Storeria dekayi victa

Florida Brown Snake, Dekay's Brown Snake

Image of Florida Brown Snake
Kenneth L. Krysko photos.

Scientific name: Storeria dekayi victa

Description: Average adult size is 7-10 inches (17.7-25.4 cm), record is 19 inches (48.26 cm). Adults are small, thin, and may be rusty-brown or grayish, with a faint light mid-dorsal stripe and fleckings on the sides. There is a light band across the back of head. There is a dark spot on the upper lip scales under the eye. The belly is tannish to pinkish, with black dots along the edges. The scales are keeled, and there are 15 dorsal scale rows at midbody. The pupil is round.

Kenneth L. Krysko photo. Mother with babies. Juveniles are brownish with a light band across back of head.

Image of top
of Florida brown snake head. Image of
underside of Florida brown snake head.
Florida brown snake: Left to right: Top of the head (notice the large plate-like scales on the top of the head);
underside of the head (chin and throat).

Florida brown snake: Left to right: Side of the head; front (face view) of the head.

Range: In Florida, it is found throught the peninsula and upper keys, there are disjunct populations on the lower keys. Outside of Florida, it is found into southeastern Georgia.

Habitat: Commonly found near hardwood hammocks, pinelands, bogs, marshes, ponds, swamps, and sloughs.

Comments: . The Florida brown snake is a terrestrial burrower, found under logs, rocks, and other debris.

It feeds on slugs, snails, and earthworms, but occasionally eats small fishes, frogs, and salamanders.

It is live-bearing, with 8-9 young born from July-September.

Comparison with other species: The midland brown snake (Storeria dekayi wrightorum) may have dark lines across the back connecting the black spots along the mid-dorsal stripe. The Florida redbelly snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) has a light spot under the eye, a light band across the back of neck (not head), and sometimes a red belly. The southern ringsneck snake (Diadophis punctatus punctatus) is solid grayish-black, with a complete neck ring and black spotted yellow-orange belly.

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