Short-tailed Snake

Lampropeltis extenuata

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This specie’s full-length ranges from 360 – 510 mm but the longest recorded length is about 654 mm. This snake is very slender with a grey exterior. This exterior is acco…

How to identify

This specie’s full-length ranges from 360 – 510 mm but the longest recorded length is about 654 mm. This snake is very slender with a grey exterior. This exterior is accompanied with a blotched or spotted pattern. It has about 50 – 80 dark brown to black spots which alternate down the middle of its back with dark spots on its sides. It also has light colored spaces between its black spots in its back. These usually have an orange middle making it look like an indistinct orange stripe running down its back. It has a small blunt head with its diameter about the same as its body. This specie’s body is white with dark blotches. Lastly, it has round pupils, 19 dorsal scale rows at its mid-body and smooth scales.

Range

This specie can be found all through a large part of upland northern central Florida. Specifically, west of the St. Johns River.

Habitat

These snakes always stay in the upland pine-turkey oak woodlands and dry, sandy soiled habitats. These include coastal live oak hammocks and sand pine scrub. This snakes mostly burrows and it hardly appears above ground. It does this less during the day. They feed exclusively on black-crowned snakes which are of the genus Tantilla. Much is not known as about their reproductive life.

Similar species

Pantherophis guttatus or the Eastern Corn Snake. This snake has reddish-orange blotches. It also has a black and white checkerboard pattern on its belly. Lampropeltis calligaster or the Mole Kingsnake. This snake has a light Y-shaped pattern behind its head and neck. It also has a clouded belly with reddish-brown blotches on its body. Masticophis flagellum or the Eastern Coachwhips. These snakes have larger heads in comparison to their necks. They also have large eyes.