Black swamp snake

Black swamp snake
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Reptilia
Order:Squamata
Suborder:Serpentes
Family:Colubridae
Genus:Liodytes
Species: L. pygaea
Binomial name
Liodytes pygaea
(Cope, 1871)
Synonyms

Contia pygaea Cope, 1871
Tropidonotus pygæus Boulenger, 1893
Seminatrix pygaea Cope, 1895

The black swamp snake (Liodytes pygaea) is a genus of colubrid snakes. There are three subspecies:

Subspecies

  • South Florida swamp snake, Liodytes pygaea cyclas Dowling, 1950
  • Carolina swamp snake, Liodytes pygaea paludis Dowling, 1950
  • North Florida swamp snake, Liodytes pygaea pygaea (Cope, 1871)

Geographic range

Swamp snakes are found in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida on the east coast of the United States. They prefer swampland habitat that is heavily vegetated.

Description

They are small, thin snakes, usually 25–38 cm (10–15 in) long; the record size (reported for L. pygaea) was 55 cm (22 in).[2][3] They are uniformly black, with a bright orange or red belly.

Behavior & diet

Black swamp snakes are almost entirely aquatic. They spend most of their time hiding among dense vegetation in tannic cypress swamps. They feed on small fish, tadpoles, frogs, salamanders, sirens, amphiumas, and invertebrates, such as leeches and earthworms.

Reproduction

Black swamp snakes are ovoviviparous, giving birth to live young directly in shallow water. Unlike many snakes, females feed actively while gravid, suggesting that they may pass nutrients directly on to the young. Broods of 11 to 13 have been observed.[4] Newborns are 11–14 cm (4¼-5⅜ in.).[5]

References

  1. ↑ Hammerson, G.A. 2016. Liodytes pygaea. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T63916A90084285. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T63916A90084285.en. Downloaded on 06 October 2018.
  2. ↑ Conant, Roger. 1975. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin. Boston.
  3. ↑
  4. ↑ Schmidt, K.P. and D.D. Davis. 1941. Field Book of Snakes of the United States and Canada. G.P. Putnam's Sons. New York.
  5. ↑ Conant, Roger. 1975. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin. Boston.
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