). ▁It ▁is ▁en demic ▁to ▁the ▁southern ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁Geographic ▁range ▁C . ▁c . ▁ ether idge i ▁is ▁found ▁in ▁Louisiana ▁and ▁Texas . ▁ ▁Et ym ology ▁The ▁sub specific ▁name ▁or ▁ep ith et , ▁ ether idge i , ▁is ▁in ▁honor ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁zo ologist ▁and ▁pale ont ologist ▁Richard ▁Em m ett ▁E ther idge . ▁ ▁Description ▁The ▁tan ▁rac er , ▁as ▁its ▁name ▁implies , ▁is ▁typically ▁a ▁solid ▁tan ▁in ▁color . ▁Ju ven iles ▁have ▁a ▁pattern ▁of ▁dark ▁brown ▁d ors al ▁bl ot ches , ▁which ▁fade ▁to ▁solid ▁tan ▁at ▁about ▁a ▁year ▁of ▁age . ▁The ▁unders ide ▁is ▁typically ▁gray ▁or ▁white , ▁sometimes ▁with ▁yellow ▁spot ting . ▁It ▁typically ▁grows ▁from ▁. 7 5 ▁– ▁ 1 . 5 ▁m ▁( 3 0 ▁to ▁ 6 0   in ches ) ▁in ▁total ▁length ▁( including ▁tail ). ▁It ▁has ▁large ▁eyes , ▁with ▁round ▁pup ils , ▁and ▁excellent ▁vision . ▁ ▁Be havior ▁Like ▁all ▁rac ers , ▁the ▁tan ▁rac er ▁is ▁di urn al ▁and ▁highly ▁active . ▁Its ▁di et ▁consists ▁of ▁a ▁wide ▁variety ▁of ▁pre y , ▁but ▁primarily ▁includes ▁rod ents , ▁and ▁l iz ards . ▁It ▁is ▁fast ▁moving , ▁and ▁generally ▁see ks ▁to ▁use ▁its ▁speed ▁to ▁escape ▁if ▁approached . ▁ ▁Hab itat ▁The ▁tan ▁rac er ▁pre fers ▁habit ats ▁of ▁p ine ▁flat wood s