Snakes
Alabama is home to sixty-six known snake species and subspecies. There are eleven venomous snake species and subspecies found in the state. The remaining fifty-five species and subspecies are all non-venomous and pose no threat to humans.
| Image | Scientific name | Common name | Family | Venomous | Conservation concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix | southern copperhead | Viperidae | Yes | Lowest | |
| Agkistrodon contortrix mokeson | northern copperhead highland moccasin |
Viperidae | Yes | Lowest | |
| Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti | Florida cottonmouth green-tailed moccasin |
Viperidae | Yes | Lowest | |
| Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma | western cottonmouth water moccasin |
Viperidae | Yes | Lowest | |
| Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus | eastern cottonmouth water moccasin |
Viperidae | Yes | Lowest | |
| Carphophis amoenus amoenus | eastern worm snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest | |
| Carphophis amoenus helenae | midwestern worm snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest | |
| Cemophora coccinea copei | northern scarlet snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest | |
| Coluber constrictor constrictor | northern black racer | Colubridae | No | Low | |
| Coluber constrictor priapus | southern black racer | Colubridae | No | Low | |
| Crotalus adamanteus | eastern diamondback rattlesnake | Viperidae | Yes | High | |
| Crotalus horridus | timber rattlesnake canebrake rattlesnake |
Viperidae | Yes | Low | |
| Diadophis punctatus edwardsii | northern ringneck snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest | |
| Diadophis punctatus punctatus | southern ringneck snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest | |
| Diadophis punctatus stictogenys | Mississippi ringneck snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest | |
| Drymarchon couperi | eastern indigo snake | Colubridae | No | Highest, Possibly extirpated |
|
| Elaphe obsoleta spiloides | gray rat snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest | |
| Farancia abacura abacura | eastern mud snake | Colubridae | No | Low | |
| Farancia abacura reinwardtii | western mud snake | Colubridae | No | Low | |
| Farancia erytrogramma erytrogramma | rainbow snake | Colubridae | No | Highest | |
| Heterodon platirhinos | eastern hognose snake | Colubridae | No | Moderate | |
| Heterodon simus | southern hognose snake | Colubridae | No | Highest, Possibly extirpated |
|
| Lampropeltis calligaster calligaster | prairie kingsnake | Colubridae | No | High | |
| Lampropeltis calligaster rhombomaculata | mole kingsnake | Colubridae | No | Moderate | |
| Lampropeltis elapsoides | scarlet kingsnake | Colubridae | No | Low | |
| Lampropeltis getula getula | eastern kingsnake | Colubridae | No | High | |
| Lampropeltis getula holbrooki | speckled kingsnake | Colubridae | No | High | |
| Lampropeltis nigra | black kingsnake | Colubridae | No | Low | |
| Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum | eastern milk snake | Colubridae | No | Moderate | |
| Lampropeltis triangulum syspila | red milk snake | Colubridae | No | Moderate | |
| Masticophis flagellum flagellum | eastern coachwhip | Colubridae | No | Moderate | |
| Micrurus fulvius | eastern coral snake | Elapidae | Yes | High | |
| Nerodia clarkii clarkii | Gulf salt marsh snake | Colubridae | No | Moderate | |
| Nerodia cyclopion | Mississippi green water snake | Colubridae | No | Moderate | |
| Nerodia erythrogaster erythrogaster | redbelly water snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest | |
| Nerodia erythrogaster flavigaster | yellowbelly water snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest | |
| Nerodia fasciata confluens | broad-banded water snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest | |
| Nerodia fasciata fasciata | southern banded water snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest | |
| Nerodia fasciata pictiventris | Florida banded water snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest | |
| Nerodia floridana | Florida green water snake | Colubridae | No | Moderate | |
| Nerodia rhombifer | diamondback water snake | Colubridae | No | Low | |
| Nerodia sipedon pleuralis | midland water snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest | |
| Nerodia taxispilota | brown water snake | Colubridae | No | Low | |
| Opheodrys aestivus | rough green snake | Colubridae | No | Low | |
| Pantherophis guttatus guttatus | corn snake | Colubridae | No | Moderate | |
| Pantherophis obsoletus | black rat snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest | |
| Pituophis melanoleucus lodingi | black pine snake | Colubridae | No | Highest | |
| Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus | northern pine snake | Colubridae | No | High | |
| Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus | Florida pine snake | Colubridae | No | High | |
| Regina rigida sinicola | Gulf crayfish snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest | |
| Regina septemvittata | queen snake | Colubridae | No | Moderate | |
| Rhadinaea flavilata | pine woods snake | Colubridae | No | Moderate | |
| Seminatrix pygaea pygaea | North Florida swamp snake | Colubridae | No | High | |
| Sistrurus miliarius barbouri | dusky pigmy rattlesnake Florida ground rattlesnake |
Viperidae | Yes | Moderate | |
| Sistrurus miliarius miliarius | Carolina pigmy rattlesnake ground rattlesnake |
Viperidae | Yes | Moderate | |
| Sistrurus miliarius streckeri | western pigmy rattlesnake ground rattlesnake |
Viperidae | Yes | Moderate | |
| Storeria dekayi dekayi | northern brown snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest | |
| Storeria dekayi limnetes | marsh brown snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest | |
| Storeria dekayi wrightorum | midland brown snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest | |
| Storeria occipitomaculata occipitomaculata | northern redbelly snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest | |
| Tantilla coronata | southeastern crown snake | Colubridae | No | Low | |
| Thamnophis sauritus sauritus | eastern ribbon snake | Colubridae | No | Low | |
| Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis | common garter snake | Colubridae | No | Low | |
| Virginia striatula | smooth earth snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest | |
| Virginia valeriae elegans | western earth snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest | |
| Virginia valeriae valeriae | eastern earth snake | Colubridae | No | Lowest |
Read more about this topic: List Of Snakes Of Alabama
Famous quotes containing the word snakes:
“Or driven wild
by snakes that kept the carrots clean,
she butchered snakes and carrots with a hoe.”
—Richard Hugo (1923–1982)
“Granddaddy used to handle snakes in church. Granny drank strychnine. I guess you could say I had a leg up, genetically speaking.”
—Wesley Strick, U.S. screenwriter, and Martin Scorsese. Max Cady (Robert DeNiro)
“See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
—Bible: New Testament, Luke 10:19,20.