Rim rock crown snake
The rim rock crowned snake (Tantilla oolitica), named after the Miami Rim Rock land arrangement, is a non-venomous endangered species of snake belonging to the family Colubridae . The rim rock crowned snake is endemic to the United States throughout southern Florida. The specific name, oolitica, refers to the oolitic limestone area of Florida in which the species is found.[1] It is common that all snakes that belong to the Genus Tantilla, are relatively small and usually do not exceed 20 cm (8 in). The species was added to the IUCN red list in 2007 as a result of loss in habitat and restricted range.
| Rim rock crowned snake | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Tantilla |
| Species: | T. oolitica |
| Binomial name | |
| Tantilla oolitica Telford, 1966 | |
Geographic range
It is found only in Dade County and Monroe County of Florida and the Florida Keys, including Eastern Rock Rim of Miami.[2]
Description
The rim rock crown snake is a relatively small species, the maximum recorded total length is 29 cm (11.5 in).[3] The top of the head is black, with hues of tan to beige found on its back, and white ventrally.[3] Their diet consist spiders, centipedes, worms, insects and its larva, and even scorpions.[4]
Habitat
The rim rock crowned snake tends to inhabit areas with rocky and sandy soils in pine flatwoods, and tropical hardwood hammocks.[2] The snakes can less commonly be found inside crevasses of limestone, under foliage, and in suburban areas.[5]
Conservation status
In 2007 the species was added to the IUCN red list, as a result of loss in habitat and restricted range. Due to Miami's ever growing city, fragmentation is the main threat to the rim rock crowned snake. Roughly 2% of the historical pine rocklands located on the Miami rock ridge still exist. Also the hardwood hammocks in Dade county, and the remainder of Florida have been diminished to about half of what it once was.[6] Populations near the Keys also face major issues concerning habitat flooding from severe storms. Today the species is under the Florida endangered and threatened species rule
References
- Conant, R. 1975. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition. Houghton Mifflin. Boston. ISBN 0-395-19979-4 (hardcover), ISBN 0-395-19977-8 (paperback). xviii + 429 pp. (Tantilla oolitica, p. 221 + Map 165.)
- Hammerson, G.A. (2007). "Tantilla oolitica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2007: e.T63954A12731242. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T63954A12731242.en.
- Smith, H.M., and E.D. Brodie Jr. 1982. Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification. Golden Press. New York. 240 pp. ISBN 0-307-13666-3 (paperback). (Tantilla oolitica, pp. 170–171.)
- "Rim Rock Crowned Snake". ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu. Retrieved 2016-12-05.
- "Rim Rock Crown snake control". Animal Control Solutions. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
- Hines, Kristen. "Status and Distribution of the Rim Rock Crowned Snake, Tantilla oolitica" (PDF). Herpetological Review.
Further reading
- Telford, S.R. Jr. 1966. Variation among the southeastern crowned snakes, genus Tantilla. Bull. Florida State Mus. 10 (7): 261–304. ("Tantilla oolitica new species", pp. 281–282.)