticophis flagellum ruddocki Brattstrom & Warren, 1953 – San Joaquin coachwhip.Masticophis flagellum piceus (Cope, 1892) – red coachwhip, red racer.Masticophis flagellum flagellum ( Shaw, 1802) – eastern coachwhip.Masticophis flagellum cingulum Lowe & Woodin, 1954 – Sonoran coachwhip.Six subspecies of Masticophis flagellum are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies. Ruddock who was Medical Director for the Richfield Oil Corporation. The subspecific name, ruddocki, is in honor of Dr. Six subspecies are recognized, including the nominotypical subspecies. Masticophis flagellum is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake, commonly referred to as the coachwhip or the whip snake, which is endemic to the United States and Mexico.
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