About Tantilla nigriceps Kennicott, 1860
Tantilla nigriceps, commonly known as the Plains black-headed snake or Plains blackhead snake, is a species of snake belonging to the family Colubridae. Adults reach an approximate total length of 18–38 cm (7.1–15.0 in). Their dorsal coloration is uniform, ranging from tan to brownish-gray. The ventral scales are white, marked with a pink or orange mid-line running along the underside. This species can be easily told apart from the Chihuahuan black-headed snake (T. wilcoxi) and Yaqui black-headed snake (T. yaquia) by its lack of a light neck collar. Its geographic range covers the U.S. states of Colorado, Wyoming, Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and New Mexico, and it is also found in Mexico. This snake most commonly inhabits rocky or grassy prairies, or moist soil hillsides. It can occasionally be found inside human basements.
