Virginia (snake)

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Virginia
Virginia striatula, rough earth snake
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Subfamily: Natricinae
Genus: Virginia
Baird & Girard, 1853[1]
Synonyms[2]

Virginia is a genus of small, terrestrial, colubrid snakes, native to the United States. They are commonly referred to as earth snakes.

Species

There are two species assigned to this genus. However the subspecies Virginia v. pulchra is listed as the species Virginia Pulchra in some sources:[3]

Geographic range

Ranges overlap; it is unknown if hybridization occurs.

Description

Virginia species are small snakes, ranging in size from 7-10 inches (18-26 cm) in total length. They are a brown color, with a lighter cream-colored underside.[6] Many individuals also small black spots on their back and sides.[5] Differentiating species can be difficult, but V. valeriae has smooth scales, whereas V. striatula has keeled scales.[5] Females are typically longer and heavier than males, but have relatively shorter tails.[7]

Habitat

Virginia species are fossorial species[7] found in hardwood hammocks and pine flatwoods.[6] They are most often found buried in loose soil, under rotting logs, or in leaf litter.

Behavior

They eat earthworms and soft bodied arthropods. Prey is typically grasped and then swallowed alive.[5][6]

References

  1. Boulenger, G.A. 1894. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History), Volume II., Containing the Conclusion of the Colubridæ Aglyphæ. Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, Printers). London. xi + 382 pp. + Plates I.- XX. (Virginia, pp. 288-289.)
  2. Wright, A.H., and A.A. Wright. 1957. Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada. Comstock. Ithaca and London. 1,105 pp. (in 2 volumes) (Genus Haldea, p. 286.)
  3. "Virginia valeriae pulchra". explorer.natureserve.org. March 4, 2026. Retrieved 2026-04-26.
  4. Goldberg, Stephen R. (2017). "Reproduction in the Rough Earth Snake" (PDF). Sonoran Herpetologist. 30 (3).
  5. Connell, Patia M. Wilson, J.D. (ed.). "Smooth Earth Snake (Virginia valeriae)". Savannah River Ecology Laboratory - University of Georgia. Retrieved 2026-04-26.
  6. "Rough Earthsnake". Florida Snake ID Guide. Retrieved 2026-04-26.
  7. Todd, Brian D.; Willson, John D.; Winne, Christopher T.; Gibbons, J. Whitfield (June 2008). "Aspects of the Ecology of the Earth Snakes (Virginia valeriae and V. striatula) in the Upper Coastal Plain". Southeastern Naturalist. 7 (2): 349–358. doi:10.1656/1528-7092(2008)7[349:AOTEOT]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 1528-7092.

Further reading

  • Baird, S.F., and C.F. Girard. 1853. Catalogue of North American Reptiles in the Museum of the Smithsonian Institution. Part I.—Serpents. Smithsonian Institution. Washington, District of Columbia. xvi + 172 pp. (Genus Virginia, p. 127.)
  • Blanchard, F.N. 1923. The Snakes of the Genus Virginia. Papers Mich. Acad. Sci. 3: 343–365, illustrations.