Gyalopion

Gyalopion
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Subfamily:	Colubrinae
Genus:	Gyalopion Cope, 1860

Gyalopion is a genus of small nonvenomous colubrid snakes, which are commonly referred to as hooknose snakes, that are native to the southwestern United States and Mexico.

Taxonomy

The following species and subspecies are recognized:

• Gyalopion canum Cope, 1860 - western hook-nosed snake
• Gyalopion quadrangulare (Günther, 1893) - desert hook-nosed snake
  • Gyalopion quadrangulare desertorum (Taylor, 1936)
  • Gyalopion quadrangulare quadrangulare (Günther, 1893)

Geographic range

G. canum is found in the United States (Arizona, New Mexico, Texas), and in Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Jalisco, Michoacán, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sonora, Zacatecas).

G. quadrangulare is found in the United States (Arizona), and in Mexico (Sinaloa, Sonora).

Habitat

Hooknose snakes prefer shortgrass prairie habitats.

Description

Their base color is light brown, which is overlaid with darker brown crossbands. Their ventral color is white or cream-colored. Their most distinguishing feature is an upturned snout, which has a concave rostral scale, as opposed to hognose snakes which have a keeled rostral scale. They rarely grow beyond 25.5 cm (10 inches) in total length.

Behavior

Hooknose snakes are nocturnal and secretive snakes, generally found hiding under rocks, or buried in the soil.

Diet

Their primary diet consists of spiders and centipedes.

Reproduction

They are oviparous.

References

• Herps of Texas: Gyalopion canum