Banded Sand Snake

(Chilomeniscus cinctus)

Description:
7-10" (17.8-25.4 cm). Tiny, with a flattened and protruding shovel-shaped snout. Head and neck same width. Pale yellow to reddish-orange above patterned with 24-48 dark-brown or black crossbands that encircle tail. Belly white. Scales smooth and shiny, in 13 rows. Anal plate divided.
Breeding:
Habits poorly known; lays small clutches of eggs.
Habitat:
Fine sandy areas in open desert dominated by creosote bush; coarse sandy areas in rocky upland washes and arroyos with paloverde and saguaro.
Range:
C. and sw. Arizona south to s. Baja California and s. Sonora, Mexico.

Often emerges and moves on the surface at night. Highly specialized for desert existence; its spade like snout, streamlined head with nasal valves, glossy skin, and angular-ended belly scales enable it to liteally swim through fine sand. Serpentine-shaped grooves in the sand between bushes are evidence of its shallow subsurface activity. Diet includes centipedes, sand-burrowing cockroaches, and other soft-bodied insects.

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