Ohio's State Reptile - Black Racer
In 1995, the Ohio Legislature made the Black Racer Ohio's official reptile due to the snake's prevalence in the state. The Black Racer's scientific name is Coluber constrictor constrictor. The Black Racer lives in Ohio's eastern and southern counties. The closely related Blue Racer, Coluber constrictor foxi lives in the northern and western portion of the state. The only real difference between these two snakes is their color, with Black Racers being entirely black and the Blue Racers having a gray or greenish tint to their skin. Both varieties of snakes are non-poisonous. They provide valuable assistance to Ohio's farmers by killing various types of rodents that can cause damage to the farmers' crops.
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"Ohio's State Reptile - Black Racer", Ohio History Central, July 1, 2005, http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=1877
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