Nres 368 Snakes

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Diamondback Water Snake-Colubridae, natrinae

•76-122cm•Darkbrown chainlike markings on a ground color of lighter brown above•Bellyyellow with dark spots •Scaleskeeled•Analplate dividedIL Distribution: aquatic habitats inwestern Illinois

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Plainbelly Water Snake-Colubridae,natrinae

•76-122cm•Bellyplain (copper or yellow, varies by subspecies)•Scaleskeeled •Analplate dividedIL Distribution: wetlands of the Mississippivalley and adjacentareas (Yellowbelly); swampywoodlands in southernIL (Copperbelly)

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Northern Water Snake-Colubridae, Natrinae

•56-102cm•Highlyvariable•Generallydark bands on neck, blotches further back•Scaleskeeled•Analplate dividedIL Distribution: all aquatic habitats,statewide (northern2/3 = Northern, southern2/3 = Midland)

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Brown Snake-Colubridae,Natrinae

•23-33cm•Smallbrown snake (shade of brown varies)•Twoparallel rows of black dots crossed by dark lines•Small,dark streak on side of head•Scaleskeeled•Analplate dividedIL Distribution: statewide, anydamp habitats

very small

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Eastern Garter Snake-Colubridae,Natrinae

•46-66cm•Extremelyvariable in color, pattern•Groundcolorbrown, black, green•2-3rows of lateral stripes, usually yellow(also brown, green, blue)•Oftendouble row of dorsal spots alternating with stripes•Belly:2 rows of indistinct spots•Keeledscales•Singleanal plateIL Distribution: common statewide,all habitats

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Plains Garter Snake-Colubridae, natrinae

•38-71cm•Dorsalstripe bright yellow or orange•Doublealternating row of spots between stripes•Rowof black spots below each lateral stripe•Rowof indefinite spots on belly•Blackbars on lips•Keeledscales•Singleanal plateIL Distribution: river valleys,near pondsand sloughs in northern halfof state

ON SPECIMEN LOOKS WHITE

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Western Ribbon Snake-Colubridae,Natrinae

•51-76cm•Moreslender than garter snakes•Narroworange vertebral stripe, lateral stripes light•Blackdorsum, belly unmarked•Largeparietal spots bright and touching•Keeledscales•Singleanal plateIL Distribution: Semiaquatic, found instreams, ditches, ponds in riverdrainages of western IL

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Lined Snake-Colubridae,natrinae

•22-38cm•Doublerow of bold black half moons down the belly•Keeledscales•Singleanal plateIL Distribution: Rare, grasslandsand urban lotsin central part of state

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Eastern Hognose Snake-Colubridae,dipsadinae

•51-84cm•Variablein coloration, usually spotted•Behavior:plays possum, hissing, head and neck-spreading•Bellymottled•Upturnedsnout•Scaleskeeled•Analplate dividedIL Distribution: statewide, preferssandy areas

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Ringneck Snake-colubridae,dipsadinae

•25-38cm•Plain,dark, slender with cream/golden collar•Bellyplain yellow (Northern) or red and spotted (Prairie)•Scalessmooth•Analplate dividedIL Distribution: hill prairies, bluffs,open forests; locallyabundant in ShawneeHills and MississippiRiver bluffs

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Mud Snake-Colubridae,Dipsadinae

•102-137cm•Shiny,iridescent •Blackand red bars on belly•Scalessmooth (keeled in supra-anal region)•Analplate dividedIL Distribution: swamps andlowlands of southernIL

on specimen yellow and black

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Racer-Colubridae, colubrinae

•90-152cm•Plainblue-black above•Chinand throat white, unspotted•Smoothscales•Analplate dividedIL Distribution: statewide, locallycommon

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Rough Green Snake-colubridae,colubrinae

•56-81cm•“Vinesnake”: dainty, slender•Plainlight green above, plain white-yellow below•Scaleskeeled•Analplate divided•ArborealIL Distribution: southern halfof state in forests nearlakes and streams

specimen not green

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Smooth Green Snake-colubridae,colubrinae

•30-51cm•“Greengrass snake”•Plaingreen above, plain white-yellow below•Smoothscales•Analplate divided•TerrestrialIL Distribution: Uncommon, inremnant prairies, bogs, meadowsof northeast cornerof state

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Fox Snake-colubridae,colubrinae

•91-137cm•Boldlyblotched on yellow-light brown background•Bellyyellow, strongly checkered•Shapedlike a loaf of bread in cross section•Vibratetail rapidly when alarmed, like rattler•Scalesweekly keeled•Analplate dividedIL Distribution: open and formerprairie habitats innorthern half of IL

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Rat Snake-colubridae,colubrinae

•107-183cm•Plain,shiny black•Bellydiffuse gray-brown on white-yellow, faintly checkered; chin and throat plainwhite•Shapedlike a loaf of bread in cross section•Vibratetail rapidly when alarmed, like rattler•Scalesweekly keeled•Analplate dividedIL Distribution: forest, shrub, andedge habitats; mostly insouthern half of IL

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Speckled Kingsnake- colubridae,colubrinae

•90-122cm•“Saltand pepper snake”•Yellow/whitespot centered in most black dorsal scales,can form rows•Scalessmooth•Analplate singleIL Distribution: Shawnee Hillsand southern MississippiRiver bluffs

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Milksnake-colubridae,colubrinae

•61-90cm•Usually3 rows of brown or reddish brown, black-bordered blotches on gray-tanbackground•Y-or V- shaped light patch on nape•Bellycheckerboarded•Slender•Scalessmooth•Analplate singleIL Distribution: most common in ShawneeHills and Chicagoland

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Prairie Kingsnake- colubridae,colubrinae

•76-107cm•~60reddish blotches with black edges on brown-gray to tan background•Twoalternating rows of spots on sides•Bellyyellowish with dim squarishbrown blotches•Scalessmooth•Analplate singleIL Distribution:high-quality grasslandsin southern 2/3 ofstate

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Copperhead-viperidae

•61-90cm•Coppery,red head and yellow-brown body•Darkchestnut crossbandsin hourglass pattern (wide at sides,narrow at center), often with spots between•Darkspots at sides of belly•Rapidlyvibrate tail if alarmed•Stout-bodied•Scalesweakly keeled•Analplate singleIL Distribution: wooded, rocky hillsidesin southwestern IL

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Cottonmouth-Viperidae

•76-107cm•Oliveorbrown-black above with dark crossbands, though pattern often not evident due todarkness•Bellydark brown or black•Rapidlyvibrates tail if alarmed and/or throws head upwardand backward, mouth agape•Scalesweakly keeled•Analplate single•Semi-aquaticIL Distribution: Cypress- tupeloswamps, sloughs invery southern IL

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Massasauga-Viperidae

•47-76cm•Rattleor horny button on tail tip•Lightgrey to brown with 29-40 dark, bowtie-like spots •9symmetrical large plates on head•Bellyblack•Scaleskeeled•Analplate singleIL Distribution: old fields,floodplains; endangered in IL

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Timber Rattlesnake-Viperidae

•90-152cm•Small,asymmetrical head scales•Backwith jagged dark bands or blotches•Tailtip black•Scaledkeeled•Analplate singleIL Distribution: heavy forest alongrocky outcroppings; threatenedin Illinois

NOTE DARK RATTLE