BIOL 477 Species Recognition Quiz 7

Masticophis flagellum (Eastern Coachwhip)

121-238cm

Dark brown to black on the anterior 1/3rd of body

Grading to pale brown or tan on the remainder of body

Scale pattern on posterior body resembles a whip

Long, slender, fast moving snake

Coastal planes NC and sandhills SC

Opheodrys aestivus (Rough Green Snake)

55-91cm

Uniformly green dorsum

Plain yellow or greenish yellow belly

Dorsal scales are keeled

Will gape their mouth when threatened to reveal the black interior

Found further South, has keeled scales, and is larger than the Smooth Green Snake

Rhadinaea flavilata (Pine Woods Snake)

25-38cm

Golden brown or reddish brown dorsum

Glossy yellowish or whitish venter

Top of head is darker than rest of body

On each side of the head a line extends posterior to the eye

Dorsal scales are smooth and iridescent

Lower coastal plains of Carolinas

Seminatrix pygaea (Black Swamp Snake)

25-48cm

Glossy black dorsum

Red to orange venter with conspicuous black bars along the scale edges

Smooth dorsal scales

Coastal Plains SC

Virginia striatula (Rough Earthsnake)

17.8-25.4cm

Gray to brown coloration

Venter light in coloration

Cone shaped head with pointed snout

Cloacal plate typically not divided

Scales are keeled

Virginia valeriae (Smooth Earthsnake)

17.8-25.4cm

Gray to brown coloration

Smooth scales (though they sometimes look keeled)

Venter white or yellow

Pointed snout

Farancia abacura (Red-Bellied Mudsnake)

101.6-137.2cm

Shiny black dorsum

Red bars/triangles along side

Venter red or pink

Scales smooth

Cloacal plate typically divided

Farancia erytrogramma (Rainbow Snake)

68.6-121.9cm

Black dorsum with three red stripes that run along whole body

Scales smooth

Cloacal plate typically divided

Venter is typically red/yellow/pink in coloration

Double row of black spots on belly

Sistrurus miliarius (Pygmy Rattlesnake)

38-66cm

Large scales on top of head, pit between eye and nostril

Slender tail with tiny rattle

Dorsal gray to red, with prominent dark brown/black blotches

Dorsal scales keeled

Many specimens with reddish middorsal stripe

Venter white to pink with brown to black markings

Juveniles have white/yellow tail tip

Micrurus fulvius (Eastern Coral Snake)

50-89cm

Pattern of red, yellow, and black rings

Each red and black ring separated by yellow rings (yellow on red, wants you dead)

Tail banded with black and yellow

Coluber constrictor (Black Racer)

90-170cm

Uniformly black dorsum, predominantly black/dark grey venter

Chin and sometimes anterior venter variously mottled with white

Dorsal and scales smooth

Juveniles have conspicuous brown, gray, or reddish dorsal blotches

Agkistrodon contortrix (Copperhead)

61-101.6cm

Orange/copper pattern with dark hourglass shaped cross bands

Solid color on top of head, head triangular

Narrow dark line on side of head separates dark head from paler lips

Belly whitish often with dark spots along the side

Agkistrodon piscivorus (Northern Cottonmouth)

76.2-121.9cm

Olive to dark brown coloration, crossbands can be obvious or absent

Very flat and wide body

Common defensive position curled up and displaying a very pale open mouth

Single row of scales on belly

Yellowish belly with dark mottling

Dark face stripe bordered by lighter line

Crotalus adamanteus (Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake)

83.8-182.9cm

Olive to dark brown colorings with dark diamond shaped mid-dorsal markings outlined by lighter lines

Dark line running through eye with cream-colored markings on each side

Rattle on end of tail

Crotalus horridus (Timber Rattlesnake)

91.4-152.4cm

Yellowish and brown colorations with dark narrow "V" shaped crossbands along its back

Broad dark band through the eyes

Rattle on end of tail

Stomach light in color with very little pattern

Tip of tail often very dark leading up to the rattle

Pantherophis obsoletus (Eastern Rat Snake)

106.7-183cm

Black or dark brown dorsum

Venter mottled with gray or white

Coastal variants with 4 dark longitudinal stripes and mottled venter

Chin and throat usually white or cream

Scales weakly keeled

Pantherophis guttata (Corn Snake)

76-122cm

Orange, reddish brown, brown, or gray

27-40 squarish, black-margined brown or reddish blotches

Belly is checkered with black and white (like a piano)

Scales weakly keeled

Heterodon platirhinos (Eastern Hognose Snake)

51-84cm

Dorsum usually with dark blotches and light interspaces

Thick body

Keeled scales

Underside of the tail lighter than the posterior belly

Slight shovel-like upturned snout

Heterodon simus (Southern Hognose Snake)

35.5–61cm

Small and thick body

Keeled scales

Shovel-like upturned snout more pronounced than Eastern Hognose

Dorsum brown, tan, or gray with dark splotches

Venter is whitish with mottled brown or gray

Underside of the tail is similar in color and pattern to the posterior belly

Storeria occipitomaculata (Red-Bellied Snake)

10.2-25.4cm

Color extremely variable (brown/grey/black)

May have orange stripe on back

May have lighter pigmented ring or spots around neck

Distinguished by bright reddish orange venter

Keeled scales

Pituophis melanoleucus (Pine Snake)

121.9-167.6cm

Ground color may be white, yellow, or light gray

Dark, squarish blotches on sides and back

White venter with dark spots on the sides

Keeled scales

Thamnophis sirtalis (Eastern Garter Snake)

45.7-66cm

Three yellow longitudinal lines

Lateral stripes on 2nd and 3rd scale rows

Dark brown, gray, or black body

Vertical black lines on lip scales

Strongly keeled scales

Thamnophis sauritus (Eastern Ribbon Snake)

45.7-86.4cm

Three white, yellow, or greenish longitudinal stripes

Lateral stripes on 3rd and 4th scale rows

Brown, grey, or black ground color

Venter white, yellow, or green without blotches

Slender, long tail ~1/3rd total length

Keeled scales

Carphophis amoenus (Worm Snake)

19-28cm

Shiny with black, gray, or brown backs

Pink or whitish bellies that extend partially on sides

Distinct sharp point on tails

Small eyes and small pointed heads

Cemophora coccinea (Scarlet Snake)

36-51cm

Slender with smooth scales

Color pattern of red, black, and yellow (or white) bands

Black bands separating red and yellow bands

Unmarked white or yellow bellies

Pointed red snout

Diadophis punctatus (Ring-Necked Snake)

25.4-36cm

Dark gray or black back

Yellow or orange ring around neck

Yellow or orange belly with row of black spots running down the center

Storeria dekayi (Dekay's Brownsnake)

23-33cm

Usually light brown in color, sometime gray or reddish brown

Rough, keeled scales

Pale stripe usually runs down middle of back

Rows of small dark spots on sides

Whitish belly with black spots at edges