Heterodon simus

Common names: southern hog-nosed snake.

Heterodon simus is a harmless snake species found in the southeastern United States. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Description

Adults are 35.5-61 cm in length. Stout with a wide neck and a sharply upturned snout. Usually has 25 rows of keeled dorsal scales.

The color pattern consists of a light brown, yellowish or grayish ground color, overlaid with a distinct row of dark blotches that alternate with smaller blotches on the flanks. The belly is distinctly darker in color than the underside of the tail.

Habitat

Occurs in dry and open sandy areas, dry river floodplains, fields and wire grass flatwoods.

Geographic range

Found on the coastal plain of the southeastern United States from North Carolina, south to Lake Okeechobee in Florida and west to Mississippi.

Conservation status

This species is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with the following criteria: C1+2a(i) (v3.1, 2001). A species is listed as such when the best available evidence indicates that the population size is estimated to number fewer than 10,000 mature individuals, a decline of at least 10% is estimated to continue within 10 years or three generations, whichever is longer, (up to a maximum of 100 years in the future), and a continuing decline has been observed, projected, or inferred, in numbers of mature individuals and no subpopulation is estimated to contain more than 1000 mature individuals. It is therefore considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. The population trend is down. Year assessed: 2007.

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