Colubridae
Tamaulipan Hook-nosed Snake
HarmlessFicimia streckeri
6 photographs of the Tamaulipan Hook-nosed Snake. © Aldous13.
The Tamaulipan Hook-nosed Snake (Ficimia streckeri) is a non-venomous snake in the Colubridae family, recorded in 2 countries.
- Family
- Colubridae
About the Tamaulipan Hook-nosed Snake
Ficimia streckeri, also commonly known as the Mexican hooknose snake, the Tamaulipan hooknose snake, and the Texas hook-nosed snake, is a small species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to northeastern Mexico and adjacent southern Texas.
Etymology
The specific name or epithet, streckeri, is in honor of the American naturalist John Kern Strecker Jr.
Geographic range
F. streckeri is found primarily in the Mexican states of Hidalgo, Nuevo León, Puebla, eastern San Luis Potosí, and Tamaulipas, but its geographic range extends as far north as southern Texas in the United States.
Description
The Mexican hooknose snake is usually 5 to 11 in (13 to 28 cm) in total length (including tail). H.M. Smith and Brodie (1982) report a maximum total length of 47.9 cm (almost 19 inches).
It is typically brown or gray in color, with as many as 60 brown or brown-green blotches down the back, which are elongated to almost appear as stripes. Its underside is white or cream-colored.
Its most distinctive feature is an upturned snout, much like hognose snakes, which gives it its common name. However, unlike hognose snakes, the Mexican hooknose snake has smooth dorsal scales. Also distinctive is the arrangement of the head shields. There are no internasals, and the rostral separates the prefrontals and contacts the frontal.
The smooth dorsal scales are arranged in 17 rows at midbody. The ventrals number 126–155, and the subcaudals number 28–41.
Behavior
The Mexican hooknose snake is mostly nocturnal, and is a burrower. It is fairly slow-moving and harmless to humans.
Diet
The diet of F. streckeri consists primarily of spiders and centipedes.
Habitat
The Mexican hooknose snake inhabits woodlands along the Rio Grande river plain, near natural and man-made sources of water.
Defense
The primary form of defense of F. streckeri is making a popping sound by expanding its cloaca when harassed or handled.
Reproduction
The Mexican hooknose snake is oviparous.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Tamaulipan Hook-nosed Snake
- Is the Tamaulipan Hook-nosed Snake venomous?
- No. The Tamaulipan Hook-nosed Snake (Ficimia streckeri) 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 Tamaulipan Hook-nosed Snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Tamaulipan Hook-nosed Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Tamaulipan Hook-nosed Snake dangerous?
- The Tamaulipan Hook-nosed Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- Where does the Tamaulipan Hook-nosed Snake live?
- The Tamaulipan Hook-nosed Snake has verified records in 2 countries, including Mexico, United States of America. See the distribution section below for its full range.
- What does the Tamaulipan Hook-nosed Snake eat?
- The diet of F. streckeri consists primarily of spiders and centipedes.
- Why is it called the Tamaulipan Hook-nosed Snake?
- The specific name or epithet, streckeri, is in honor of the American naturalist John Kern Strecker Jr.
Where it is found
By U.S. state
More Colubridae snakes
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
- Ficimia
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Ficimia streckeri
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.