List of snakes of Indiana

Last updated March 24, 2023

All 39 snake taxa^[1] that are known to naturally occur in Indiana^[2]^[3] are tabulated below, along with their population ranges in the state,^[4]^[5] conservation status,^[6]^[7] and level of danger they pose to humans (upon biting them).^[4]

Photo	Scientific Name	Common Name	State Distribution	Conservation Status	Threat to Humans
	Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen	Northern Copperhead	southern 1/2	unknown	moderate
	Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma	Western Cottonmouth	Dubois and Harrison counties	state endangered	high
	Carphophis amoenus helenae	Midwestern Worm Snake	southern 1/2	unknown	minimal
	Cemophora coccinea copei	Northern Scarlet Snake	Floyd county	state endangered	minimal
	Clonophis kirtlandii	Kirtland's Snake	everywhere but southwest	state endangered	minimal
	Coluber constrictor foxii	Blue Racer	northern 2/3	common	minimal
	Coluber constrictor priapus	Southern Black Racer	southern 1/3	common	minimal
	Crotalus horridus	Timber Rattlesnake	southern 1/3	state endangered	very high
	Diadophis punctatus edwardsii	Northern Ringneck Snake	everywhere but central 2/3	uncommon	minimal
	Farancia abacura reinwardtii	Western Mud Snake	southwestern tip	state endangered (extirpated)	minimal
	Heterodon platirhinos	Eastern Hognose Snake	throughout	uncommon	minimal
	Lampropeltis calligaster calligaster	Prairie Kingsnake	southwest, southcentral, and along western border	uncommon	minimal
	Lampropeltis nigra	Black Kingsnake	southwestern 1/3	common	minimal
	Lampropeltis triangulum syspila	Red Milk Snake	southwest	common	minimal
	Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum	Eastern Milk Snake	everywhere but southwest	common	minimal
	Nerodia erythrogaster neglecta	Copperbelly Water Snake	southern 1/3 and northeast corner	state endangered, federally threatened	minimal
	Nerodia rhombifer rhombifer	Northern Diamondback Water Snake	southwestern corner	abundant	minimal
pic unavailable	Nerodia sipedon pleuralis	Midland Water Snake	southern 1/2	common	minimal
	Nerodia sipedon sipedon	Northern Water Snake	throughout	common	minimal
	Opheodrys aestivus aestivus	Northern Rough Green Snake	southern 1/3	special concern	minimal
	Opheodrys vernalis blanchardi	Western Smooth Green Snake	northwest	state endangered	minimal
	Pantherophis obsoletus	Black Rat Snake	throughout	common	minimal
	Pantherophis ramspotti	Western Fox Snake	northwestern corner	uncommon	minimal
	Pantherophis spiloides	Gray Rat Snake	southwestern corner	common	minimal
	Pituophis catenifer sayi	Bullsnake	northwest	uncommon	minimal
	Regina septemvittata	Queen Snake	everywhere but southwestern corner	uncommon	minimal
	Sistrurus catenatus catenatus	Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake	northern 1/3	state endangered, federal candidate	high
	Storeria dekayi dekayi	Northern Brown Snake	northeast corner	abundant	minimal
pic unavailable	Storeria dekayi wrightorum	Midland Brown Snake	throughout	abundant	minimal
	Storeria occipitomaculata occipitomaculata	Northern Redbelly Snake	everywhere but central 2/3	uncommon	minimal
	Tantilla coronata	Southeastern Crowned Snake	Floyd and Clark counties	state endangered	minimal
	Thamnophis butleri	Butler's Garter Snake	northeast	state endangered	minimal
	Thamnophis proximus proximus	Western Ribbon Snake	everywhere but southeast and eastcentral	special concern	minimal
	Thamnophis radix	Plains Garter Snake	northwest	uncommon	minimal
	Thamnophis saurita saurita	Eastern Ribbon Snake	southwest and southcentral	common	minimal
pic unavailable	Thamnophis saurita septentrionalis	Northern Ribbon Snake	northern 2/3	common	minimal
pic unavailable	Thamnophis sirtalis semifasciatus	Chicago Garter Snake	Porter county	unknown	minimal
	Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis	Eastern Garter Snake	throughout	abundant	minimal
pic unavailable	Virginia valeriae elegans	Western Earth Snake	southwestern 1/3	uncommon	minimal

Related Research Articles

Garter snake is a common name for generally harmless, small to medium-sized snakes belonging to the genus Thamnophis in the family Colubridae. Native to North and Central America, species in the genus Thamnophis can be found from the subarctic plains of Canada to Costa Rica.

The smooth green snake is a species of North American nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is also referred to as the grass snake. It is a slender, "small medium" snake that measures 36–51 cm (14–20 in) as an adult. It gets its common name from its smooth dorsal scales, as opposed to the rough green snake, which has keeled dorsal scales. The smooth green snake is found in marshes, meadows, open woods, and along stream edges, and is native to regions of Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. A non-aggressive snake, it seldom bites and usually flees when threatened. It mates in late spring to summer, and females lay their eggs from June to September. Smooth green snakes will often bob their heads in order to mimic vegetation blowing in the wind.

The eastern massasauga is a rattlesnake species found in central and eastern North America from southern Ontario in Canada and throughout the Midwestern and Eastern United States. Like all rattlesnakes, it is a pit viper and is venomous.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timber rattlesnake</span> Species of reptile

The timber rattlesnake, canebrake rattlesnake, or banded rattlesnake is a species of pit viper endemic to eastern North America. Like all other pit vipers, it is venomous, with a very toxic bite. C. horridus is the only rattlesnake species in most of the populous Northeastern United States and is second only to its relatives to the west, the prairie rattlesnake, as the most northerly distributed venomous snake in North America. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Tropidoclonion is a genus of snake in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The genus is monotypic, containing the sole species Tropidoclonion lineatum, commonly known as the lined snake. The species is endemic to North America.

Cemophora coccinea, commonly known as the scarlet snake, is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to the southeastern United States. There are two subspecies of C. coccinea that are recognized as being valid. The Texas scarlet snake was previously considered a subspecies.

The eastern racer is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to North America and Central America. Eleven subspecies, including the nominotypical subspecies, are recognized, which as a group are commonly referred to as the eastern racers. The species is monotypic in the genus Coluber.

<i>Thamnophis saurita</i> Species of snake

Thamnophis saurita, also known as the eastern ribbon snake, common ribbon snake, or simply ribbon snake, is a common species of garter snake native to Eastern North America. It is a non-venomous species of snake in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The ribbon snake averages 16 to 35 inches in total length. It is dark brown with bright yellow stripes. The ribbon snake is not sexually dimorphic; however, females are normally thicker than their male counterparts.

Nerodia rhombifer, commonly known as the diamondback water snake, is a species of nonvenomous natricine colubrid endemic to the central United States and northern Mexico. There are three recognized subspecies of N. rhombifer, including the nominotypical subspecies.

The smooth earth snake is a species of nonvenomous natricine colubrid snake native to the eastern half of the United States.

Storeria dekayi, commonly known as De Kay's brown snake, De Kay's snake, and simply the brown snake, is a small non-venomous species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to North America and Central America.

Butler's garter snake is a species of garter snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to North America.

Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen was formerly a venomous pit viper subspecies found in the eastern United States. However, recent taxonomic changes do not recognize the northern copperhead as a valid taxon.

Kirtland's snake is a threatened or endangered North American species of nonvenomous snake of the subfamily Natricinae, of the family Colubridae. It is the only species in the genus Clonophis.

Lampropeltis getula, commonly known as the eastern kingsnake, common kingsnake, or chain kingsnake, is a harmless colubrid species endemic to the United States and Mexico. It has long been a favorite among collectors. Nine subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.

The southeastern crown snake is a common species of small colubrid snake endemic to the southeastern United States.

The pine woods snake, also commonly known as the yellow-lipped snake or the brown-headed snake, is a species of secretive colubrid found in scattered locations across the south-eastern United States. Rhadinaea flavilata is rear-fanged and mildly-venomous, but not dangerous to humans.

Thamnophis proximus, commonly known as the western ribbon snake, is a species of garter snake in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the western United States, Mexico, and Central America. The species has six recognized subspecies.

The common watersnake is a species of large, nonvenomous, common snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to North America. It is frequently mistaken for the venomous cottonmouth.

The bullsnake is a large, nonvenomous, colubrid snake. It is a subspecies of the gopher snake. The bullsnake is one of the largest/longest snakes of North America and the United States, reaching lengths up to 8 ft.

References

↑ Reptile Database, The Reptile Database, Retrieved April 23, 2013
↑ Conant, Roger, and Collins, Joseph T. (1998). A field guide to reptiles and amphibians: eastern and central North America (4th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin. p.616. ISBN 0395904528
↑ Behler, John L., and King, F. W. (1979). The Audubon Society field guide to North American reptiles and amphibians (Chanticleer Press ed.). New York: Knopf. p.743. ISBN 0394508246
1 2 Minton, Sherman A., Jr. (2001). Amphibians and reptiles of Indiana (Rev. 2nd ed.). Indianapolis: Indiana Academy of Science. p.404. ISBN 1883362105
↑ MacGowan, Brian J., and Kingsbury, Bruce A. (2001). Snakes of Indiana. West Lafayette: Purdue University. p.51. ASIN B0006RR7OY
↑ Reptiles of Indiana Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine , Wildlife Hotline, Retrieved April 23, 2013
↑ Indiana Herp Regulations, Indiana DNR, Retrieved April 23, 2013

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[1] Reptile Database, The Reptile Database, Retrieved April 23, 2013

[2] Conant, Roger, and Collins, Joseph T. (1998). A field guide to reptiles and amphibians: eastern and central North America (4th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin. p.616. ISBN 0395904528

[3] Behler, John L., and King, F. W. (1979). The Audubon Society field guide to North American reptiles and amphibians (Chanticleer Press ed.). New York: Knopf. p.743. ISBN 0394508246

[Minton-4] 1 2 Minton, Sherman A., Jr. (2001). Amphibians and reptiles of Indiana (Rev. 2nd ed.). Indianapolis: Indiana Academy of Science. p.404. ISBN 1883362105

[5] MacGowan, Brian J., and Kingsbury, Bruce A. (2001). Snakes of Indiana. West Lafayette: Purdue University. p.51. ASIN B0006RR7OY

[6] Reptiles of Indiana Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine , Wildlife Hotline, Retrieved April 23, 2013

[7] Indiana Herp Regulations, Indiana DNR, Retrieved April 23, 2013

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