Missouri Snakes-1.pdf

8/14/2019 Missouri Snakes-1.pdf

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/missouri-snakes-1pdf 1/41

Missouri Snakesinformation from Mo. Dept. Of Conservation

Environmental Science

2010-2011



Black Rat SnakeElaphe obsoleta



Black Rat SnakeElaphe obsoleta

Generally shiny black, but some individuals

show dark brown blotches. Skin between the scales along the sides may be

red. Small patches of red sometimes appear

between the scales along the sides. The belly is white, mottled with gray or may be

checkered with black. The upper lip, chin andlower part of the neck are usually white.

Young are light gray or tan, with dark brown orblack blotches on the back and sides. After ayear or two of growth, the color changes to a

more uniform black.



Broad-Banded Water SnakeNerodia fasciata confluens



Broad-Banded Water SnakeNerodia fasciata confluens

A beautiful, semi-aquatic snake that is named for

its broad, irregular shaped bands along theback. These bands can be brown, red-brown, orblack in color and are separated by yellow andgray.

Like other water snakes, broad-banded watersnakes are often mistaken for westerncottonmouths and needlessly killed.

Water snakes bite viciously to defendthemselves and also secrete a strong-smellingmusk from glands at the base of the tail.



Bullsnake

Pituophis catenifer sayi

The bullsnake is Missouri's largest snake.

It is tan or cream-colored with numerous, large,brown or black blotches. The tail may have light

and dark bands.

Often a dark line angles from the eye down tothe jaw. The belly is yellow or cream-colored,

with dark brown or black spots along the sides.

This large snake may hiss loudly and vibrate itstail when alarmed.



Eastern Garter Snake

Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis



Eastern Garter Snake

Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis

The general color is variable; it may be black, brown or

olive. There are usually three yellowish stripes, one down the

back and one along each side. The area between thestripes on each side usually has a double row of

alternating dark spots. The belly is yellowish-green with two rows of faint black

spots that are somewhat hidden by the overlappingscales.

Scales on the back are keeled; the anal plate is single. When cornered, this snake often flattens its head and

body and tries to strike.



Eastern Hog-Nosed SnakeHeterodon platirhinos



Eastern Hog-Nosed SnakeHeterodon platirhinos

A snake with an upturned snout, the eastern

hognose normally is gray-brown or tan withdistinct dark brown markings down its back.

Some individuals lack most of the spots, exceptfor two large black spots behind the head. Thebelly is mottled with gray.

This harmless snake has the ability to hiss loudlyand spread its neck like a cobra.

If this defense fails to ward off an enemy, thesnake may thrash around, open its mouth, rollover and play dead.



Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake

Sistrurus catenatus catenatus



Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake

Sistrurus catenatus catenatus

Medium-sized, dark rattlesnake with a short, thick body.Gray to gray-brown, with dark brown blotches down themiddle of the back and along both sides.

Head is a thick diamond shape with dark stripesextending back from the eyes.

Tail has a stubby rattle. Like other venomous snakes, they have “pits” on the

sides of their heads, and the pupils are diamond-shaped(not round).

The other rattlesnake of north Missouri, the timberrattlesnake, grows much larger and has a rusty stripedown its back.



Great Plains Rat SnakeElaphe guttata



Great Plains Rat SnakeElaphe guttata

This species is another member of the rat

snake group and is seldom seen.

This snake has numerous brown blotches

along the body, a brown eye stripe, and aspearpoint marking on top of the head.



Midland Brown Snake

Storeria dekayi wrightorum



Midland Brown Snake

Storeria dekayi wrightorum

The midland brown snake is a close

relative of the redbelly snake.The general color is gray-brown to

reddish-brown, with a white or yellowish

belly. Its back has a distinct tan stripe bordered

by two rows of small, dark brown spots;

the spots normally are joined by smalllines across the tan stripe.



Northern Water Snake

Nerodia sipedon sipedon



Northern Water Snake

Nerodia sipedon sipedon

This is Missouri's most common species of

water snake. A gray to reddish-brown snake with dark brown

crossbands, its belly is cream-colored with

numerous black and reddish half-moonmarkings.

Scales along the back and sides are keeled.

Although water snakes will bite to defendthemselves, their bite is harmless.



Osage Copperhead

Agkistrodon contortrix phaeogaster



Osage Copperhead

Agkistrodon contortrix phaeogaster

Color varies from grayish-brown to pinkish-tan,with hourglass-shaped crossbands of dark gray,

brown or reddish-brown. The head may havesome pink or orange color, hence the name“copperhead.”

The tail may be yellow or greenish-yellow,especially in young specimens, and the bellyusually is a dusky mixture of gray, tan and black.

Copperheads are pit vipers, with an opening oneach side of the head and (in daylight) eyes withcatlike, vertical pupils (our nonvenomous snakeshave round pupils).



Plains Garter SnakeThamnophis radix



Plains Garter SnakeThamnophis radix

This snake is very similar to the other

garter snakes, but it usually has ayellowish-orange stripe down the middle of

the back, an alternating double row of

black spots along the sides, and blackbars along the edge of the upper green lip.



Prairie Kingsnake

Lampropeltis calligaster calligaster



Prairie Kingsnake

Lampropeltis calligaster calligaster

This is a fairly common snake over most of thestate.

Overall color is tan, brownish-gray or greenish-gray. Numerous dark blotches down the backand sides are brown, reddish or greenish-brown.

The belly is yellowish-tan covered by blocky,brown markings.

Young or newly hatched prairie kingsnakes often

are confused with the venomous copperhead. Kingsnakes have round markings on their back

(see inset) while copperheads have hourglass-

shaped markings.



Prairie Ring-Necked Snake

Diadophis punctatus arnyi



Prairie Ring-Necked Snake

Diadophis punctatus arnyi

Ringneck snakes are easily recognizable

by their small size, uniform dark color onthe back, bright yellow-orange belly anddistinct yellow ring around the neck.

The back can be dark brown, gray or blue-black.

The belly is yellow, changing to orange

near the tail. The belly also has small,black spots which are irregular in size andpattern.



Red Milk Snake

Lampropeltis triangulum syspila



Red Milk Snake

Lampropeltis triangulum syspila

This is one of Missouri's most beautifully colored

snakes.General body color is white or light tan with red

or orange markings bordered with black. Thebelly is white and strongly checked with black.

The red milk snake often is misidentified as acoral snake, which is not found in Missouri.

Coral snakes have red bands bordered by

yellow. The milk snake was so named for the myth that

it had the ability to nurse milk from cattle.



Rough Green Snake

Opheodrys aestivus aestivus



Rough Green Snake

Opheodrys aestivus aestivus

This is a long and slender snake often

seen in the Ozarks. It is light green above and has a white or

yellowish belly.

Scales on the back have small ridges or

keels.



Speckled Kingsnake

Lampropeltis getula holbrooki



Speckled Kingsnake

Lampropeltis getula holbrooki

This handsome snake is generally black.

A white or yellow spot in the center ofmost of the scales causes it to look

speckled. The belly is yellowish with some

irregular black markings.

Like the rest of our kingsnakes, the

speckled kingsnake vibrates its tail whenalarmed.



Timber Rattlesnake

Crotalus horridus



Timber Rattlesnake

Crotalus horridus

Our largest venomous snake.

Generally tan or yellowish-tan, the timberrattlesnake has markings along the back that aredark brown and change from blotches on theneck to bands near the tail. Often, a dark line

extends from the eye along the angle of the jaw,and there is a rust-colored stripe down the back.

It has a large rattle at the end of its tail.

Like all venomous snakes in Missouri,rattlesnakes have a hole between the nostril andthe eye, and the pupils are vertical, like a cat’s.



Western Cottonmouth

Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma



Western Cottonmouth

Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma

The name “cottonmouth” is from the whitishlining of its mouth. When alarmed, it opens its

mouth widely, showing the cotton-white lining. The body is black with little or no pattern or dark

brown with darker bands on the back. Belly is

dark brown or black. Young cottonmouths are patterned something

like a copperhead and usually have a yellowish-green tail.

Like all venomous snakes in Missouri,cottonmouths have a hole between the nostriland the eye, and the pupils are vertical, like a

cat’s.



Western Fox Snake

Elaphe vulpina



Western Fox Snake

Elaphe vulpina

This is a marsh-dwelling member of the rat

snake group.General color is yellowish, greenish-brown

or tan, with large brown blotches on the

back and smaller ones on the sides.The head of fox snakes may show some

orange color, which might cause them to

be misidentified as a copperhead.Belly color is normally yellow, marked with

a distinct black, checkered pattern.



Western Pygmy Rattlesnake

Sistrurus miliarius streckeri



Western Pygmy Rattlesnake

Sistrurus miliarius streckeri

This is one of the smallest species of

rattlesnakes in North America.General color is light grayish-brown, with a row

of small, dark brown spots on the back andsimilar spots on each side.

Most specimens also have a rust-colored stripedown the back. The belly is usually gray.

The pygmy rattlesnake has a thin tail and a tiny

rattle. The sound of the vibrating rattle is a faint buzz

like the sound of a grasshopper.

Missouri Snakes-1.pdf

Documents

Transcript of Missouri Snakes-1.pdf