Western yellow-bellied racer | |
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Closeup of the head of a western yellow-bellied racer in Washington state. | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Colubridae |
Genus: | Coluber |
Species: | |
Subspecies: | C. c. mormon
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Trinomial name | |
Coluber constrictor mormon (Baird & Girard, 1852)
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The western yellow-bellied racer (Coluber constrictor mormon),[1] also known as the western yellowbelly racer[2] or western racer,[1] is a snake subspecies endemic to the Western United States, including California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Montana and Colorado.[3][4] It is a subspecies of the eastern racer. It is nonvenomous[5] and is recognized by its long and very slender shape.[6][7] It is visually similar to the eastern yellow-bellied racer, which is also green, blue or brown with a recognizable yellow underside. Also named for its color, the western yellow-bellied racer is also gray with red or brown blotches when young.[8][9]