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Black swamp snake

December 20, 2023

The black swamp snake (Liodytes pygaea) is a species of snake in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the southeastern United States. There are three subspecies, including the nominotypical subspecies.

Black swamp snake
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Liodytes
Species:
L. pygaea
Binomial name
Liodytes pygaea
(Cope, 1871)
Synonyms[2]
  • Contia pygaea
    Cope, 1871
  • Tropidonotus pygæus
    — Boulenger, 1893
  • Seminatrix pygaea
    — Cope, 1895
  • Liodytes pygaea
    — McVay & Carstens, 2013

Common names edit

Additional common names for L. pygaea include black swampsnake,[3] mud snake,[4] red-bellied mud snake,[5] and swamp snake.[6]

Subspecies edit

The following three subspecies are recognized as being valid.[2]

  • South Florida swamp snake, Liodytes pygaea cyclas (Dowling, 1950)
  • Carolina swamp snake, Liodytes pygaea paludis (Dowling, 1950)
  • North Florida swamp snake, Liodytes pygaea pygaea (Cope, 1871)

Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Liodytes.

Geographic range edit

L. pygaea is found in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida on the east coast of the United States.

Habitat edit

L. pygaea prefers swampland habitat that is heavily vegetated.

Description edit

The black swamp snake is a small, thin snake, usually 25–38 cm (10–15 in) long (including tail); the record size is 55 cm (22 in).[7][8] It is uniformly black on the dorsum, with a bright orange or red belly.

Behavior edit

The black swamp snake is almost entirely aquatic. It spends most of its time hiding among dense vegetation in tannic cypress swamps.

Diet edit

L. pygaea feeds on small fish, tadpoles, frogs, salamanders, sirens, amphiumas, and invertebrates, such as leeches and earthworms.

Reproduction edit

The black swamp snake is ovoviviparous, giving birth to live young directly in shallow water. Unlike many snakes, females feed actively while gravid, suggesting that they may pass nutrients directly on to the young. Broods of 11 to 13 have been observed.[9] Newborns are 11–14 cm (4¼-5⅜ in) long (including tail).[7]

References edit

  1. ^ Hammerson GA (2016). "Liodytes pygaea ". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T63916A90084285. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T63916A90084285.en. Downloaded on 06 October 2018.
  2. ^ a b Species Liodytes pygaea at The Reptile Database . www.reptile-database.org.
  3. ^ Powell, Conant & Collins (2016).
  4. ^ Conant & Bridges (1939).
  5. ^ Wright & Wright (1957).
  6. ^ Behler & King (1979).
  7. ^ a b Conant R (1975). A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. xviii + 429 pp. + Plates 1-48. ISBN 0-395-19979-4 (hardcover), ISBN 0-395-19977-8 (paperback). (Seminatrix pygaea, pp. 152-153 + Plate 22 + Map 112).
  8. ^ "Black Swamp Snake (Seminatrix pygaea)". Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. University of Georgia. [1]
  9. ^ Schmidt, Karl P.; Davis, D. Dwight (1941). Field Book of Snakes of the United States and Canada. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 365 pp., 34 plates, 103 figures. (Seminatrix pygaea, pp. 225-227, Figure 73).

External links edit

  • Florida Museum of Natural History: Online Guide to the Snakes of Florida.
  • "Black Snakes": Identification and Ecology - University of Florida fact sheet.

Further reading edit

  • Behler JL, King FW (1979). The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 743 pp., 657 color plates. ISBN 0-394-50824-6. (Seminatrix pygaea, pp. 652–653 + Plates 487, 494).
  • Boulenger GA (1893). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume I., Containing the Families ... Colubridæ Aglyphæ, part. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 448 pp. + Plates I-XXVIII. (Tropidonotus pygæus, new combination, p. 228).
  • Conant R, Bridges W (1939). What Snake Is That? A Field Guide to the Snakes of the United States East of the Rocky Mountains. (With 108 drawings by Edmond Malnate). New York and London: D. Appleton-Century Company. Frontispiece map + viii + 163 pp. + Plates A-C, 32. (Seminatrix pygaea, pp. 107–108 + Plate 20, figure 59).
  • Cope ED (1871). "Ninth Contribution to the Herpetology of Tropical America". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 23: 200–224. (Contia pygæa, new species, pp. 223–224).
  • Dowling, Herndon G. (1950). "Studies of the black swamp snake, Seminatrix pygaea (Cope), with descriptions of two new subspecies". Miscellaneous Publications, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan (76): 1-38. (Seminatrix pygaea cyclas, new subspecies, pp. 14–17; S. p. paludis, new subspecies, pp. 12–14).
  • McVay, John David; Carstens, Bryan (2013). "Testing monophyly without well-supported gene trees: Evidence from multi-locus nuclear data conflicts with existing taxonomy in the snake tribe Thamnophiini". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 68 (3): 425–431. (Liodytes pygaea, new combination).
  • Powell R, Conant R, Collins JT (2016). Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. xiv + 494 pp., 47 plates, 207 figures. ISBN 978-0-544-12997-9. (Liodytes pygaea, pp. 413–414 + Plate 42).
  • Smith HM, Brodie ED Jr (1982). Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification. New York: Golden Press. 240 pp. ISBN 0-307-13666-3 (paperback), ISBN 0-307-47009-1 (hardcover). (Seminatrix pygaea, pp. 158–159).
  • Stejneger L, Barbour T (1917). A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. 125 pp. (Seminatrix pygaea, p. 97).
  • Wright AH, Wright AA (1957). Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publishing Associates, a Division of Cornell University Press. 1,105 pp. (in two volumes). (Seminatrix pygaea, pp. 662–669, Figures 194–195, Map 50).
  • Zim HS, Smith HM (1956). Reptiles and Amphibians: A Guide to Familiar American Species: A Golden Nature Guide. Revised Edition. New York: Simon and Schuster. 160 pp. (Seminatrix pygaea, pp. 79–80, 156).

December 20, 2023
black, swamp, snake, black, swamp, snake, liodytes, pygaea, species, snake, subfamily, natricinae, family, colubridae, species, endemic, southeastern, united, states, there, three, subspecies, including, nominotypical, subspecies, conservation, statusleast, co. The black swamp snake Liodytes pygaea is a species of snake in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae The species is endemic to the southeastern United States There are three subspecies including the nominotypical subspecies Black swamp snakeConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ReptiliaOrder SquamataSuborder SerpentesFamily ColubridaeGenus LiodytesSpecies L pygaeaBinomial nameLiodytes pygaea Cope 1871 Synonyms 2 Contia pygaea Cope 1871 Tropidonotus pygaeus Boulenger 1893 Seminatrix pygaea Cope 1895 Liodytes pygaea McVay amp Carstens 2013 Contents 1 Common names 2 Subspecies 3 Geographic range 4 Habitat 5 Description 6 Behavior 7 Diet 8 Reproduction 9 References 10 External links 11 Further readingCommon names editAdditional common names for L pygaea include black swampsnake 3 mud snake 4 red bellied mud snake 5 and swamp snake 6 Subspecies editThe following three subspecies are recognized as being valid 2 South Florida swamp snake Liodytes pygaea cyclas Dowling 1950 Carolina swamp snake Liodytes pygaea paludis Dowling 1950 North Florida swamp snake Liodytes pygaea pygaea Cope 1871 Nota bene A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Liodytes Geographic range editL pygaea is found in the states of North Carolina South Carolina Georgia Alabama and Florida on the east coast of the United States Habitat editL pygaea prefers swampland habitat that is heavily vegetated Description editThe black swamp snake is a small thin snake usually 25 38 cm 10 15 in long including tail the record size is 55 cm 22 in 7 8 It is uniformly black on the dorsum with a bright orange or red belly Behavior editThe black swamp snake is almost entirely aquatic It spends most of its time hiding among dense vegetation in tannic cypress swamps Diet editL pygaea feeds on small fish tadpoles frogs salamanders sirens amphiumas and invertebrates such as leeches and earthworms Reproduction editThe black swamp snake is ovoviviparous giving birth to live young directly in shallow water Unlike many snakes females feed actively while gravid suggesting that they may pass nutrients directly on to the young Broods of 11 to 13 have been observed 9 Newborns are 11 14 cm 4 5 in long including tail 7 References edit Hammerson GA 2016 Liodytes pygaea The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e T63916A90084285 https dx doi org 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 1 RLTS T63916A90084285 en Downloaded on 06 October 2018 a b Species Liodytes pygaea at The Reptile Database www reptile database org Powell Conant amp Collins 2016 Conant amp Bridges 1939 Wright amp Wright 1957 Behler amp King 1979 a b Conant R 1975 A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America Second Edition Boston Houghton Mifflin Company xviii 429 pp Plates 1 48 ISBN 0 395 19979 4 hardcover ISBN 0 395 19977 8 paperback Seminatrix pygaea pp 152 153 Plate 22 Map 112 Black Swamp Snake Seminatrix pygaea Savannah River Ecology Laboratory University of Georgia 1 Schmidt Karl P Davis D Dwight 1941 Field Book of Snakes of the United States and Canada New York G P Putnam s Sons 365 pp 34 plates 103 figures Seminatrix pygaea pp 225 227 Figure 73 External links editFlorida Museum of Natural History Online Guide to the Snakes of Florida Black Snakes Identification and Ecology University of Florida fact sheet Further reading editBehler JL King FW 1979 The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians New York Alfred A Knopf 743 pp 657 color plates ISBN 0 394 50824 6 Seminatrix pygaea pp 652 653 Plates 487 494 Boulenger GA 1893 Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum Natural History Volume I Containing the Families Colubridae Aglyphae part London Trustees of the British Museum Natural History Taylor and Francis printers xiii 448 pp Plates I XXVIII Tropidonotus pygaeus new combination p 228 Conant R Bridges W 1939 What Snake Is That A Field Guide to the Snakes of the United States East of the Rocky Mountains With 108 drawings by Edmond Malnate New York and London D Appleton Century Company Frontispiece map viii 163 pp Plates A C 32 Seminatrix pygaea pp 107 108 Plate 20 figure 59 Cope ED 1871 Ninth Contribution to the Herpetology of Tropical America Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 23 200 224 Contia pygaea new species pp 223 224 Dowling Herndon G 1950 Studies of the black swamp snake Seminatrix pygaea Cope with descriptions of two new subspecies Miscellaneous Publications Museum of Zoology University of Michigan 76 1 38 Seminatrix pygaea cyclas new subspecies pp 14 17 S p paludis new subspecies pp 12 14 McVay John David Carstens Bryan 2013 Testing monophyly without well supported gene trees Evidence from multi locus nuclear data conflicts with existing taxonomy in the snake tribe Thamnophiini Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 68 3 425 431 Liodytes pygaea new combination Powell R Conant R Collins JT 2016 Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America Fourth Edition Boston and New York Houghton Mifflin Harcourt xiv 494 pp 47 plates 207 figures ISBN 978 0 544 12997 9 Liodytes pygaea pp 413 414 Plate 42 Smith HM Brodie ED Jr 1982 Reptiles of North America A Guide to Field Identification New York Golden Press 240 pp ISBN 0 307 13666 3 paperback ISBN 0 307 47009 1 hardcover Seminatrix pygaea pp 158 159 Stejneger L Barbour T 1917 A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles Cambridge Massachusetts Harvard University Press 125 pp Seminatrix pygaea p 97 Wright AH Wright AA 1957 Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada Ithaca and London Comstock Publishing Associates a Division of Cornell University Press 1 105 pp in two volumes Seminatrix pygaea pp 662 669 Figures 194 195 Map 50 Zim HS Smith HM 1956 Reptiles and Amphibians A Guide to Familiar American Species A Golden Nature Guide Revised Edition New York Simon and Schuster 160 pp Seminatrix pygaea pp 79 80 156 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Black swamp snake amp oldid 1132310065, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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