Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,

We just found this snake in basement closet (we live in Northern VA). I haven't been able to identify it, but it does look very similar to a previous post that says it is a Northern Watersnake. What do you think?

Thanks!!

Image

This is a juvenile Black Ratsnake. They are harmless rodent and bird eaters.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

It actually looks to me like a very young Eastern Ratsnake. In a few years it will be entirely black. Lots of our snakes look similar to that when they are juveniles (Racers, Ratsnakes, Watersnakes, Milksnakes, etc...).

One good field mark to identify this species even when it is young is the dark line going from the back of the eye to the back of the jaw. In cross section, the shape of the body should be kind of like a breadloaf instead of perfectly round, under the head should be unpatterned, the underside of the belly is usually a "checkerboard" pattern at the anterior end and gets so thick near the tail that it sometimes looks entirely black.

Lastly, the scales should be weakly keeled -- if that doesn't mean anything to you check out this link:
http://www.uvm.edu/~kvbriggs/js/images/terms.html#keel1

the weakly-keeled image is actually of an adult Eastern Ratsnake

to clarify...

Chris and I just gave you two different names for the same species -- the accepted common name has changed a bit from Easatern Black Ratsnake to Black Ratsnake to Eastern Ratsnake. Sorry to be confusing...

Elaphe allegheniensis would be the currently accepted latin name for the ratsnakes in your area. Two years ago, it would have been Elaphe obsoleta. All these name changes are annoying.

Elaphe allegheniensis would be the currently accepted latin name for the ratsnakes in your area. Two years ago, it would have been Elaphe obsoleta. All these name changes are annoying.

To say that Pantherophis allegheniensis has been currently accepted is a bit of a stretch. There are a lot of people who question the study that split up the obsoleta ratsnakes.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

thanks to everyone for the information. I'm glad to know he is harmless. We let him go this morning, so hopefully that is the end of snakes in our house ... I hope they enjoy the woods.

thanks!

I hadn't even heard about the proposed genus switch over to Pantherophis. I tend to be a lumper and am not sure about the obsoleta/allagheniensis split up but with names I generally go by whatever is printed in the local atlas which tends to be up to date.

Last I heard it was Elaphe allegheniensis but naturally, it can be argued quite well that that is invalid and given the pantherophis thing, it looks like it has been... *meh*

Anyway, I tire of the name change routine -- at least the Eastern Newt has settled down for the time being...

While we are on the subject can we change the name of the NWS!

>>While we are on the subject can we change the name of the NWS!
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

Man that is a pretty snake. I'm in N VA too and I never see any snakes here except at the pet store I work at