Striped Crayfish Snake

Liodytes alleni

Venom Status:

Non Venomous

Characteristics:

The pattern is most visible when this snake is in the water. It is a shiny aquatic snake with. 3 stripes; a brown mid dorsal stripe and a brown to orange lateral stripe on each side. Upper sides olive brown. Lower sides brighter yellow. Belly usually yellow to orange but may have small black dots positioned centrally on some ventral scutes. Scales are in 19 rows and are smooth except posteriorly where they are weakly keeled. This snake has live young (ovoviviparous). This species preys on crayfish and was formerly known as the “striped crayfish snake.”

Unique Features:

Shiny, three-striped, aquatic snake.

Habitat and Diet:

Sluggish, often weed-choked waterways, ponds, lakes, sloughs, marshes, and swamps. Often found amidst the root systems or stems of floating vegetation. This species preys on crayfish and was formerly known as the “striped crayfish snake.”