Snakes of Arkansas: Snake

Family: Crotalidae (Pitvipers) Genera: Agkistrodon (Copperhead and Cottonmouth), Crotalus (Rattlesnakes), and Sistrurus (Pigmy Rattlesnakes and Massasaugas)
	Southern Copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix	Tan with darker brown hourglass-shaped bands. Bands sometimes thinly bordered with white. Belly mostly patternless, but sometimes with lower spots between bands extending onto belly. Heat-sensing pits. Pupils elliptical. Juveniles with bright yellow tail.
	Western Cottonmouth Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma	Aquatic. Black or with dark, obscured patterning. Dark stripe from nostril to neck. Labial scales lighter and without vertical bars. Heat-sensing pits. Pupils elliptical. May gape white "cotton mouth" when disturbed. Buoyant swimmer. Juveniles with bold pattern contrast and bright yellowish-green tail.
	Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Crotalus atrox	Mottled brown, tan, and black with large, roughly diamond-shaped middorsal blotches. Blotches thinly etched with white except toward tail. Heat-sensing pits. Eyes elliptical and between light, diagonal stripes. "Coon tail" with rattle.
	Timber Rattlesnake Crotalus horridus	Grayish, yellowish, or light brown background with dark, jagged crossbands and rust-colored middorsal stripe. Head with darker band from eye to jawline (less obvious in some individuals). Heat-sensing pits. Eyes elliptical. "Velvet tail" with rattle.
	Western Pigmy Rattlesnake Sistrurus miliarius streckeri	Smallish. Gray with black crossbands and rust-colored middorsal stripe. Crossbands usually incomplete with gaps along sides of body. Head boldly patterned. Heat-sensing pits. Eyes elliptical. Diminutive rattle.

Family: Elapidae (Coral Snakes) Genus: Micrurus (Eastern Coral Snakes)
	Texas Coral Snake Micrurus tener tener	Rare. Alternating black, red, and yellow bands so that "red touches yellow". Bands extend onto belly. Red bands often with specks of black. Snout all black and stubby with next band being yellow.

Family: Colubridae (Harmless Egg-Laying Snakes) Genera: Cemophora (Scarlet Snake), Coluber (Racers), Lampropeltis (Kingsnakes and Milk Snake), Masticophis (Whipsnakes, Striped Racers, and Coachwhips), Opheodrys (Rough Green Snake), Pantherophis (North American Rat Snakes and Fox Snakes), Sonora (Ground Snakes), and Tantilla (Blackhead, Flathead, and Crowned Snakes)
	Northern Scarlet Snake Cemophora coccinea copei	Rare. Red touches black. Alternating black, red, and light-colored bands or blotches. Light-colored bands vary by individual from gray, to cream, to light orange. Head red. Snout sharply pointed. Belly uniform cream.
	Eastern Racer Coluber constrictor ssp.	Long, slender, and speedy. Uniform black, dark gray, or olive (rarely with speckling of lighter scales). Labial scales, chin, and neck usually lighter. Belly yellowish, cream, or black and unmarked. Juveniles blotched, fading to uniform olive toward tail.
	Eastern Racer Coluber constrictor ssp.	Subspecies: Buttermilk Racer (C. c. anthicus) , Yellowbelly Racer (C. c. flaviventris), Blackmask Racer (C. c. latrunculus), and Southern Black Racer (C. c. priapus)
	Prairie Kingsnake Lampropeltis calligaster calligaster	Brown with alternating, dark brown blotches (patterning is obscured in some individuals). Blotches thinly bordered with black. Head smallish. Belly with irregular checkerboard of brown and tan, sometimes with specks of orange. Juveniles like adults but with more contrast.
	Speckled Kingsnake Lampropeltis getula holbrooki	Black with yellowish specks (usually one per scale). Belly with black and yellowish checkerboard pattern. Juveniles with more chainlike pattern.
	Milk Snake Lampropeltis triangulum ssp.	"Red touches black". Alternating black, red, and light-colored bands or blotches. Light-colored bands vary by individual from gray, to cream, to light orange. Head variable but almost never all black. Snout rounded. Belly with checkerboard pattern.
	Milk Snake Lampropeltis triangulum ssp.	Subspecies: Louisiana Milk Snake (L. t. amaura) and Red Milk Snake (L. t. syspila)
	Eastern Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum flagellum	Long, large, and speedy. Head and 1/3 of body black, changing to brown "leather whip" appearance toward tail (rare individuals are all black). Belly usually pinkish and mostly unmarked. Juveniles with irregular dark crossbars, fading to uniform tan toward tail.
	Rough Green Snake Opheodrys aestivus	Mostly arboreal. Pencil-thin. Uniform green. Long tail. Belly light green, cream, or yellowish.
	Great Plains Rat Snake Pantherophis emoryi	Grayish-brown with large, alternating, dark brown blotches. Blotches often bordered with black. Spearhead-shaped mark on head. Belly with irregular checkerboard of black and white, similar to maize. Juveniles like adults with black bar through eye extending past jawline onto neck.
	Western Rat Snake Pantherophis obsoletus	Large. Mostly black, often with specks of cream or pink between scales. Labial scales, chin, and neck cream. Belly with irregular checkerboard of black and white. Juveniles gray with dark blotches and a black bar that runs through eye to jawline.
	Slowinski's Corn Snake Pantherophis slowinskii	Rare. Grayish-brown with large, alternating, dark blotches. Blotches often bordered with black. "Spearhead" mark on head. Belly with irregular checkerboard of black and white, similar to maize.
	Ground Snake Sonora semiannulata	Rare with very few vouchered specimens in AR. Small. Fossorial. Glade-dweller. Highly variable (uniform tan with faint reddish stripe, or with one neck crossbar, or with dark crossbars running the length of the body, etc.). Belly uniform cream.
	Flathead Snake Tantilla gracilis	Extremely small. Fossorial. Glade-dweller. Uniform tan. Head pointed and darker. Belly salmon-colored.

Family: Dipsadidae (Slender Rear-Fanged Snakes) Genera: Carphophis (Worm Snakes) and Diadophis (Ringneck Snake)
	Midwest Worm Snake Carphophis amoenus helenae	Rare. Small. Fossorial. Uniform brown (grayish-blue during shed cycles). Belly uniform pale pink, extending onto 2 dorsal scale rows.
	Western Worm Snake Carphophis vermis	Small. Fossorial. Uniform black (grayish-blue during shed cycles). Belly uniform bright pink, extending onto 2-3 dorsal scale rows.
	Ringneck Snake Diadophis punctatus ssp.	Small. Fossorial. Uniform gray or black except for yellow ring around neck. Belly yellow (shifting to red under tail), usually with variable pattern of black dots.
	Ringneck Snake Diadophis punctatus ssp.	Subspecies: Prairie Ringneck Snake (D. p. arnyi) and Mississippi Ringneck Snake (D. p. stictogenys)

Family: Natricidae (Harmless Live-Bearing Snakes) Genera: Nerodia (Water and Salt Marsh Snakes), Regina (Crayfish Snakes), Storeria (Brown and Redbelly Snakes), Thamnophis (Garter and Ribbon Snakes), and Virginia (Earth Snakes)
	Mississippi Green Water Snake Nerodia cyclopion	Rare. Aquatic. Greenish-brown color. Belly with cream half-circles. Subocular scales.
	Plainbelly Water Snake Nerodia erythrogaster ssp.	Aquatic. Plain brown, sometimes with faint crossbars. Belly uniform yellow. Juveniles blotched with dark spots on neck alternating with dorsal blotches.
	Plainbelly Water Snake Nerodia erythrogaster ssp.	Subspecies: Yellowbelly Water Snake (N. e. flavigaster) and Blotched Water Snake (N. e. transversa)
	Broad-banded Water Snake Nerodia fasciata confluens	Aquatic. Broad, irregular, dark crossbands. Background usually orangish. Belly light with irregular checkerboard of redish rectangles.
	Diamondback Water Snake Nerodia rhombifer rhombifer	Aquatic. Net-like pattern. Belly with dark half-circles.
	Midland Water Snake Nerodia sipedon pleuralis	Aquatic. Dark dorsal bands toward head becoming checkerboard toward tail. Individual variation in band and background color: browns, tans, reds, and yellows. Belly mottled with dark crescents.
	Graham's Crayfish Snake Regina grahamii	Rare. Aquatic. Plain brown with a faint middorsal stripe and thick lateral stripes. Belly usually uniform cream.
	Gulf Crayfish Snake Regina rigida sinicola	Rare. Aquatic. Plain brown. Belly yellow (extending just onto sides) with 2 rows of dark half-circles.
	Queen Snake Regina septemvittata	Rare. Aquatic. Plain grayish brown with pale yellow stripe just above belly. Belly with 2 rows of dark spots, more distinct near neck.
	Midland Brown Snake Storeria dekayi wrightorum	Small. Fossorial. Coloration variable (browns, tans, and grays) with short crossbars connecting two rows of dots. Dark spots below eye and on temporal region. Belly cream.
	Redbelly Snake Storeria occipitomaculata ssp.	Small. Fossorial. Coloration variable (browns, tans, and grays), usually with middorsal stripe and rows of fine dots running lengthwise. Pale spots on neck. Belly red.
	Redbelly Snake Storeria occipitomaculata ssp.	Subspecies: Florida Redbelly Snake (S. o. obscura) and Northern Redbelly Snake (S. o. occipitomaculata)
	Western Ribbon Snake Thamnophis proximus proximus	Three stripes of yellow, orange, or sometimes bluish. Background color black. Labial scales uniform cream. White spot just in front of eye. Belly unmarked.
	Common Garter Snake Thamnophis sirtalis ssp.	Three stripes of yellow or orange. Background color variable and sometimes checkerboard in appearance. Black bars between labial scales. Belly mostly patternless, but with some black specks.
	Common Garter Snake Thamnophis sirtalis ssp.	Subspecies: Red-sided Garter Snake (T. s. parietalis) and Eastern Garter Snake (T. s. sirtalis)
	Rough Earth Snake Virginia striatula	Small. Fossorial. Plain brown. Belly uniform light tan. Dorsal scales strongly keeled. 5 supralabial scales, 1 postocular scale, and 1 internasal scale.
	Western Earth Snake Virginia valeriae elegans	Small. Fossorial. Plain brown with very faint middorsal stripe. Belly uniform light yellow. Dorsal scales weekly keeled. 6 supralabial scales, 2 postocular scales, and 2 internasal scales.

Family: Xenodontidae (Robust Rear-Fanged Snakes) Genera: Farancia (Mud Snake and Rainbow Snake), and Heterodon (Hognose Snakes)
	Western Mud Snake Farancia abacura reinwardtii	Aquatic. Large-bodied. Black and shiny. Belly with red bands that extend onto sides.
	Eastern Hognose Snake Heterodon platirhinos	Highly variable, with morphs either "plain" or "blotched". Thick-bodied. Strongly upturned snout. Primitive dark "eye spots" on neck (obscured in darker individuals). Exaggerated defensive display of flattening neck and body, hissing, and finally playing dead. Juveniles always boldly blotched.

~ Hypothetical Occurrence ~
	Eastern Corn Snake Pantherophis guttatus	Rare with no vouchered specimen for AR. Orangish brown with large, alternating, dark blotches. Blotches often bordered with black. Spearhead-shaped mark on head. Belly with irregular checkerboard of black and white, similar to maize.
	Midland Rat Snake Pantherophis spiloides	Rare with no vouchered specimen for AR. Large Mostly black, but retaining some juvenile patterning Labial scales, chin, and neck cream Belly with irregular checkerboard of black and white Juveniles gray with dark blotches and a black bar that runs through eye to jawline.
	Bullsnake Pituophis catenifer sayi	Rare with no vouchered specimen for AR. Very large and powerfully built. Tan to yellowish background with dark blotches. Blotches become more regular and banded toward tail. Dark line from eye to jawline. Can hiss loudly.
	Northern Pine Snake Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus	Rare with no vouchered specimen for AR. Very large and powerfully built. Dull white background with black blotches. Blotches become more regular and banded toward tail. Can hiss loudly.
	Lined Snake Tropidoclonion lineatum	Rare with no vouchered specimen for AR. Three light stripes on brown background. Belly with double row of half-circles.

Snakes of Arkansas

Snake

Family: Crotalidae (Pitvipers)

Family: Elapidae (Coral Snakes)

Family: Colubridae (Harmless Egg-Laying Snakes)

Family: Dipsadidae (Slender Rear-Fanged Snakes)

Family: Natricidae (Harmless Live-Bearing Snakes)

Family: Xenodontidae (Robust Rear-Fanged Snakes)

~ Hypothetical Occurrence ~