Storeria dekayi

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Scientific name. Storeria dekayi

Common Name. Dekay’s Brownsnake

General information. Inhabiting moister habitats, Storeria dekayi is able to find and feed on insect and annelid prey, including insect larvae. Annecdotal accounts mention S. dekayi being found in open lots and fields in urban settings, though persistant pesticide use has eradicated most of these populations. Non-venomous, S. dekayi will not bite when picked up, but it may flatten its neck in a threat display.

Protected status. Dekay’s Brownsnake is not a protected species in Texas and can be legally collected with a hunting license.

Diagnostic features. Keeled dorsal scales, arranged in 17 rows at midbody Divided anal plate.

Coloration. Light tan middorsal stripe running the length of the body. Middorsal stripe is three scale rows wide and is in contrast to darker background color, which may range from red to brown to dark tan. Yellowish or pink ventral scale surface is usually unmarked with pigment, save a row of black spots along ventral and dorsal scale junction. There are two recognized subspecies of S. dekayi found in Texas.

General distribution. Storeria dekayi is found throughout most of the eastern half of the U.S., with additional populations extending south along the Atlantic coast of Mexico.

Texas distribution. In Texas, Storeria dekayi is found through most of the state, save the drier regions, such as the Panhandle and the Trans-Pecos.

Habitat. Storeria dekayi favors moist habitats, preferably under objects such as tin, wood and stones, or in habitats favoring moisture, such as canyons and bottom lands.

Reproduction. Storeria dekayi is a live bearing snake, with mating occurring in the early spring and young born from June to August. The newly born juvenile snakes measure 7-11 cm (3-4.5 in) have pale collars around their necks, causing them to resemble ringneck snakes for a short period of their lives.

Size. Adult Storeria dekayi typically measure 24-30.5 cm (9.5-12 in) in length,

Map. Orange counties indicate new county records since previous Herps of Texas update in 1998; all other colored counties reflect known distribution prior to 1998 for species and/or subspecies. Map is based on museum voucher specimens.

Storeria occipitomaculata

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Scientific name. Storeria occipitomaculata

Common Name. Red-bellied Snake

General information. In the moist habitats where the Red-bellied Snake is found, there generally are many slugs and worms that make up the majority of its prey. Storeria occipitomaculata is non-venomous and poses no danger to humans handling it. It does have a remarkable bluff against would-be predators in that it plays dead, rolling onto its back and flattening portions of its body, feigning injury.

Protected status. The Red-bellied Snake is not a protected species in Texas and can be legally collected with a hunting license.

Diagnostic features. Divided anal plate Keeled dorsal scales in 15 rows at midbody.

Coloration. Belly is typically red, though some populations have orange or yellow bellies instead of red No black markings on its belly. Dorsum is a plain brown or reddish brown, with a few individuals having a series of four faint dark stripes. Narrow dark stripes may occasionally be reduced to a series of dark spots. Often three light colored spots along the nape of the neck, with the spots being fused together as a collar in some individuals. Additionally, there is a white spot found on the upper labials below the eye, for which the species name occipitomaculata is named.

General distribution. Storeria occipitomaculata is found across much of the eastern portions of the U.S., including the Midwestern states which drain into the Mississippi River valley.

Texas distribution. The single subspecies of Storeria occipitomaculata found in Texas, S. o. obscura, is restricted to the piney woods along the extreme eastern edge of the state.

Habitat. The distribution of Storeria occipitomaculata is spotty in Texas, found only in the wetter woody areas in the eastern part of the state.

Reproduction. A live bearing snake, Storeria occipitomaculata bears up to 23 snakes per litter between the months of June and September, with the young usually measuring 6-10 cm (2.5-4 in).

Size. Adult Storeria occipitomaculata are relatively small snakes, typically measuring 20-25.5 cm (8-10 in) in length.

Brownsnakes | Herps of Texas

Storeria dekayi

Storeria occipitomaculata