A Guide To Missouri's Snakes - Missouri Department Of .
A GUIDE TO MISSOURI’SSNAKESM I S S O U R I D E PA R T M E N T O F C O N S E R VAT I O N
A Guide to Missouri’s Snakesby Jeffrey T. Briggler, herpetologist, and Tom R. Johnson, retired herpetologist,Missouri Department of ConservationPhotographs by Jeffrey T. Briggler, Richard Daniel, Tom R. Johnson, and Jim RathertEdited by Larry ArcherDesign by Susan FerberFront cover: Eastern milksnake. Photo by Jim Rathert.mdc.mo.govCopyright 2017 by the Conservation Commission of the State of MissouriPublished by the Missouri Department of ConservationPO Box 180, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102–0180Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from programs of the Missouri Department of Conservation is available to all individuals without regard to their race, color,religion, national origin, sex, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, veteran status,or disability. Questions should be directed to the Department of Conservation, PO Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102, 573-751-4115 (voice) or800-735-2966 (TTY), or to Chief, Public Civil Rights, Office of CivilRights, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW,Washington, D.C. 20240.
GET TO KNOWMISSOURI’S SNAKESSnakes have generated more fear and misunderstanding than anyother group of animals. Psychologists have proven that a fear ofsnakes (called ophidiophobia) is acquired; we are not born with it.Once people learn some of the interesting facts about snakes anddiscover that most of them are harmless and beneficial, their aversionmay diminish. With patience and understanding, almost anyone canovercome a dread of snakes and actually enjoy studying them. Onething is certain — even people with a well-developed fear of snakesare curious about them.Missouri, with its wide variety of wildlife habitats — prairies, Ozarkhills and valleys, swamps, marshes — has 49 species and subspeciesof snakes (a subspecies is a geographic race of a species). Most of oursnakes are harmless. Although many may bite in self-defense, theirbites usually produce nothing more than harmless scratches. Thereare only six species of venomous snakes in all of Missouri, and they aredescribed in a separate section of this pamphlet.Snakes are members of the Class Reptilia, a groupthat also includes turtles, alligators, crocodiles,and lizards. Snakes and lizards are similar inmany ways, but there are some important differences. A clear, non-movablescale covers the eyes of all snakes,whereas most lizards have moveable eyelids. Most lizards havelegs, but some are legless. Theslender glass lizard, which livesnearly statewide in Missouri, isan example; it looks like a snakebecause it has no legs, but like all our lizards, the slender glass lizardhas moveable eyelids and external ear openings, both of which arelacking in snakes. In addition, lizards have a pair of lungs, while mostsnakes have an elongated right lung and either no left lung or only arudimentary one.Although snakes are legless, they are able to move about with ease. Asnake’s backbone has from 200 to 400 vertebrae, depending on the3
NOPPODOL PAOTHONGSnakes must swallowtheir food whole, andsome can engulf animalsthree times the diameterof the snake’s head. Thelower jaws of snakes areloosely joined to theskull and the upper jawsare moveable. A snakegrasps its prey (fish, frog,mouse) by the head andA bullsnake eating a mouse.engulfs it by advancingfirst one side of the jawand then the other. The snake’s teeth also help it swallow. The teethare sharp and curve toward the rear of the mouth. They hold the preyand prevent its escape. Some snakes, such as watersnakes and gartersnakes, eat their prey alive, while venomous snakes usually injectvenom into the animal and swallow it after it is dead. Several Missourisnakes, such as ratsnakes, kingsnakes, milksnakes, and bullsnakes, killby constriction. The snake grasps the prey in its mouth and immediately wraps several tight coils around it. It was once believed thatconstriction prevented the prey from breathing, and it would die fromlack of oxygen.However, recentresearch shows thatconstriction stops bloodflow and causes heartfailure in prey. Then thesnake swallows its prey.An Eastern gartersnake picks up a scent with its tongue.4The snake’s long,forked, extendabletongue is often thoughtto be dangerous; in fact,it is completely harmless. Snakes and lizardsuse their tongues toTOM R. JOHNSONspecies, which permits extreme flexibility. Snakes move forward bya side-to-side movement, or in a straight line using muscles that areanchored to the ribs and attached to skin, allowing forward movement.Sometimes this movement is described as walking on their ribs. Allsnakes can swim.
pick up odors that are transferred to special sense organs (Jacobson’sorgan) in the roof of the mouth.All snakes shed their outerlayer of skin periodic s usuallyshed once every four or fiveweeks during warm months,whereas adults may shedonce every six or eight weeksduring their active season.In the case of rattlesnakes,A Prairie kingsnake shedding its skin.a new segment is added atthe base of the rattle at eachshedding. In Missouri, rattlesnakes may shed from two to five times ayear, depending on their growth rate. As the rattle becomes longer,the old segments weaken and may break off, so it is not possible todetermine the age of a rattlesnake by counting the segments in therattle.In Missouri, snakes normally breed in the spring, soon after theyemerge from winterdormancy. Studies show,however, that a fewspecies may breed inthe fall. About half ofMissouri’s snake specieslay eggs; the rest givebirth to fully developedyoung.Some of the egg-layingsnakes include westernratsnakes, bullsnakes,kingsnakes, racers,wormsnakes, ring-TOM R. JOHNSONTOM R. JOHNSONThe food habits of Missouri’s snakes are as varied as the types ofsnakes we have. Some, such as the rough greensnake, eat insects andinsect larvae. Others, like watersnakes, eat fish, frogs, tadpoles, orcrayfish. The western ratsnake and bullsnake eat rodents, small birds,and small bird eggs. Kingsnakes also eat rodents and are importantpredators of lizards and othersnakes, including venomousspecies.A rough greensnake emerges from its egg.5
Some of the snakes that retain their young until they are completelydeveloped are watersnakes, gartersnakes, brownsnakes, copperheads,cottonmouths, andrattlesnakes. Thisform of reproduction is slightlyadvanced over egglayers. The youngsnakes are retainedand protectedinside the femaleduring their development. Eachyoung snake isprotected inside aNewborn diamond-backed watersnakesthin, sac-likeemerging from their sac-like membranes.membrane containing yolk for nourishment. Some of the young snakes break through themembrane while inside the female and emerge from the female in atight coil; others break through after being born. Snakes that developinside the female are normally born in mid to late summer.The smallest snake native to Missouri is the flat-headed snake (Tantillagracilis), which averages from 7 to 8 inches (18–20 cm) long. The largest is the bullsnake (Pituophis catenifer sayi), which can grow to over 6feet.6TOM R. JOHNSONnecked snakes, and rough greensnakes. The size of the egg dependson the species; the number of eggs produced depends on the size ofthe female. The larger the female, the more eggs she can produce.Snake eggs are elongated and have a tough, leathery shell. Femalesselect rotten logs or stumps, leaf litter or sawdust piles in which todeposit their eggs. As a young snake develops within the egg, a small“egg tooth” grows on the tip of its snout; the snake uses this “tooth”to slit the shell when hatching. Afterwards, the “tooth” is shed. Snakesusually hatch in late summer or early fall.
SPECIESACCOUNTSNon-venomous SnakesFor more details, visit mdc.mo.gov/field-guide.7
Western WormsnakeCarphophis vermisAbout: This species is never seen in theopen; it either hides under rocks, logs, orboards, or burrows into damp soil or leaflitter. Wormsnakes mainly live on woodedhillsides.Description: This species is usuallypurplish-brown above and salmon pinkon the belly and lower sides. The tail hasan interesting (and harmless) spike, whichalso helps it maneuver through soil.Length: Ranges from 7 to 11 inches (18–28 cm).Diet: Earthworms, and insect larvae and eggs.TOM R. JOHNSONMissouri Distribution: Statewide, except for extreme southeasterncorner and a few counties in the north-central part of the state.8
Rare SpeciesNorthern ScarletsnakeCemophora coccinea copeiAbout: One of Missouri’s mostbrilliantly colored snakes, the northernscarletsnake is extremely rare to find.This secretive snake spends much of itslife underground, surfacing primarily tofeed. It is named for the red or crimsonblotches along the back.Description: It is similar in pattern andcolor to the Eastern milksnake, but instead has a red or orange snoutand a spotless, white belly.Length: Ranges from 14 to 20 inches (36–51 cm).Diet: Eggs of other reptiles, and occasionally rodents, lizards, andsmall snakes.TOM R. JOHNSONMissouri Distribution: Scattered counties in south-central andsouthern parts of the state.9
Rare SpeciesKirtland’s SnakeClonophis kirtlandiiAbout: This small, hard to find, andpoorly known species occurs in only afew Midwestern states. The Kirtland’ssnake uses mainly crayfish burrows ingrassland habitats that are damp andadjacent to a river, creek, or wetland. Dueto loss of native grasslands, this speciesis extremely rare in the state.Description: Reddish brown with tworows of dark spots along each side and a pink to red belly with a rowof black spots on each side.Length: Ranges from 14 to 18 inches (36–46 cm).Diet: Earthworms and slugs, and occasionally crayfish and smallminnows.JEFFREY T. BRIGGLERMissouri Distribution: Restricted to a few counties along theMississippi River in the northeast corner of the state.10
Eastern Yellow-bellied RacerColuber constrictor flaviventrisAbout: Also known as the blue racer,the eastern yellow-bellied racer prefersbushy fields, grasslands, and openwoods. This species is active by day andwill take shelter under rocks, brush, or inanimal burrows if pursued. As the nameimplies, racers can move fast, especiallythrough tall grass or brush. As withmany of our harmless snakes, a racer willsometimes vibrate its tail when alarmed.Description: The color of this common snake is variable — fromolive, tan, brown, or blue to nearly black. The belly may be yellow,cream or light blue-gray. Young racers are clearly marked with brownblotches and spots (see inset), but these markings fade and eventuallydisappear as the young snakes grow.Length: Ranges from 30 to 50 inches (76–127 cm).Diet: Frogs, lizards, snakes, small rodents, and birds.TOM R. JOHNSONMissouri Distribution: Statewide, replaced by the southern black racer(Coluber constrictor priapus) — a subspecies — in southeastern Missouri. 11
Eastern CoachwhipColuber flagellum flagellumAbout: This is one of Missouri’s longestsnakes. The eastern coachwhip lives onrocky, wooded, south-facing hillsides,open woods, and prairies. Becauseit is fast-moving and thrashes aboutwhen captured, some people believecoachwhips can whip a person to death.This is a myth. The coachwhip will biteto defend itself and may vibrate its tailwhen alarmed.Description: It is dark brown or black from the head and back overhalf the length of the snake. The rest of the snake is tan or light brown.Occasionally, some individuals in our area are totally black or havewide pinkish bands along the dark body.Length: Averages from 42 to 60 inches (107–152 cm).Diet: Mice, insects, lizards, small snakes, and, occasionally, small birds.Eastern coachwhiphatchling 12TOM R. JOHNSONMissouri Distribution: Southern half of the state except for thesoutheastern corner.
Prairie Ring-necked SnakeDiadophis punctatus arnyiAbout: Prairie ring-necked snakes preferto live on rocky, wooded hillsides, butcan be found in grasslands and edges ofwoodlands. These snakes are secretiveand not only take shelter under rocks, butalso find prey there.Description: Ring-necked snakes areeasily recognizable by their small size,uniform dark color on the back, bright yellow-orange belly and distinctyellow ring around the neck. The back can be dark brown, gray orblue-black. The belly is yellow, changing to orange near the tail. Thebelly also has small, black spots that are irregular in size and pattern.Length: Ranges from 10 to 14 inches (25–36 cm).Diet: Worms, slugs, soft-bodied insects, and small salamanders.JEFFREY T. BRIGGLERMissouri Distribution: Nearly statewide, but likely replaced by theMississippi ring-necked snake (Diadophis punctatus stictogenys) — asubspecies — in the southeastern portion of its state range.13
Rare SpeciesWestern MudsnakeFarancia abacura reinwardtiiAbout: Also known locally as the hoopsnake, the western mudsnake lives inand near the large swamps in the southeastern corner of the state. According tomyth, this species can place its tail in itsmouth and roll downhill at high speed.There is no scientific basis to this myth.Description: This is a shiny, iridescentsnake of the southeastern swamps. It isshiny black on top, and the belly is red, pink, and orange with some blackspots. The tail of most specimens ends in a sharp point, which is harmless.Length: Ranges from 40 to 54 inches (102–137 cm).Diet: Mudsnakes have specialized food habits; primarily, they eataquatic salamanders such as the three-toed amphiuma and westernlesser siren. Mudsnakes also eat frogs, tadpoles, and fish.TOM R. JOHNSONMissouri Distribution: Restricted to the southeastern corner of the state.14
Rare SpeciesDusty Hog-nosed SnakeHeterodon gloydiAbout: This species is found in the sandy orloose prairie and savanna soils in southeastern Missouri. This species has always beenquite rare in Missouri, but was only recentlyrediscovered in the state. This snake isextremely similar in appearance to theplains hog-nosed snake and mainly identified to species based upon geographicalrange in Missouri (see distribution).Description: The dusty hog-nosed snake has a sharply upturnedsnout, similar to a shovel, used to dig in loose or sandy soils. It isbrown to brownish gray with dark brown spots along the body, andthe belly and underside of the tail are chiefly black.Length: Ranges from 15 to 25 inches (38–64 cm).Diet: Amphibians (frogs and toads), lizards, reptile eggs (snakes andlizards), and small rodents.JIM RATHERTMissouri Distribution: Restricted to the sand prairie and savannaareas of southeastern Missouri.15
Likely ExtirpatedPlains Hog-nosed SnakeHeterodon nasicusAbout: This species is restricted tosandy, loose prairie soils. Its shovel-likesnout is used to dig out prey, which itdetects by smell, or to burrow to hidefrom predators. Like other hog-nosedsnakes, this species is known to playdead in self-defense. This species has notbeen seen in the state for many years.Description: This species is grayish-tanwith rows of dark brown spots along the body, and a sharply upturnedsnout. The belly and especially the underside of the tail are mainlyblack. The plains hog-nosed snake and dusty hog-nosed snake differsfrom the eastern hog-nosed snake by having a sharply upturned snoutand black pigment on the underside of the tail.Length: Ranges from 16 to 25 inches (41–64 cm).Diet: Primarily toads, snakes, and lizard eggs, with a secondary diet ofsmall rodents.TOM R. JOHNSONMissouri Distribution: Historically known to occur in the loess hillprairies in extreme northwestern counties.16
Eastern Hog-nosed SnakeHeterodon platirhinosAbout: Also known locally as the spreadhead, puff adder, and hissing viper, theeastern hog-nosed snake’s preferredhabitat is sandy areas or open woodswith loose soil. This harmless snake hasthe ability to hiss loudly and spread itsneck like a cobra. If this defense fails toward off an enemy, the snake may thrasharound, open its mouth, roll over, andplay dead.Description: A snake with an upturned snout, the eastern hog-nosedsnake normally is gray-brown or tan with distinct dark brown markingsdown its back. However, it is not uncommon for individuals to be yellowor orange. Also, some individuals lack most of the spots, except for twolarge black spots behind the head. The belly is mottled with gray.Length: Ranges from 20 to 33 inches (51–84 cm).Diet: Toads, frogs, and salamanders.TOM R. JOHNSONMissouri Distribution: Statewide.17
Prairie KingsnakeLampropeltis calligastercalligasterAbout: The prairie kingsnake is fairlycommon throughout the state. It livesin prairies and open woods, as well asrocky, wooded hillsides. Kingsnakeskill their prey by constriction. Youngor newly hatched prairie kingsnakesoften are confused with the venomouscopperhead. Kingsnakes have round torectangular markings on their back (see inset), while copperheads havehourglass-shaped markings.Description: Its overall color is tan or gray with numerous darkblotches down the back and sides that are outlined in black. There isusually a “v” or “u” shaped marking on top of the head. The belly isyellowish tan covered by blocky, brown markings.Length: Ranges from 30 to 42 inches (76–107 cm).Diet: Small rodents, lizards, snakes, and, occasionally, birds.Missouri Distribution: Statewide.TOM R. JOHNSON Prairie kingsnakehatchling18
Speckled KingsnakeLampropeltis holbrookiAbout: Also known locally as the salt andpepper snake, the speckled kingsnakecan be found under rocks, logs, orboards on rocky, wooded hillsidesor near farm buildings. Kingsnakes,especially the speckled kingsnake,are known for their ability to eat othersnakes, including venomous species,and are immune to the venom ofcopperheads, cottonmouths and rattlesnakes. Like other kingsnakes,the speckled kingsnake vibrates its tail when alarmed.Description: This handsome snake is generally black. A white or yellowspot in the center of most of the scales causes it to look speckled. Itsbelly is yellowish with some irregular black markings.Length: Ranges from 36 to 48 inches (91–122 cm).Diet: Snakes, lizards, and small rodents.TOM R. JOHNSONMissouri Distribution: Statewide.19
Eastern MilksnakeLampropeltis triangulumAbout: Also known locally as the redmilksnake, the eastern milksnake was sonamed for the myth that it had the abilityto nurse milk from cows. This specieslives under rocks on wooded, rockyhillsides and glades. It kills its prey byconstriction.Description: This is one of Missouri’smost beautifully colored snakes. Itsgeneral body color is white or light tan with red or orange markingsbordered with black, and its belly is white and strongly checked withblack. The eastern milksnake often is misidentified as a coralsnake,which is not found in Missouri. Coralsnakes have red bands borderedby yellow.Length: Ranges from 21 to 28 inches (53–71 cm).Diet: Lizards, small mice, and small snakes.TOM R. JOHNSONMissouri Distribution: Statewide.20
Eastern Black KingsnakeLampropeltis nigraAbout: This species can be found inopen woodlands and dry, rocky hills.It was known to occur east of theMississippi River, and recently individualswere discovered west of the MississippiRiver in southeastern Missouri.Description: This species is similar to thespeckled kingsnake, with white to yellowdots on a black body. However, the eastern black kingsnake patternis very faint or incomplete with white or yellow dots and in someindividuals the pattern can be a faint chainlike marking along the side.Length: Ranges from 36 to 45 inches (90–114 cm).Diet: Lizards, other snakes (including venomous snakes), and smallrodents.RICHARD DANIELMissouri Distribution: Restricted to the southeastern corner of thestate.21
Likely ExtirpatedMississippi Green WatersnakeNerodia cyclopionAbout: This semi-aquatic, heavy-bodiedsnake was once somewhat commonin southeastern Missouri, but is nowquite rare. Due to drastic reductionsin native cypress swamps, this speciesis endangered in Missouri and has notbeen seen in the state for many years.Watersnakes bite viciously to defendthemselves and also secrete a strongsmelling musk from glands at the base of the tail.Description: It is greenish-brown with numerous small, obscure brownmarkings and a dark gray belly with numerous, yellow half-moonshaped markings.Length: Ranges from 30 to 45 inches (76–114 cm).Diet: Fish, salamanders, frogs, and crayfish.TOM R. JOHNSONMissouri Distribution: Restricted to the southeastern corner of thestate.22
Plain-bellied WatersnakeNerodia erythrogasterAbout: Also known locally as the yellowbellied watersnake, this species is foundin river bottoms, swamps, sloughs, lakes,and ponds where it can be found baskingon overhanging branches or logs in thewater. Like other species of watersnakes,plain-bellied watersnakes give birth tolive young.Description: The plain-bellied watersnake is mainly gray or greenishwith little or no pattern and a belly that is typically plain yellow oroccasionally orange.Length: Ranges from 30 to 48 inches (76–122 cm).Diet: Fish, amphibians, and crayfish.TOM R. JOHNSONMissouri Distribution: Lives throughout southeastern Missouri,north along the Mississippi River floodplain, and in southwestern andwestern Missouri.23
Broad-banded WatersnakeNerodia fasciata confluensAbout: They often are seen baskingon logs or among branches above thewater in cypress swamps, river sloughs,or oxbow lakes. Like other watersnakes,broad-banded watersnakes often aremistaken for western cottonmouthsand needlessly killed. Watersnakes biteviciously to defend themselves and alsosecrete a strong-smelling musk fromglands at the base of the tail.Description: The broad-banded watersnake is a beautiful, semiaquatic snake named for its broad, irregular shaped bands alongthe back. These bands can be brown, red-brown, or black, and areseparated by yellow and gray.Length: Ranges from 22 to 36 inches (56–91 cm).Diet: Fish, frogs, toads, and tadpoles.TOM R. JOHNSONMissouri Distribution: Restricted to the southeastern corner of the state.24
Diamond-backed WatersnakeNerodia rhombiferAbout: Of the five species of watersnakesnative to Missouri, the diamond-backedwatersnake is the largest. Diamond-backedwatersnakes may live along slow-movingrivers, but more commonly are seen alongriver sloughs, oxbow lakes, and swamps.Description: The common name is derivedfrom the light areas along the snake’sback, which may be shaped like diamonds. Its overall color may be lightbrown or dull yellow, with dark brown markings on the sides and back,and two rows of dark brown half-moon shaped markings bordering itsyellow belly. Similar to other watersnake species, the scales along itsbody have keels, which cause watersnakes to feel rough.Length: Ranges from 30 to 48 inches (76–122 cm).Diet: Fish, frogs, and toads.TOM R. JOHNSONMissouri Distribution: Absent from the Ozarks; common insoutheastern corner, north along the Mississippi River floodplain, andin northern and western Missouri.25
Northern WatersnakeNerodia sipedon sipedonAbout: Also known locally as thebanded watersnake, the northernwatersnake is Missouri’s most commonspecies of watersnake. It lives in ornear any aquatic habitat: ponds, lakes,sloughs, streams, rivers, and marshes.Although watersnakes will bite to defendthemselves, their bite is harmless. Likeother watersnakes, northern watersnakesoften are mistaken for western cottonmouths and needlessly killed.Description: A gray to reddish-brown snake with dark brown crossbands, its belly is cream-colored with numerous black and reddishhalf-moon markings. The scales along its back and sides are keeled.Length: Ranges from 24 to 42 inches (61–107 cm).Diet: Fish, frogs, tadpoles, toads, and salamanders.TOM R. JOHNSONMissouri Distribution: Statewide. Northern watersnakes are foundthroughout the western and northern two-thirds of the state. Asubspecies, the midland watersnake (Nerodia sipedon pleuralis), livesin the southern and eastern third of the state.26
Rough GreensnakeOpheodrys aestivusAbout: This is a long and slender snakeoften seen in the Ozarks. This species isactive by day and lives in bushes, vines,and low-hanging branches of trees nearstreams or lakes. It is often overlookedbecause it blends so well with itsvegetative surroundings.Description: It is light green above andhas a white or yellowish belly. Scales on its back have small ridges orkeels.Length: Ranges from 22 to 32 inches (56–81 cm).Diet: Spiders, and soft-bodied insects — especially grasshoppers,crickets, and caterpillars.TOM R. JOHNSONMissouri Distribution: Throughout the southern two-thirds of thestate.27
Likely ExtirpatedSmooth GreensnakeOpheodrys vernalisAbout: This gentle snake lives in grassymeadows in the northern half of thestate. This harmless snake will struggleto escape, but seldom attempts to bitewhen handled. Due to habitat destruction and insecticide use, smooth greensnakes have not been seen in the statefor many years. Upon death both speciesof greensnakes will turn a pale blue.Description: This species differs from the rough greensnake by havingsmooth scales, a smaller size, and a more northern distribution inMissouri.Length: Ranges from 14 to 20 inches (36–51 cm).Diet: Insects, spiders, and slugs.TOM R. JOHNSONMissouri Distribution: Scattered counties in the northern half of thestate.28
Great Plains RatsnakePantherophis emoryiAbout: This species is a member of theratsnake group and is seldom seen.It lives in open, rocky, wooded hillsides, where it ventures out at nightto feed. Like other ratsnakes, GreatPlains ratsnakes vibrate their tails whenalarmed. They will bite to defend themselves, but the bite is harmless.Description: This snake has numerous brown blotches along the body,a brown eye stripe, and a spear-point marking on top of the head. Thebelly is white and covered with small, squarish black markings.Length: Ranges from 24 to 36 inches (61–91 cm).Diet: Rodents, bats, and small birds.TOM R. JOHNSONMissouri Distribution: Mainly wooded areas in the southern half ofthe state and along Missouri River counties, excluding southeasterncounties.29
Western RatsnakePantherophis obsoletusAbout: Also known locally as the blacksnake, the western ratsnake is one of ourlargest common snakes. Western ratsnakeslive in a wide variety of habitats: rocky,wooded hillsides, wooded areas alongrivers, and in or near farm buildings. Thisspecies is well known for its ability to climbtrees. They kill their prey by constriction.Farmers are well aware of the value ofratsnakes in controlling destructive rodents.Description: It is generally shiny black, but some individuals show darkbrown blotches. The skin between the scales along the sides may bered, and the belly is mottled with gray or may be checkered with black.Young of this species are light gray with dark brown or black markings(see inset), but after a year or two of growth, the color normally willchange to a more uniform black.Length: Ranges from 42 to 72 inches (107–183 cm).Diet: Rodents, birds, and bird eggs.Missouri Distribution: Statewide, but shows some indication ofbeing replaced by the gray ratsnake (Pantherophis spiloides) in thesoutheastern corner.TOM R. JOHNSON Western ratsnake hatchling30
Rare SpeciesWestern FoxsnakePantherophis ramspottiAbout: This is a marsh-dwelling member ofthe ratsnake group. The species is believedto be an inhabitant of open grasslands andborders of woods. In Missouri, the foxsnakehas been found near large, naturalmarshes, but it is not a common snake.Foxsnakes kill their prey by constriction,vibrate their tail when alarmed, and willbite to defend themselves.Description: General color is yellowish, greenish-brown or tan, with anaverage of 37 large brown blotches on the back and smaller ones onthe sides. The head of foxsnakes may show some orange color, whichmight cause them to be misidentified as a copperhead. Belly color isnormally yellow, marked with a distinct black, checkered pattern.Length: Ranges from 36 to 54 inches (91–137 cm).Diet: Small rodents, birds, and bird eggs.JEFFREY T. BRIGGLERMissouri Distribution: Restricted to a few counties in thenorthwestern corner of the state.31
Rare SpeciesEastern FoxsnakePantherophis vulpinusAbout: This snake is extremely similarin appearance to the western foxsnakeand mainly identified to species basedupon geographical range in Missouri (seedistribution). This species is mainly aninhabitant of grasslands, scrub brush andborders of woods, and along edges ofagriculture fields that adjoin wet prairiesand marshes. Foxsnakes kill their prey byconstriction.Description: It averages 43 dark blotches on the back and sides witha brown to reddish brown head. Its belly is yellowish with a prominentdark, checkered pattern.Length: Ranges from 36 to 54 inches (91–137 cm).Diet: Rodents, occasionally birds, and bird eggs.TOM R. JOHNSONMissouri Distribution: Restricted to a few counties along theMississippi River floodplain north from St. Louis.32
Rare SpeciesBullsnakePituophis catenifer sayiAbout: The bullsnake is Missouri’s largestsnake. Commonly considered a prairiespecies, it may also be found in openareas along the border of the Ozarks.Bullsnakes take shelter in large clumpsof grass or mammal burrows. This largesnake may hiss loudly and vibrate its tailwhen alarmed. This species is extremelyvaluable in controlling destructiverodents. Bullsnakes kill their prey by constriction.Description: It is tan or cream colored with numerous, large, brown orblack blotches. The tail may have light and dark bands. Often a darkline angles from the eye down to the jaw. The belly is yellow or creamcolored, with dark brown or black spots along the sides.Length: Ranges from 37 to 72 inches (94–183 cm).Diet: Small mammals, especially rodents, as well as birds and bird eggs.TOM R. JOHNSONMissouri Distribution: Most common along the western grasslandareas of the state with scattered locations throughout the Ozarks andnorthern Missouri.33
Graham’s Crayfish SnakeRegina graham
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Coventry Health Care of Missouri (Merged with Aetna) – Eastern Missouri Provider Relations Representative 800.755.3901 Coventry Health Care of Missouri (Merged with Aetna) – Western Missouri Leon Nelson, Provider Relations Representative 913.202.6117 LNelson@aetna.com Cox Health
Oct 10, 2014 · The Missouri Teacher Standards and Quality Indicators DRAFT (October 10, 2014) Missouri Initial Professional Education Competencies (MIPEC) The Missouri Initial Professional Education Competencies (MIPEC) are the expectations that aspiring teacher candidates must meet prior to being admitted into any teacher education program in Missouri.
Missouri is comprised of 114 counties and the independent City of St. Louis. Except for two counties in the Kansas City metropolitan area and Cole County in central Missouri, all Missouri counties qualify directly, or have institutions that qualify, as a primary care HPSA.3 According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, Missouri
