A couple of months ago I was herpin for fox snakes in a little nook of prairie off the side of a road when I came across something rather unusual. I found two Midland Brown snakes, but instead of the normal off-white ventral coloration, these two had bright reddish-pink bellies. Both snakes were females and appeared gravid. Why would their bellies show such colors? I thought because they were gravid maybe there was an increase in blood (or blood vessels, what have you) to supply the developing offspring, thus resulting in a reddish appearance. I should also note this coloration was most prominant in the posterior half to third of the body. What do you guys think? (And I am absolutely positive I found a brown snake, and not a red-bellied).
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Red-bellied brown snake?
Replies (5)
You found a red bellied snake. They look just like brown snakes (although the dorsal color can be different) and have bright red bellies. They are related as they belong in the same genus, Storeria.
My Online Snake Lifelist
...I have captured them before and can differentiate the two. Besides, I have never seen one around here. I am Positive it was a BROWN snake (Storeria dekayi)!
It can vary. I have found "red phase" brown snakes with pinkish bellies. And they were not gravid. Might just depend on the snake. Andy
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Andy Maddox
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone
>>It can vary. I have found "red phase" brown snakes with pinkish bellies. And they were not gravid. Might just depend on the snake. Andy
Yeah, you're probably right. Looked wierd to me though. I dunno...
Thanks man
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"Sweetheart don't make me laugh you's gettin' too big for your pants and I's think maybe you should cut out while you can" - Complicity (Slash/Rose)
>>A couple of months ago I was herpin for fox snakes in a little nook of prairie off the side of a road when I came across something rather unusual. I found two Midland Brown snakes, but instead of the normal off-white ventral coloration, these two had bright reddish-pink bellies. Both snakes were females and appeared gravid. Why would their bellies show such colors? I thought because they were gravid maybe there was an increase in blood (or blood vessels, what have you) to supply the developing offspring, thus resulting in a reddish appearance. I should also note this coloration was most prominant in the posterior half to third of the body. What do you guys think? (And I am absolutely positive I found a brown snake, and not a red-bellied).
Where are you?
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I have:
1.1 Kankakee Bulls
1.0 veild chameleon
1.1 corns
0.1 az king
1.2. tiger sals
0.1.11 fox snakes
0.1.10 thamnophis radix
0.1 3-toe box turtle
0.0.1 gray tree frogs
1.1 Crotaphytus collaris
1.1 Crotaphytus binctores
