California King Snake
By: S. S
Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genius Species | Works Cited | Fun Facts

Kingdom:  Anamalia return to top

• Multicellular

• Heterotrophs

• Has no cell wall

• Most reproduce sexually

• Made up of many cells

• Have specialized functions

Phylum:  Chordata return to top

• Bilateral symmetry

• Segmented bodies including muscles

• Closed blood system

• Complete digestive system

• Bony endoskeleton (usually present)

Class:  Reptilia return to top

• Vertebrates

• Have lungs

• Scaly skin

• Special egg

• Cold Blooded

Order:  Squamata return to top

• long slender body

• Lack of limbs

• One Lung

• Elongation of internal organs

Family:  Colubridae return to top

• Largest family over 2000 species worldwide

• Most are medium sized snakes

• no hind limbs

• left lung is greatly reduced or not there

Genius and Species:  Lampropeltis return to top

    Isn't it amazing that a California king snake can eat animals much bigger than them.  The California king snake comes from the phylum Chordata and it is a vertebrate.  The king snake has many characteristics to help it survive as a predator and prey.

    The California king snake has many different characteristics to help it survive.  For example, it has smooth and shiny scales on their body.  This helps it by being able to slither across surfaces very fast.  It also has a very flexible mouth, and is able to open very wide.  This shows that it can eat big prey that is catches.  Another characteristic is that they are quick and agile.  This helps them by being able to chase their prey into tight spaces.  In conclusion, they are very good hunters and at moving around.  

    The California king snake has many different features in its habitat.  For example, when it sleeps it hides under logs.  This shows that it is very smart to protect its self from other predators while sleeping.  Another is that is lives near swamps or rivers.  This helps it by easily getting water or catching its prey while they are drinking water.  For example, it stays on the ground and not in trees.  This shows that they are always ready to catch prey.  In conclusion, this shows that its habitat helps the king snake in many ways.

    The California king snake has many characteristics to survive in its habitat.  We must help to keep the king snakes habitat clean so the species does not become extinct.  

• Fun Facts

• Some snakes still poses skeletal remnants of legs

• Snakes cannot hear and the have movable eyelids  

• There are four families of snakes:  Boidae, Colubridae, Elapidae, and Viperidae 

• There are no snakes in Ireland, Newfoundland, New Zealand or many South Sea islands.
• In Australia, the majority of snakes are venomous, 80%. 
• Rattlesnakes can not hear the sound of their rattles.
• Snakes range north and live at higher elevations than lizards. They are also adapted to a much bigger range of environmental conditions.

The king snake slithers through the forest in the day searching for its prey.

Works Cited

"Cobra (snake)," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2003
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

King snakes. 2003. American Zoo and Aquarium Assioation. Mar. 2003 <http://www.chaffezoo.org>.

Animal Diversity Web. 1995. University of Michigan. Mar. 2003 <http://www.animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/>.

Muzzy, Catherine . Personal interview. Mar. 2003.

Snake Fun Facts. 2000. bluebonnet celebrations # 6. 16 Apr. 2003 <www.suzyred.com/snakescientist.html>.

Animated Snake. 30 Apr. 2003 <http://www.simplysnakes.com>.
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