Kansas Herpetofaunal Atlas

Superimposed images of the holotype vertebrae of Texophis wilsoni (FHSMVP 3640). Image are oriented from left to right: dorsal view, ventral view, anterior view, and ventral view. Images are courtesy of the Sternberg Museum of Natural History Vertebrate Paleontology collection.
Figure 1 of the original description of Texophis wilsoni (Holman, 1984). Holotype trunk vertebra of Texasophis wilsoni (FHSMVP 3640). Top left dorsal view; top right ventral view; middle left anterior view; middle right posterior view; bottom lateral view. Line equals 2 mm. Modified to fit the image area.
REPTILIA (Reptiles) SQUAMATA (PART) (Snakes) COLUBRIDAE (Harmless Egg-laying Snakes)

Wilson's Snake
†Texasophis wilsoni Holman 1984


Conservation Status:
Extinct




Diagnosis:
 Vertebra differs from those of other species of the genus (undescribed new Texasophis species from the Oligocene of Colorado and Miocene of France, and T. fossilis Holman of the Miocene of Texas) in the following combination of vertebral characters: 1) it is the largest known form (total length 6.4 mm), 2) its neural spine is well-developed, 3) its neural arch is moderately vaulted, 4) its hemal keel is not widened posteriorly and 5) its hemal keel is narrower than in T. fossilis.
Distribution:
(,   Museum Voucher) (,   Observation) (,   Literature Record) (,   iNat Record), (  Fossil)
Open icons are questionable records; Click on a marker to view details.
Full range depicted by light shaded red area. Export Google Earth (.kml)
  • Occurrence Summary:  
  • 1
    Records 
  • 1
    Museum Vouchers 
  • 0
    Other Observations 
Some county occurrences indicated below may be too imprecise to map above.
 County Breakdown: County Name (# occurrences):
 Meade (1);

Natural History:

Remarks:
 Named for Richard L. Wilson who studied the mammalian fauna and established the stratigraphic position of the WaKeeney local fauna where this fossil was discoverd.
Bibliography:
1984 Holman, J. Alan. Texasophis (Reptilia: Serpentes), an addition to the Miocene (Clarendonian) of North America. Copeia 1984(3):660-661
Texophis wilsoni. Holotype: FHSM-VP 3640.
1995 Parmley, Dennis and J. Alan Holman. Hemphillian (Late Miocene) snakes from Nebraska, with comments on Arikareean through Blancan Snakes of midcontinental North America. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 15(1):79-95
2003 Holman, J. Alan. Miocene reptiles from a Colorado quarry. Michigan Academician ():477-480
Account Last Updated:
 11/27/2023 12:36:40 PM - page took 0.5625091 seconds to load.


Travis W. Taggart © 1999-2024 — w/ Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Fort Hays State University