Snakes

Order: Squamata

Suborder: Serpentes

Keeled and Divided Anal Northern Brownsnake Northern Red-bellied Snake Black Ratsnake * Common Watersnake Rough Greensnake Eastern Smooth Earthsnake * Mountain Earthsnake Queen Snake Hog-nosed Snake

Keeled and Single Eastern Gartersnake Common Ribbonsnake Northern Pinesnake Northern Copperhead Timber Rattlesnake

Smooth and Divided Northern Ring-necked Snake Eastern Wormsnake Black Racer Smooth Greensnake

Smooth and Single Northern Milksnake Eastern Kingsnake Eastern Black Kingsnake

Order: SquamataSuborder: Serpentes

Family: Colubridae

Northern Brownsnake Storeria d. dekayi Anal plate divided Keeled scales Dots on the dorsal Slight dorsal stripe

with dots bordering it

Photo by: Jeff Davis

Northern Red-bellied Snake Storeria o.

occipitomaculata Anal plate divided Keeled scales Belly glossy or red 15 scale rows Light area behind the eye Three spots on back of

the neck

Eastern Smooth Earthsnake Virginia v. valeriae Divided anal plate Smooth scales Brown or green Very small head Row of dots

longitudinal down body

www.oplin.lib.oh.us/.../ earth_eastern_smooth.jpg

Mountain Earthsnake Virginia valeriae

pulchra Divided anal plate Weakly keeled scales No pattern on dorsal 15 - 17 - 17

Eastern Wormsnake

Smooth scales 13 scale rows Small pinkish or

brown snake with no pattern or spots

Eyes and head small Very pointy end on

tail

Carphophis a. amoenus

Common Ribbonsnake Thamnophis s.

sauritus Anal plate single Keeled scales 3 stripes on dorsal Clear belly Stripes on scale rows

3 and 4Photo by: Zach Felix

Eastern Gartersnake Thamnophis s. sirtalis Anal plate single Keeled scales Spots on the ventral

scutes along the sides Lines on scale rows 2

and 3

Queen Snake Regina septemvittata Anal plate divided Keeled strongly Light stripe along

sides Dark stripes on the

bellyPhoto by: John White

Common Watersnake Nerodia s. sipedon Anal plate divided Strongly keeled

scales Brown blotches on

the dorsal Belly yellowish

Eastern Hog-nosed Snake Heterodon

platirhinos Scales keeled Anal plate divided Snout turned up

Photo by: Jeff Humphries

Black Ratsnake Elaphe o. obsoleta Anal plate divided Weakly keeled scales Black snake Completely black

Eastern Milksnake Lampropeltis t.

triangulum Anal plate single Smooth scales Dorsal color brown Red blotches edged in

black Belly checkered with

black and white

Eastern Kingsnake Lampropeltis g. getula Single anal plate Smooth scales Dorsal black with yellow

bands Belly yellow and black Crossbands that fork on

the sides

Eastern Black Kingsnake Lampropeltis g. niger Single anal plate Smooth scales Dorsal color black with

yellow spots Belly yellow with black

markings Mostly black snake with

hints of orange and yellow

Rough Greensnake Opheodrys a. aestivus Anal plate divided Keeled scales Tail really really long Slender Belly lighter than

dorsal color

Smooth Greensnake Opheodrys vernalis Divided anal plate Smooth scales Long slender black

snake (green when alive)

Not as big as the black racer

Northern Black Racer Coluber c. constrictor Divided anal plate Smooth scales Black snake With a white throat

Photo by: John White

Northern Ring-necked Snake Diadophis punctatus

edwardsii Divided anal plate Smooth glossy scales Black with yellow or

orange belly Ring around the neck

Northern Pinesnake Pituophis m.

melanoleucus Single anal plate Keeled scales Black blotches Big snake Ventral is white

Order: SquamataSuborder: Serpentes

Family: Viperidae

Timber Rattlesnake Crotalus horridus One row of scales

after the cloaca Pits Horny rattle or button

Northern Copperhead Agkistrodon

contortrix mokasen One row of scales

after the cloaca Pits Has bands that are

hourglass shaped

Review of Orders and Families

Order: Caudata

Family: Cryptobranchidae Family: Proteidae Family: Ambystomatidae Family: Salamandridae Family: Plethodontidae

Order: Anura Family: Pelobatidae Family: Bufonidae Family: Hylidae Family: Ranidae

Order: Testudines Family: Chelydridae Family: Kinosternidae Family: Emydidae Family: Trionychidae

Order: SquamataSuborder: Lacertillia

Family: Phrynosomatidae Family: Teiidae Family: Scincidae

Order: Squamata Suborder: Serpentes

Family: Colubridae Family: Viperidae