A medium-large non-venomous snake with distinctive black-and-red coloration. Specializes on giant siren salamanders.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The mud snake is a species of nonvenomous, semiaquatic, colubrid snake endemic to the southeastern United States.
Source: Wikipedia — Mud snake Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Slender black snake with bright red banded pattern across body; smooth scales.
Similar species. Coral Snake (red touches yellow; venomous). Milk Snake (different range edge).
Voice. Hisses.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Aquatic salamanders (sirens, amphiumas — major specialty), occasional small fish.
Behavior. Aquatic snake of southeastern wetlands. Distinctive black-and-red pattern is aposematic warning. Specializes on giant salamanders.
§ Range
Southeastern US
§ Habitat
Swamps, bottomland lakes, sloughs
§ Threats
Wetland loss, persecution.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the mud snake is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Don't kill snakes. Maintain swampy habitats.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Mud snake
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Farancia abacura
- IUCN Red List · taxon 63806
- iNaturalist · taxon 29488
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Farancia abacura
§ Sources cited
- Davidson College Department of Biology
- IUCN Red List 2007
