Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I saw a snake last night with colors exactly like the one in this picture, a Plains Black-headed snake. The only difference was it's head wasn't black. It was about 7 or 8 inches long, found just north of Las Cruces NM. Are there black headed snakes that lack the black head? (like ringnecks without the ring?) Otherwise, any ideas what it was?

Thanks,

Stephanie

One possibility is the western ground snake, Sonora semiannulata.

~~Greg~~

>>Are there black headed snakes that lack the black head?

There are, but they don't occur around Las Cruces.

>>like ringnecks without the ring?)

The ringnecks around the El Paso/Las Cruces are actually don't have neck rings. They are steely gray with a bright red/orange venter.

A ground snake is another good guess, particularly if it was just a tan sort of snake.

>>Otherwise, any ideas what it was?

Have you tried the UTEP Laboratory for Environmental Biology Herps pages? Carl Lieb has photos of almost all the local species of herps there - http://nasa.utep.edu/chih/theland/animals/reptiles/reptiles.htm - click on each species then click on the photo for an enlargement.
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Chris Harrison

Thanks for the replies! I had an idea that it might be a ground snake, but the only pitcures of "patternless" ones I've seen the snake was a solid color all over, no light belly. Oh well. Wish the little guy wasn't DOR when I found it.

Thanks for the help,

Stephanie

i say blackhead snake

Brandon