Types of Black Snakes

The adult black pine is the only melanistic pine snake. They range in coloration from an overall black and brown banded snake to a nearly jet-black animal. The browner ones seem to retain a little of their juvenile pattern and get blacker the more anteriorly you look.

Black Swamp Snake (Seminatrix pygaea) Photos by J.D. Willson unless otherwise noted Description: Black swamp snakes are fairly small (to 22 in – 55 cm), highly aquatic snakes that are glossy black with bright red bellies.

The mud snake usually grows to a total length (including tail) of 40 to 54 inches (1-1.4 m), with the record total length being slightly over 80 inches (2 m). The upperside of the mud snake is glossy black.

eastern ratsnake is shaped similar to that of a loaf of bread. Defensive Behaviors. As with all our native snakes the eastern ratsnake would rather flee than fight. However, if the snake feels cornered it will bite. In an effort to appear more formidable, the eastern ratsnake distort the shape and size of its head when threatened.

Scientific research is lacking for the ring-necked snake, and more in-depth investigations are greatly needed. It is the only species within the genus Diadophis, and currently 14 subspecies are identified, but many herpetologists question the morphologically based classifications.