Alternate Name(s):

Ringneck Snake

Venom Status:

Non Venomous

Characteristics:

Except for 2 subspecies, the 12 subspecies of ring-necked snakes in the USA are little grayish to black snakes that may be immediately identified to genus by the presence of complete or partial bright orange neck rings. Of the 2 holdouts one, a large subspecies from our southwestern arid lands may or may not have a ring and the 2nd, the Key ring-neck, from Florida, also may or may not have a ring but it is a tiny subspecies. 4 subspecies occur in the southeast. Although adult at only 12 to 16 inches, this is actually one of the larger subspecies. The documented record was 27 11/16 inches long. This subspecies has a slate gray dorsum and its orange venter is usually unpatterned but may have a broken row of tiny black spots along the center of the ventral scutes. The neck ring is usually complete (uninterrupted vertebral). Oviparous. Hatchlings are about 4 inches long. Scales are in 15 to 17 rows.

Unique Features:

This subspecies usually has a plain orange belly and a complete neck ring. The ring-necks, as a group, are rear-fanged snakes that produce a venom designed to overcome their prey.

Geographic Range:

GA, SC, AL, NC, TN, KY, VA, WV, RI, NY, NH, VT, CT, IL, IN, ME, MD, MA, MN, MI, NJ, OH, WI, PA