Snake Lab

Face with heat-sensing pit between eye and nostril; vertical pupil; single row subcaudals; tail very slender with tiny rattle; 9 large head plates; western KY

Family: Viperidae

Latin: Sistrurus miliarius

Pygmy Rattlesnake

Pit between eye and nostril; vertical pupil; single row subcaudals; large heavy body; thick rattle; statewide except Bluegrass

Family: Viperidae;

Latin: Crotalus horridus

Timber Rattlesnake

Pit viper without rattle; hourglass crossbands narrow on back; pinkish belly with edge blotches; 23 scale rows

Family Viperidae;

Latin: Agkistrodon contortrix

Eastern Copperhead

Pit viper without rattle; dark head with broad eye stripe; dark body; black tail underside; swamp habitats western KY

Family: Viperidae

Latin: Agkistrodon piscivorus

Northern Cottonmouth

Large snake; 29+ midbody scale rows; large blotches on whitish body; enlarged rostral; pearly belly with elongated markings, single anal plate

Family: Colubridae

Latin: Pituophis melanoleucus

Eastern Pinesnake

Three light stripes; lateral stripes rows 2 & 3; dark-edged labials; small dark belly spots; tail <25%, lateral stripe on 2nd and 3rd scale rows; labial scales outlined in black

Family: Colubridae

Latin: Thamnophis sirtalis

Common Gartersnake

keeled scales, single anal plate; lateral stripe on 3rd and 4th rows; bright parietal spots, dark pigment on sides usually not extending to ventral scutes (< 40%)

Family Colubridae

Latin: Thamnophis proximus

Western Ribbonsnake

keeled scales; undivided anal plate; parietal spot lacking (usually), dark pigment on sides extending to ventral scutes (40% of each ventral scute)

Family Colubridae

Latin: Thamnophis sauritus

Eastern Ribbonsnake

Upturned pointed snout; enlarged rostral; color highly variable black to blotched

Family Colubridae

Latin: Heterodon platirhinos

Eastern Hog-nosed Snake

Uniform green body; white/cream belly; keeled scales

Family Colubridae

Latin: Opheodrys aestivus

Rough Greensnake

Small; weakly keeled; tiny black dots; whitish unmarked belly

Family Colubridae

Latin: Virginia valeriae

Smooth Earthsnake

Large; red/orange blotches forming spear point on head; strong black-white checkered belly, mostly smooth/slightly keeled scales

Family Colubridae

Latin: Pantherophis guttatus

Red Cornsnake

Large; brown/black blotches; no spear point; belly darkens with age, slightly keeled scales

Family: Colubridae

Latin: Pantherophis spiloides

Gray Ratsnake

Small; orange/red belly; 3 neck spots; often 6 upper labials, no loreal

Family Colubridae

Latin: Storeria occipitomaculata

Red-bellied Snake

Small; gray/brown; dark jaw streak; tiny belly spots; 17 scale rows, light spots/collar on neck; light belly; no loreal

Family Colubridae

Latin: Storeria dekayi

Dekay’s Brownsnake

Cream lip stripe; belly gray/brown with two stripes; faint black body stripes

Family: Colubridae

Latin: Regina septemvittata

Queensnake

Brick red belly center with offser black spots;

Family Colubridae

Latin: Clonophis kirtlandii

Kirtland’s Snake

Shiny black body; red vertical side bars; short tail with sharp spine; red/black belly blotches, single internasal scale

Family: Colubridae

Latin: Farancia abacura

Red-bellied Mudsnake

Adult uniform gray/black above; bright yellow/orange/red belly; pale tail underside; juveniles banded; 21-25 scale rows; yellow to red venter that is unmarked

Family Colubridae

Latin: Nerodia erythrogaster

Plain-bellied Watersnake

Pair of subocular scales between eye and labial; dark belly with pale half-moons

Family: Colubridae

Latin: Nerodia cyclopion

Mississippi Green Watersnake

25+ scale rows; chain-link pattern of dark bars, eye in contact with labial scales

Family: Colubridae

Latin: Nerodia rhombifer

Diamondback Watersnake

Broad dark crossbands; reddish/tan head sides with dark eye-jaw band; Fulton County; 21-25 scale rows, Venter with square spots

Family: Colubridae;

Latin: Nerodia fasciata

Southern Watersnake

Crossbands without white edging; belly with dark crescents; Found throughout Kentucky

Family: Colubridae

Latin: Nerodia sipedon

Common Watersnake

smooth scales; undivided anal plate; body with black, red and yellow bands; white venter, slightly upturned enlarged rostral scale (snout)

Family: Colubridae

Latin: Cemophora coccinea

Scarletsnake

smooth scales; undivided anal plate; dorsal color black with white or yellow spot on numerous scales; venter usually with checkerboard-like pattern

Family: Colubridae

Latin: Lampropeltis nigra

Eastern Black Kingsnake

smooth scales, anal plate undivided; rings of red-black-white (or yellow) on dorsum and extend to venter

Family: Colubridae

Latin: Lampropeltis elapsoides

Scarlet Kingsnake

smooth scales and undivided anal plates; usually irregularly shaped reddish blotches; black and white checkered venter; iris of eye red to reddish brown

Family: Colubridae

Latin: Lampropeltis triangulum

Milksnake

smooth scales, undivided anal plate; tan to yellowish dorsum with dark-edged reddish spots; white to yellowish venter with a series of squarish spots

Family: Colubridae

Latin: Lampropeltis calligaster

Prairie Kingsnake

divided anal scale; dark gray to blueish smooth scales; large eyes; ventral scales are a bit paler than dorsum, small preocular scale wedged between labials; juveniles patterned on dorsum and sometimes venter

Family: Colubridae

Latin: Coluber constrictor

North American Racer

wormlike; smooth, shiny scales; divided anal plate; small spine on tail, no preocular scale (One scale separate of nose)

Family: Colubridae

Latin: Carphophis amoenus

Common Wormsnake

smooth scales, divided anal plate; yellow to cream-colored band around neck; orange to yellow venter, 2 preocular scales, single anterior temporal scale

Family: Colubridae

Latin: Diadophis punctatus

Ring-necked Snake

smooth scales, divided anal plate; beige to tan dorsum with white venter; dark head with neckband, 1 preocular, single anterior temporal scale

Family: Colubridae

Latin: Tantilla coronata

Southeastern Crowned Snake

smooth to weakly keeled scales with tiny, dark spots;

divided anal plate, no preocular, upper labial scales

Family: Natricinae

Latin: Virginia valeriae

Smooth Earthsnake

smooth scales; divided anal plate; often dark transitioning to tan; 13 or fewer scale rows anterior to the vent; small preocular scale wedged between labials

Family: Colubrinae

Latin: Masticophis flagellum

Coachwhip