Black swamp snake
| Swamp snakes | |
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| Florida Swamp Snake | |
| Scientific classification | |
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| Genus: | Seminatrix
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| Species: | S. pygaea
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| Binomial name | |
| Seminatrix pygaea | |
Seminatrix is a genus of colubrid snakes commonly known as swamp snakes. There is a single species in the genus, Seminatrix pygaea with three subspecies:
- Black Swamp Snake, Seminatrix pygaea
- South Florida Swamp Snake, Seminatrix pygaea cyclas (Dowling, 1950)
- Carolina Swamp Snake, Seminatrix pygaea paludis (Dowling, 1950)
- North Florida Swamp Snake, Seminatrix pygaea pygaea (Cope, 1871)
Geographic range
Swamp snakes are found in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida on the east coast of the United States. They prefer swampland habitat, that is heavily vegetated.
Description
Seminatrix snakes are small, thin snakes, usually no longer than 35-38cm. They are uniformly black, with a bright orange or red belly.
Behaviour & Diet
Swamp snakes are almost entirely aquatic. They spend most of their time hiding among dense vegetation in tannic cypress swamps. They feed on small fish, tadpoles, frogs, salamanders, sirens, amphiumas, and invertebrates, such as leeches and earthworms.
Reproduction
Seminatrix are ovoviviparous, giving birth to live young directly in shallow water. Unlike many snakes, female Seminatrix feed while gravid, suggesting that they may pass nutrients directly on to the young.