HARMLESS. The Rough Earthsnake is characterized by weakly keeled scales restricted to the middle of the back and over the rear upper portion of the body, smooth scales along the front sides of the body, a uniform gray or brown head, body, and tail, a divided anal scale, five scales on each upper lip, and a single scale directly behind each eye. The belly is white or grayish. Newborns may have a yellow area in the middle of the head just behind the eyes. Adult males have longer tails than females, but females attain a greater total length.
Adults normally attain a total length of 18.0-25.4 cm (7-10 inches). The largest specimen from Kansas is a female (KU 192191) from Cherokee County with a total length of 29.0 cm (113⁄8 inches) collected by Kelly J. Irwin, Larry Miller, and Joseph T. Collins on 10 April 1982. The maximum length throughout the range is 32.1 cm (125⁄8 inches) (Conant and Collins, 1998).
This species is known in Kansas from the extreme southern Cross Timbers, Ozark Plateau, and isolated populations in Crawford and Labette counties on the Cherokee Plain. This species may ultimately be discovered in isolated populations along the entire length of the eastern Kansas border south of the Kansas River.
This species inhabits the rocky hillsides of dry open woodland and woodland edge. Breukelman (1940) found specimens beneath flat rocks near the tops of hillsides in Cherokee County. Fleharty and Johnson (1975) recorded three adults and two juveniles found beneath sandstone slabs on a south-facing hillside in Chautauqua County during April. Collins (1982) found numerous specimens beneath discarded asphalt slabs scattered over a grassy area in Cherokee County on 10 April. The Rough Earthsnake is active from March to October and is probably nocturnal. It spends the day beneath rocks and logs or in leaf litter. During winter, it burrows deep beneath the ground to avoid cold temperatures.
The Rough Earthsnake mates during April and May after emergence from winter inactivity. Courtship is unknown in Kansas. Females give birth to young anytime from July to September. The number of young per litter varies from 2 to 9 (Fitch, 1985), with an average of 5. Species of Virginia are viviparous Natricids possessing differentiated chorioallantoic and omphalallantoic placentae. Structural studies demonstrate specialized epithelia consistent with gas exchange and histotrophic nutrient uptake. Embryos rely predominantly on yolk reserves, but maternal provisioning of water, ions, and some organic nutrients occurs, indicating lecithotrophic viviparity with moderate placental exchange.
Although this snake prefers earthworms, it also eats slugs and snails.
Records from western Missouri and northeastern Oklahoma indicate that this species may ultimately be discovered along the entire length of the eastern Kansas border.
The Rough Earthsnake is known from only a few localities, making it particularly susceptible to the impacts of environmental degradation. While this taxon does have a limited range in Kansas, its small size and secretive nature generally preclude its discovery. The population in Kansas has probably changed very little over the past 50 years.
Platt et al. (1974) recommended close scrutiny of lumbering operations, restriction of large-scale lumbering, and discontinued use of persistent pesticides where this reptile is found in Kansas. The Rough Earthsnake was listed as a Kansas SINC species in 1987.
Based on a captive specimen, Snider and Bowler (1992) reported a maximum longevity for the Rough Earth Snake of seven years, three months, and eight days.
References
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