Cabeza Prieta Natural History Association
Sonoran Desert Reptiles
Trimorphodon biscutatus (Lyre snake)

Identification: 18 - 47 3/4 in. (46-121 cm). A "cat eyed" snake: pupils vertical. Head broad; neck slender. Named for the lyre or V shaped mark on top of head. Light brown to pale gray above, with brown blotches on back; each blotch roughly hexagonal in shape and split by a pale crossbar. Cream, gray, or pale yellow below, often with brown dots scattered on belly. Dark individuals that tent to have a middorsal stripe of light brown have been found. Scales smooth, in 21 - 27 rows. Lorilabial scale present. Anal single or divided. Eats lizards, especially crevice dwellers, snakes, birds, and small mammals, including bats, which are caught at their teeth toward back of upper jaw. Prey may be constricted. Persons bitten report mild swelling. Handle with care.

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