slowinskii, occurring in western Louisiana and adjacent Texas). emoryi, corresponding with the subspecies P. guttatus), the Great Plains rat snake ( P. guttatus has been suggested to be split into three species: the corn snake ( P. emoryi), but is still occasionally treated as a subspecies of the corn snake by hobbyists. The latter has since been split off as its own species ( P. guttatus) described here and the Great Plains rat snake ( P. Until 2002, the corn snake was considered to have two subspecies: the nominate subspecies ( P. The corn snake can be distinguished from a copperhead by the corn snake's brighter colors, slender build, slim head, round pupils, and lack of heat-sensing pits. This black and white checker pattern is similar to Indian corn which is where the name corn snake may have come from. The belly has distinctive rows of alternating black and white marks. The natural corn snake is usually orange or brown bodied with large red blotches outlined in black down their backs. The record for the oldest corn snake in captivity was 32 years and 3 months. In the wild, it usually lives around ten to fifteen years, but in captivity can live to an age of 23 years or more. DescriptionĪs an adult the corn snake may have a total length (including tail) of 61–182 cm (2.00–5.97 ft). The corn snake is also referred to as a red rat snake. The Oxford English Dictionary cites this usage as far back as 1675, whilst other sources maintain that the corn snake is so-named because the distinctive, nearly-checkered pattern of the snake's belly scales resembles the kernels of variegated corn. ![]() The corn snake is named for the species' regular presence near grain stores, where it preys on mice and rats that eat harvested corn ( maize). The corn snake is beneficial to humans because it helps to control populations of wild rodent pests that damage crops and spread disease. Though superficially resembling the venomous copperhead ( Agkistrodon contortrix) and often killed as a result of this mistaken identity, the corn snake lacks functional venom and is harmless. It is found throughout the southeastern and central United States. The species subdues its small prey by constriction. The corn snake ( Pantherophis guttatus), sometimes called red rat snake, is a species of North American rat snake in the family Colubridae. A close-up portrait Gravid female Young corn snake
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