| Eastern worm snake | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Carphophis |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | C. a. amoenus
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| Trinomial name | |
| Carphophis amoenus amoenus (Say, 1825)
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| Synonyms | |
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The eastern worm snake (Carphophis amoenus amoenus) is a subspecies of the worm snake, Carphophis amoenus,[1] a nonvenomous colubrid endemic to the Eastern Woodlands region of North America.[2] The species' range extends from southwest Massachusetts, south to southern Alabama, west to Louisiana and north to Illinois.[3] This species is common in the ecotone between woodlands and wetlands. It may also be found in grasslands adjacent to woodlands.[4] Though this snake can be abundant in parts of its range, it is rarely seen because of its fossorial lifestyle. When not underground, C. a. amoenus resides mostly under rocks, logs and leaf litter, or burrowed within rotting woody debris.[3] This snake is perfectly safe to pick up, as it cannot bite, but may produce a foul-smelling excretion.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
RDBwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Maryland DNR, "All About Snakes in Maryland"". Archived from the original on 2010-02-08.
- ^ a b Ernst CH, Ernst EM (2003). Snakes of the United States and Canada. Washington and London: Smithsonian Books. 680 pp. ISBN 1588340198. (Carphophis amoenus, pp. 53–56).
- ^ Ernst CH, Barbour RW (1989). Snakes of Eastern North America. Fairfax, Virginia: George Mason University Press. 282 pp. ISBN 0913969249. (Carphophis amoenus, pp. 15–17).