Gyalopion canum
Gyalopion canum, commonly known as the Western hooknose snake, is a species of small colubrid snake endemic to the deserts of the United States and Mexico. It is sometimes referred to as the Chihuahuan hook-nosed snake because it is commonly found in the Chihuahuan Desert.
Taxonomy
The Western hooknose snake was originally described as a species new to science in 1860 by Edward Drinker Cope, who at that time named it Gyalopion canum. However, in 1883 Samuel Garman reassigned this species to the genus Ficimia, changing its scientific name to Ficimia cana.. After slightly more than 100 years, Robert C. Stebbins in 1985 returned this species to the genus Gyalopion, as Gyalopion canum, due to distinct morphological characteristics.Geographic range
G. canum is found in the United States, from western Texas to southeastern Arizona, and into northern and central Mexico.Description
The Western hooknose snake is a small species, growing to in total length. It is gray or grayish brown in color, with 25-48 dark brown or black blotches down the back, and a cream-colored underside. It has a slightly upturned snout, to which the common name, "hooknose", refers.The smooth dorsal scales are arranged in 17 rows at midbody.