Southeastern Crowned Snake
Tantilla coronata
The southeastern crowned snake (Tantilla coronata) is a small, slim snake, averaging about 5.2–9.6 inches in length. Their body is tan to reddish brown. A dark band 3-5 s…
How to identify
The southeastern crowned snake (Tantilla coronata) is a small, slim snake, averaging about 5.2–9.6 inches in length. Their body is tan to reddish brown. A dark band 3-5 scales wide can be seen on the neck. Its underside is uniform white, yellow, or pinkish. It has 15 smooth dorsal scale rows at midbody, a divided anal plate and a round pupil.
Range
The Southeastern crown snake is a species of non-venomous colubrid snakes endemic to the southeastern United states, found in Indiana, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi.
Habitat
Crowned snakes are commonly found in woodlands, sandhills and flatwoods. They are secretive snakes, being typically active at night and spending most of the daytime underneath rocks and debris. They feed on worms, centipedes, snails, termites, spiders, insects and their larvae. The snakes hibernate in October and usually emerges in late March or early April, breeding usually occurs during this period and the females typically lay 1-3 eggs in between My-June, which hatch in the fall season.
Similar species
Florida Crowned snake (Tantilla relicta) is endemic to Florida, found commonly in well-drained sandhills and hammocks. They have a light-colored body and a dark head. Western blackhead snake (Tantilla planiceps) are endemic to the Californias, San Francisco bay, as well as western Texas and Utah. They are 7-15 inches in length, with a brown and olive gray body, their black head typically bordered by a white collar. The Flat-headed snake (Tantilla gracilis) is found in the US states of Louisiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Illinois, Oklahoma and Kansas. They are very secretive and are the smallest species of snake found in the state of Kansas, averaging 7-8 inches in length.
Name and etymology
Coronata: Latin for crowned.
At a glance
Range
The Southeastern crown snake is a species of non-venomous colubrid snakes endemic to the southeastern United states, found in…
Habitat
Crowned snakes are commonly found in woodlands, sandhills and flatwoods. They are secretive snakes, being typically active at…
Guide
Reptiles and Amphibians of North America
Range map
Approximate range. © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap