Richard Bartlett photo.

Scientific name: Storeria dekayi limnetes

Description: Average adult size is 9-13 inches (22.8-33 cm), record is 16 inches (40.8 cm). Adults are small, thin, and may be brownish or grayish, with a light mid-dorsal stripe and fleckings on the sides. There is a row of black spots along both sides of the mid-dorsal stripe. There is a horizontal dark line behind the eye, and a light band across the back of head. There are no dark markings on the labial scales. The belly is tannish to pinkish, with black dots along the edges. The scales are keeled, and there are 15-17 dorsal scale rows at midbody. The pupil is round. Juveniles are dark brownish with a light band across back of head.

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

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

Range: In Florida, it is found only in the extreme western panhandle. Outside of Florida, it is found from southern Alabama to southern Texas.

Habitat: Uncommonly found in the western Florida panhandle's estuaries, marshes, and prairies.

Comments: . The marsh brown snake is active during the day, but may be seen at night during warm weather. It is a terrestrial burrower, occasionally found under driftwood along the Gulf coast.

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

It is live-bearing. Breeding occurs in early spring-summer, with 3-18 young born from August-September.

Comparison with other species: The midland brown snake (Storeria dekayi wrightorum) may have the black spots along the mid-dorsal stripe connected across the back, and dark markings on the scales of the upper lip. 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.

Top of this Page — Guide to the Snakes of Florida
Checklist of Florida Amphibians and Reptiles — Florida Herpetology