Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This is more of a "how do you tell them apart" question than "hey, what kind of snake is in this picture" but I know I'll get a good answer.

In this area (central Alabama) the most common water snakes are Nerodia sipedon pleuralis and Nerodia erythrogaster flavigaster. (Apologies if the taxonomy has changed... again.) The adults, obviously, are easily distinguished, but the hatchlings are seemingly identical. Is there an easy way to tell the two apart (other than capturing and keeping a hatchling and waiting until it grows up?)

Thanks!

I would think the key would be the belly. The belly of flavigaster is more likely to be unmarked, whereas that of pleuralis would be marked, most likely in pairs of markings.

That's the best I can do without seeing the animals.

~~Greg~~