Small burrowing snake
Southwestern Blackhead Snake
HarmlessTantilla hobartsmithi
6 photographs of the Southwestern Blackhead Snake. © Olivia Guswiler.
The Southwestern Blackhead Snake (Tantilla hobartsmithi) is a non-venomous snake in the Colubridae family, recorded in 2 countries.
- Also called
- Small burrowing snake
- Family
- Colubridae
- Size
- Tiny, 6–12 in.
- Habitat
- Under rocks, logs, and leaf litter across many habitats.
- Behavior
- Secretive, burrowing insect- and centipede-eaters; almost never seen above ground.
- Identify
- Tiny and slender, plain brown or tan, often with a darker head cap.
About the Southwestern Blackhead Snake
Tantilla hobartsmithi, commonly known as Smith's black-headed snake and the southwestern blackhead snake, is a species of small snake in the subfamily Colubrinae of the family Colubridae. The species is native to the southwestern United States and adjacent northern Mexico.
Etymology
The specific name or epithet, hobartsmithi, is in honor of American zoologist and herpetologist Hobart M. Smith (1912–2013).
Taxonomy and systematics
Tantilla hobartsmithi was first described by Edward Harrison Taylor in 1936.
Description
The southwestern blackhead snake is a small snake, growing to a maximum total length (tail included) of 15 in (38 cm), but typically averaging around 8 in (20 cm) in total length.
Dorsally, it is uniformly brown in color, except for the black-colored head, which gives it its common name, and a cream-colored or white collar. On the belly, there is a broad reddish stripe, which runs down the center of the ventral scales.
Venom
Tantilla hobartsmithi is rear-fanged, having enlarged rear teeth and a modified saliva, which while harmless to mammals, is believed to be toxic to arthropods, its primary prey.
Behavior
Blackhead snakes (genus Tantilla) are primarily nocturnal and fossorial, spending most of their time hiding in loose soil, leaf litter, or under ground debris.
Diet
Blackhead snakes eat most varieties of soft-bodied insects, centipedes, millipedes, and spiders.
Reproduction
Tantilla hobartsmithi is oviparous. Clutch size is only one to three eggs, which are laid in June, July, or August.
Geographic range
The southwestern blackhead snake is found in the southwestern United States, in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah, as well as in northern Mexico, in Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Sonora.
Habitat
The preferred natural habitats of Tantilla hobartsmithi are desert, grassland, shrubland, and forest, at altitudes from sea level to 1,981 m (6,499 ft).
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Southwestern Blackhead Snake
- Is the Southwestern Blackhead Snake venomous?
- No. The Southwestern Blackhead Snake (Tantilla hobartsmithi) is non-venomous and is not considered dangerous to humans. Like most snakes, it will retreat rather than bite when given the chance.
- Is the Southwestern Blackhead Snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Southwestern Blackhead Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Southwestern Blackhead Snake dangerous?
- The Southwestern Blackhead Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- Where does the Southwestern Blackhead Snake live?
- The Southwestern Blackhead Snake has verified records in 2 countries, including United States of America, Mexico. See the distribution section below for its full range.
- How do I identify the Southwestern Blackhead Snake?
- Tiny and slender, plain brown or tan, often with a darker head cap.
- How big does the Southwestern Blackhead Snake get?
- Tiny, 6–12 in.
- What does the Southwestern Blackhead Snake eat?
- Blackhead snakes eat most varieties of soft-bodied insects, centipedes, millipedes, and spiders.
- Why is it called the Southwestern Blackhead Snake?
- The specific name or epithet, hobartsmithi, is in honor of American zoologist and herpetologist Hobart M. Smith (1912–2013).
Where it is found
By U.S. state
More Colubridae snakes
Flat-headed SnakeTantilla gracilis
Plains Black-headed SnakeTantilla nigriceps
Black-headed SnakeTantilla melanocephala
Southeastern Crowned SnakeTantilla coronata
Western Black-headed SnakeTantilla planiceps
Bocourt's Black-headed SnakeTantilla bocourti
Florida Crowned SnakeTantilla relicta
Black-necked Centipede SnakeTantilla armillata
Classification
How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.
- OrderThe broad group of scaled reptiles: all snakes and lizards
- Squamata
- FamilyA group of related snakes that share key traits
- Colubridae
- GenusA close-knit group of very similar species
- Tantilla
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Tantilla hobartsmithi
Keep learning
- What to Do If You Find a SnakeFound a snake at home or on a trail? Here is how to stay calm, give it space, identify it safely, and know when to call a professional.
- Venomous vs Nonvenomous: How to Tell the DifferenceThe folk rules for telling venomous snakes apart, where each one fails, and why location-based identification beats guessing by sight.
- What Is a Snake? Anatomy and the BasicsA clear overview of what makes a snake a snake: limbless body plan, anatomy, evolution from lizards, species diversity, and why they are ectothermic.
- How to Keep Snakes Out of Your Yard and HomeA practical guide to keeping snakes out of your yard and home using habitat changes that work, plus what to skip and what to do if one shows up.
Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.