Ring-necked Snake
(Diadophis punctatus)
Adult from Parke County
Description
A small, darker snake with a yellow belly and band around the neck. Dorsal coloration of this snake is usually bluish gray, with the head a little darker. These snakes have a band of yellow around the neck, with the same color comprising the dorsal coloration. Some individuals have a dark row of dots on the belly, while most have a broken row or none at all. Young Ring-necked Snakes look similar to adults. Adult snakes grow to be around a foot long, with some growing a bit larger. They have 7-8 upper labials and usually 8 lower labials, though 6 or 9 are possible. Ring-necked snakes have 15 scale rows at midbody and a divided anal plate (Minton 2001, 326-327).
Distribution
The potential range for Ring-necked Snakes in Indiana covers most of the state besides the northwest region. However, almost every record is from the southern half of the state, and they are also quite common in west-central Indiana (Minton 2001, 327).
Activity
Ring-necked Snakes can be found from spring to fall, though like most snakes, they are less common in the hotter summer months (Minton 2001, 328).
Taxonomy
There is a single subspecies in Indiana, the Northern Ring-necked Snake (
Diadophis punctatus edwardsi). There are no other species of the genus
Diadophis in Indiana.
Natural History
Ring-necked snakes prefer shaded rocky areas, and are often in moist ravines. Ring-necked Snakes do not tolerate open, dry areas well, and they will disappear from deforested areas. These snakes breed in spring, and eggs hatch in late summer. Ring-necked Snakes are primarily salamander and earthworm eaters, but they are known to occasionally eat small frogs or other snakes (Minton 2001, 327-329).
