Gulf salt marsh snake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gulf salt marsh snake |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Nerodia |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: |
N. c. clarkii
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| Trinomial name | |
| Nerodia clarkii clarkii Baird & Girard, 1853
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The Gulf salt marsh snake (Nerodia clarkii clarkii) is a special type of snake. It is a subspecies of the N. clarkii snake. You can find this snake in the southeastern United States.
This snake is not venomous, so it is not harmful to people. It lives in salty coastal areas. These places include salt marshes and brackish estuaries. You can find them along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, from Florida to Texas.
What Does the Gulf Salt Marsh Snake Look Like?
The Gulf salt marsh snake is a medium-sized water snake. It has a fairly strong body. Adult snakes are usually about 38 to 51 centimeters (15 to 20 inches) long. The longest one ever found was 91.4 centimeters (36 inches) long!
The colors of these snakes can be different. Most adult snakes have a back that is dark gray to reddish-brown. They also have four yellowish stripes running down their body. There are two stripes on each side. Their belly is dark gray or reddish-brown. It often has one to three rows of light-colored spots.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
Gulf salt marsh snakes become old enough to have babies when they are three years old. The females give birth to live young. They do not lay eggs.
A female snake can have anywhere from 2 to 44 baby snakes at one time. These baby snakes are usually about 17.7 to 22.8 centimeters (7 to 9 inches) long. These snakes can live for up to 20 years.
What Do Gulf Salt Marsh Snakes Eat?
The Gulf salt marsh snake mostly hunts at night. This means it is a nocturnal animal. It likes to eat small fish, crabs, and shrimp.
It also eats other small animals without backbones, called invertebrates. These animals often get stuck in tidal pools when the water goes out at low tide. This makes them easy for the snake to catch.
