Fourthed or fifthed or whatever it is now... that's a brown snake (Storeria dekayi). Regarding anal plates--I think either you've got one with an odd scale abnormality (which I haven't heard of happening before, but I wouldn't be surprised if it occurs every now and then), or you've got a snake small enough that its ventral plate can't be made out well enough to see the division. And, btw, it looks to be either a young adult or close to it--hatchlings, believe it or not, are much smaller.

Patrick Alexander

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