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Hoop Snake
Hoop Snake 1
General information
Universe Mythology
Aliases Hoopsnake
Classification Serpenscirculosus candavenenifer
Species type Snake
Homeworld Earth
Environment Minnesota-Wisconsin border
Wake County, North Carolina
Kamloops, British Columbia
Intelligence Non-sapient
Biochemistry Carbon-based lifeform
Biological information
Reproduction Oviparous
Locomotion Slithering or rolling in a hoop
Feeding behavior Carnivorous
Prey Humans
Lineage information
Cultural information
Alignment Neutral
Sociocultral characteristics
Scientific taxonomy
Planet Earth
Domain Eukaryota
Kingdom Animalia
Subkingdom Eumetazoa
Infrakingdom Bilateria
Superphylum Deuterostomia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Infraphylum Gnathostomata
Superclass Tetrapoda
Class Reptilia
Superorder Lepidosauria
Order Squamata
Suborder Serpentes
Infraorder Alethinophidia
Family Viperidae (Vipers)
Genus Serpenscirculosus
Species S. candavenenifer
Other information
Status Data Deficient
Creator Lumberjacks
Last sighting Late 1700s

A Hoop Snake is a legendary creature appearing in Pecos Bill tall tales, although the creature's history dates back further than these stories. The stories originate from the United States, Canada and Australia.

The species is notable for being able to grasp its tail in its jaws and roll after its prey like a wheel, making it resemble and potentially be related to the Ouroboros or the Tsuchinoko, which also grasp their tails. Despite this strange locomotive strategy, it can also simply crawl along on its belly like any other serpent, which is used during regular movements and when escaping from foes. The wheel movement is adopted only while in pursuit of its prey, where it will straighten out at the last second in order to skewer its victim with its venomous tail. One can defend against its attack by hiding behind a tree which will cause it to smash into the tree and drive its own venom into itself, leaving it to promptly die from its own poison.

As a cryptid[]

The Hoop Snake is occasionally reported as a cryptozoological sighting, despite its existence never having been accepted by the scientific community. They are primarily alleged to be seen along the Minnesota-Wisconsin border in the St. Croix River valley as well as in Wake County in North Carolina and in Kamloops, British Columbia.

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