Coluber constrictor etheridgei
Subspecies of snake
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Coluber constrictor etheridgei, commonly known as the tan racer, is a subspecies of nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae, a subspecies of the eastern racer (Coluber constrictor). The subspecies is native to the southern United States.
| Coluber constrictor etheridgei | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Coluber |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | C. c. etheridgei |
| Trinomial name | |
| Coluber constrictor etheridgei Wilson, 1970 | |
Geographic range
Etymology
The subspecific name or epithet, etheridgei, is in honor of the American herpetologist Richard Emmett Etheridge.[2]
Description

The tan racer, as its name implies, is typically a solid tan in color.[3] Juveniles have a pattern of dark brown dorsal blotches,[3] which fade to solid tan at about a year of age.[citation needed] The underside is typically gray or white, sometimes with yellow spotting.[citation needed] It typically grows from .75 – 1.5 m (30 to 60 inches) in total length (including tail).[citation needed] It has large eyes, with round pupils, and excellent vision.[citation needed]
Behavior
Like all racers, the tan racer is diurnal and highly active.[citation needed] Its diet consists of a wide variety of prey, but primarily includes rodents, and lizards.[citation needed] It is fast moving, and generally seeks to use its speed to escape if approached.[citation needed]
Habitat
The tan racer prefers habitats of pine flatwoods.[citation needed]
Reproduction
C. c. etheridgei is oviparous.[1] Mating occurs in the spring, and a clutch of approximately 30 eggs is laid typically in the month of May, to hatch mid summer.[citation needed]