Coluber constrictor flaviventris

"Yellow-bellied racer" redirects here. For the western subspecies, see Western yellow-bellied racer.

Coluber constrictor flaviventris, commonly known as the eastern yellow-bellied racer, is a subspecies of the eastern racer, a non-venomous colubrid snake. It is endemic to North America.^[3]

Coluber constrictor flaviventris
Eastern yellow-bellied racer
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Genus:	Coluber
Species:	C. constrictor
Subspecies:	C. c. flaviventris
Trinomial name
Coluber constrictor flaviventris Say, 1823
Synonyms
Coluber flaviventris Say, 1823 Bascanion flaviventris — Baird & Girard, 1853 Coryphodon flaviventris — Hallowell, 1856[1] Coluber constrictor var. flaviventris — Garman, 1883[2] Coluber constrictor flaviventris — Grant, 1937[1]

Description

The eastern yellow-bellied racer is a thin-bodied snake, capable of attaining a total length of 1.5 metres (60 inches). As an adult, its color is an olive grey-green with a yellow underside. As a juvenile it is remarkably different, having a tan or cream-colored body with brown or grey blotches. The color gradually changes as the snake ages, becoming solid olive grey-green. Authors disagree as to when this transformation is complete, from 1½ to three years old, and from 18 to 30 inches (46–76 cm) in total length.^[4]

C. c. flaviventris juvenile (left) and adult (right)

Distribution

The eastern yellow-bellied racer is found in the United States, from the states of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, east to Iowa, south to Texas and southeast to Louisiana. It is also found in isolated populations in Canada.^[5]

Behavior

Eating a plains garter snake

Racers are diurnal, active predators. They are fast moving and are often quick to bite if handled. They generally eat rodents, lizards and frogs, but as juveniles they will also consume various kinds of soft-bodied insects. They are fairly nervous snakes, and as such, do not typically fare well in captivity.^[6]

Conservation status

Coluber constrictor flaviventris is listed as an endangered species in the province of Saskatchewan.^[7]