Kingdom Animalia Suborder Serpentes Subfamily Natricinae Phylum Chordata Rank Genus | Subphylum Vertebrata Family Colubridae Scientific name Virginia Higher classification Natricinae Order Scaled reptiles | |
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Lower classifications Virginia valeriae, Haldea striatula | ||
Virginia is a genus of small, terrestrial, colubrid snakes, native to the United States. They are commonly referred to as earth snakes.
Contents
Species
Geographic range
Ranges overlap; it is unknown if hybridization occurs.
Description
Virginia species are small snakes, rarely exceeding 10 inches (25 cm) in total length. They are normally a uniform brown color, with a lighter colored underside. Differentiating species can be difficult, but V. valeriae has smooth scales, whereas V. striatula has keeled scales. V. pulchra has weakly keeled scales.
Habitat
Virginia species are fossorial, spending the vast majority of their time buried in loose soil, under rotting logs, or in leaf litter.
Diet
They eat earthworms and soft bodied arthropods. They themselves are a food source for other species of snake, like the coral snake.