Order Squamata, Suborder Serpentes

ABAC Dr. Moore

scarlet snake

Cemophora coccinea

scarlet snake Cemophora coccinea

All of GA except the mountains; solid white belly; red, black, white “saddle” stripes

North American Racer

Coluber constrictor

North American racer Coluber constrictor

generalists; all of GA; smooth, almost glossy scales; blueish-black color; white chin that turns gray on belly; active hunters with proportionally large eyes

eastern indigo snake

Drymarchon couperi

eastern indigo snake Drymarchon couperi

long leaf savannah habitat type; largest native in US; black with reddish coloration around the mouth

northern mole kingsnake

Lampropeltis rhombomaculata

northern mole kingsnake Lampropeltis rhombomaculata

loose soil; Mountains and Piedmont; burrower; smooth scales; tan with rhomboid shaped spots

scarlet kingsnake

Lampropeltis elapsoides

scarlet kingsnake Lampropeltis elapsoides

pine forests; arboreal; red head; red, black, white pattern; stripes are bands

Eastern kingsnake

Lampropeltis getula

eastern kingsnake Lampropeltis getula

generalist; Ridge and Valley; black with cream colored chain-like pattern; smooth scales

coachwhip

Masticophis flagellum

coachwhip Masticophis flagellum

non-thick herbaceous; south of the mountains; fastest snake; long and slender; larger eyes; black on head ombre into tannish

rough green snake

Opheodrys aestivus

rough green snake Opheodrys aestivus

shrubby vegetation close to the water; all over GA; bright green; keeled scales; lighter yellow on the sides; eyes fluoresce to black light

eastern corn snake

Pantherophis guttatus

eastern corn snake Pantherophis guttatus

arboreal, dryer habitats; all of GA; wide belly scales; red blotchy spots outlined in black; black and white checker belly; eat bird eggs and nestlings

eastern rat snake

Pantherophis alleghaniensis

eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis

generalist; all of GA; multiple subspecies; weakly keeled scales; major predator of ground-nesting birds

eastern pine snake

Pituophis melanoleucus

eastern pine snake Pituophis melanoleucus

open pine habitats; all of GA except Piedmont; species of concern; light tan background; black messy pattern turns into splotches; hisses

southeastern crowned snake

Tantilla coronata

southeastern crowned snake Tantilla coronata

loose soil, leaf-litter; center of GA; black head with a “saddle”; small; smooth scales; tan-reddish

common worm snake

Carphophis amoenus

common worm snake Carphophis amoenus

moist habitats; above Coastal Plains; small; looks like an earthworm

ring-necked snake

Diadophis punctatus

ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus

moist, leaf litter; mountains; half-moon shape on belly scales; black or grey with ring behind the eyes

red-bellied mud snake

Farancia abacura

red-bellied mud snake Farancia abacura

weedy ponds and swamps; below mountains; eat amphiumas; has a hook at the end of their tails; red belly, usually with the color coming up the sides

rainbow snake

Farancia erytrogramma

rainbow snake Farancia erytrogramma

aquatic; south of the fall line; eats American eels; red lines going from nose to tail; have a lot of colors

eastern hognose snake

Heterodon platirhinos

eastern hognose snake Heterodon platirhinos

dryer habitats; all of GA; toad specialist; upturned rostrum; wide flat head when threatened; variable colors and patterns

southern hognose snake

Heterodon simus

southern hognose snake Heterodon simus

sandy/ dryer habitats; south of the fall line; rare species; very pointy, upturned nose; brown/ reddish with splotches

pine woods snake

Rhadinaea flavilata

pine woods snake Rhadinaea flavilata

dry, sandy soils; southeast most corner of GA; rear-fangs; orange-ish tan; head marking and then plain

plain-bellied water snake

Nerodia erythrogaster

plain-bellied water snake Nerodia erythrogaster

aquatic generalists; below the mountains; aggressive; keeled scales; yellow/orange belly; slate gray color with no markings

southern water snake

Nerodia fasciata

southern water snake Nerodia fasciata

aquatic generalists; Coastal Plains; nasty musk; brownish with reddish bands

northern water snake

Nerodia sipedon

northern water snake Nerodia sipedon

most common in north GA; brown/black with bands that break on the sides halfway down the snake

brown water snake

Nerodia taxispilota

brown water snake Nerodia taxispilota

moving water; dark brown; broken markings all the way down body

Florida green water snake

Nerodia floridona

Florida green water snake Nerodia floridana

aquatic generalist; south most part of GA; tiny black markings; greenish hue; keeled scales

striped crayfish snake

Liodytes alleni

striped crayfish snake Liodytes alleni

weedy, dirty water; south most middle of GA; olive green with long stripes going down the body

glossy crayfish snake

Liodytes rigida

glossy crayfish snake Liodytes rigida

weedy, dirty water; Coastal Plain; muddy brown; 2 rows of dots on belly

queen snake

Regina septemvittata

queen snake Regina septemvittata

smaller streams; Piedmont and mountains; keeled scales; 3 lines on dorsum; 2 lines on belly; gray with white/cream belly

black swamp snake

Liodytes pygaea

black swamp snake Liodytes pygaea

swamps, Carolina Bay; Coastal Plains; smooth scales; red belly, black dorsum

Dekay’s brown snake

Storeria dekayi

Dekay’s brown snake Storeria dekayi

leaf litter snake; most of GA; small snake; light brown with speckles; white belly with black specks; half crescent shape behind eye

red-bellied snake

Storeria occipitomaculata

red-bellied snake Storeria occipitomaculata

moist, leaf litter; all of GA; 3 spots on back of head; belly color varies, pink-red; dorsal color varies

common garter snake

Thamnophis sirtalis

common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis

moist leaf litter; all of GA; same pattern, color varies; dorsal line with checkered pattern; lip scales are edged in black

eastern ribbon snake

Thamnophis saurita

eastern ribbon snake Thamnophis saurita

semi-aquatic; most of GA; 3 prominent lines; white scale in front of eye

rough earth snake

Virginea striatula

rough earth snake Virginea striatula

leaf litter snake; Coastal Plains and Piedmont; default snake; keeled snakes

smooth earth snake

Virginea valeriae

smooth earth snake Virginea valeriae

leaf litter snake; all of GA; color varies slightly; smooth scales; spots

Agkistrodon, Crotalus, Sistrurus

Family Viperidae

eastern copperhead

Agkistrodon contortrix

eastern copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix

generalists; north of the Coastal Plain; weakest venom of family in the east; color variations; hour-glass pattern

northern cottonmouth

Agkistrodon piscivorus

northern cottonmouth Agkistrodon piscivorus

aquatic; Coastal Plains; young look like copperheads; black eye mask; white inner mouth

eastern diamondback rattlesnake

Crotalus adamanteus

eastern diamondback rattlesnake Crotalus adamanteus

dryer habitats; Coastal Plain; diamond pattern outlined in lighter color

timber rattlesnake

Crotalus horridus

timber rattlesnake Crotalus horridus

generalists; all of GA; light brown dorsal stripe; light gray or brown; mountain lines pattern

pigmy rattlesnake

Sistrurus milarius

pigmy rattlesnake Sistrurus milarius

dryer habitat with pines; most of GA; orangish spots between black

Micrurus

Family Elapidae

eastern coral snake

Micrurus fulvius

eastern coral snake Micrurus fulvius

sandy areas; Coastal Plains; yellow, red, black bands