Tamaulipan Black-striped Snake
Coniophanes imperialis imperialis
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- C. i. imperialis – Cameron Co, TX – photo by John Williams
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- C. i. imperialis – Cameron Co, TX – photo by John Williams
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- C. i. imperialis – Cameron Co, TX – photo by Kyle L. Elmore
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- C. i. imperialis – Map by Tom Lott, SWCHR
DISTRIBUTION: In our region, Coniophanes i. imperialis is confined to Cameron County, Hidalgo County, Willacy County, and possibly the extreme southern part of Kennedy County all located in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas.
LEGAL STATUS: Coniophanes i. imperialis is listed as a Threatened Species by the State of Texas.
MEANING OF SCIENTIFIC NAME: Coniophanes imperialis imperialis (Baird – 1859)
Genus: Coniophanes, Greek – konis = dust, ashes + phanes = appearing like — poss. ref. tiny black speckles on white supralabials and edges of ventrals in the type specimen
Species/Subspecies: imperialis, Latin – imperial, kingly – poss. ref. to purplish/black dorsal color
Ref. Ellen Beltz 2006