The Mexican Hook-nosed Snake is a tiny burrowing species from South Texas and Mexico.
By Dick and Patti Bartlett
Oh, OK, so it’s not a hog-nosed snake, but in profile, its sharply upturned rostral scale, sure makes it look like one. This is the tiny Mexican Hook-nosed Snake,
Ficimia streckeri. A true miniature, it is adult at from 7 to 11 inches, but may, on rare occasions reach a foot and a half in length. The few that I’ve seen (it was Kelly Irwin who introduced Patti and me to this snake) have been under a foot long. In the USA this species is restricted to southern TX, but its range extends far southward in eastern Mexico.
In keeping with its preference for soils, often near water sources, through which it can easily burrow, this is basically a sand-tan to pale brown or sand-gray(ish) snake with an unpatterned head and a busy pattern of narrow darker bars or spots along the back. The lower sides are basically unpatterned. This little snake can be easily differentiated from hog-nosed snakes, all of which have keeled scales, by its smooth (=unkeeled) body scales. It is usually crepuscular or nocturnal when surface active.
This species, as do a few others, makes popping sounds by everting then inverting its cloacal lining when frightened.
The Mexican Hooknose diet is primarily spiders but may include other insects and small centipedes. It is oviparous.
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