Prairie ring-necked snakeDiadophis punctatus arnyi
NON-VENOMOUS |
Map accurate as of 1/31/2024
|
General Distribution: A widespread species, the Ring-necked Snake can be found in often scattered populations from northern Baja California north to Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. From Arizona the range extends south into north-central Mexico and northeast through New Mexico and Texas to the Great Lakes region, into south-eastern Canada and Maine. It occupies most of the southeastern United States, including the Gulf Coast and southern Florida.
Colorado Distribution: The Ring-necked Snake can be found in the southeastern portion of the state and is associated with areas with lots of ground cover such as rocks.
Colorado Distribution: The Ring-necked Snake can be found in the southeastern portion of the state and is associated with areas with lots of ground cover such as rocks.
Conservation Status: Designated as a Non-game Species in Colorado. Please click here for State of Colorado regulations regarding this species. The Ring-necked Snake has a global status of G5 (globally secure) and a state status in Colorado of S2 (state imperiled). Habitat destruction has been attributed to lost or reduced local populations in some parts of the overall distribution. In Colorado, the replacement of cottonwood trees with salt cedar may degrade habitat due to lost area under which to hide and lay eggs (Hammerson 1999).
Diagnostic Features
- An orange ring or partial collar around the neck is present (may be absent in some populations outside of Colorado).
- The belly of this species is yellow to orange to red in coloration with black spots.
- Smooth dorsal body scales.
- The dorsum is gray to olive to black and smooth.
Size: Within Ring-necked Snakes, the females tend to be slightly larger than the males. The maximum total length for the species is 16.5 inches (420 mm). The average snout-vent length (SVL) for females is 15.4 inches (390 mm) and the average SVL for males is 12.6 inches (320 mm) (Hammerson 1999).
Habitat: Ring-necked Snakes may be found within plains grassland, canyon bottoms or riparian areas with plentiful cover at elevations below 6000 ft (1830 m) in southeastern Colorado (Hammerson, 1999). This species prefers areas with moist soils at or at least beneath the surface in the spring and fall, and will estivate through hot, dry periods (Ernst & Ernst, 2003).
Activity: These snakes are most active between April and September in Colorado, and they hibernate communally underground for the winter, in animal burrows, cisterns/wells, stone walls, brush piles, rotting logs and stumps, and rock outcrops (Hammerson, 1999; Ernst & Ernst, 2003). The surface activity of this species is most likely tied to overall humidity (Hammerson, 1999). This species is mainly nocturnal, though daylight activity may occur depending upon conditions (Ernst & Ernst, 2003).
Reproduction: Male Ring-Necked Snakes are not reproductive until after their second hibernation at a minimum SVL of 6.3 to 6.7 in. (160-170 mm). Females of the species reach sexual maturity after their third hibernation, when they typically reach a SVL of around 9.0 to 9.4 in. (230-240 mm), though occasionally they reproduce when as small as 8.3 in. (210 mm) SVL. Courtship in this species takes place in September, prior to hibernation, though copulation doesn’t occur until afterwards in May (Hammerson, 1999). During courtship, a male will approach a female and rub his closed mouth along the female from the posterior to anterior end, and then bite at the neck ring and aligns his body with hers, wrap their tails together and inserts his hemipenes (Ernst & Ernst, 2003).
Females lay one clutch per year in June or July, in damp soil under large rocks or similar conditions (Hammerson, 1999), and the eggs are commonly laid communally (Ernst & Ernst, 2003). The female may retain the eggs for a portion of the gestation period, and the embryos of newly laid eggs of Ring-necked Snakes are slightly more advanced than those of other oviparous species in this family (Ernst & Ernst, 2003). A clutch may be from 1 to 10 eggs, with an average of 4 eggs per clutch. The eggs hatch in August or September (Hammerson, 1999).
Females lay one clutch per year in June or July, in damp soil under large rocks or similar conditions (Hammerson, 1999), and the eggs are commonly laid communally (Ernst & Ernst, 2003). The female may retain the eggs for a portion of the gestation period, and the embryos of newly laid eggs of Ring-necked Snakes are slightly more advanced than those of other oviparous species in this family (Ernst & Ernst, 2003). A clutch may be from 1 to 10 eggs, with an average of 4 eggs per clutch. The eggs hatch in August or September (Hammerson, 1999).
Feeding & Diet: This species eats mainly earthworms, small frogs, salamanders, lizards, insects, invertebrates and other small snakes (Hammerson, 1999; Ernst & Ernst, 2003). They have enlarged teeth in the rear of their mouth that they utilize to introduce their mild venom (in their saliva) to prey items (Ernst & Ernst, 2003).
Defenses from Predation: The bright coloration of these snakes may deter predators, as they will curl their tail bottom side up when approached and occasionally hide their head as they do so. They also will release noxious fluid from their cloaca if threatened and have mildly toxic saliva (Hammerson, 1999; Ernst & Ernst, 2003). Known predators of this species include red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis), great horned owl (Bubo virginianus), the North American Racer, moles (genus Scalopus), Longnose Snakes, mice and American Bullfrogs.
Cited & Additional Resources
Ernst, C. H., and E. M. Ernst. 2003. Snakes of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Books, Washington. 90-97 pp.
Hammerson, G. A. 1999. Amphibians and Reptiles in Colorado, 2nd ed. University Press of Colorado & Colorado Division of Wildlife, Niwot, Colorado. 298-300 pp.
Hammerson, G. A. 1999. Amphibians and Reptiles in Colorado, 2nd ed. University Press of Colorado & Colorado Division of Wildlife, Niwot, Colorado. 298-300 pp.
Account compiled by: Celina Bycenski
Reviewed by: Lauren Livo (text & map)
Last updated: 4/19/2022 by Rémi Pattyn
Reviewed by: Lauren Livo (text & map)
Last updated: 4/19/2022 by Rémi Pattyn
Suggested Citation
Colorado Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation. 2015. Species account for Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus). Compiled by Celina Bycenski. http://www.coparc.org/ring-necked-snake.html [accessed date here]. Editor: Lauren Livo.
Colorado Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation. 2015. Species account for Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus). Compiled by Celina Bycenski. http://www.coparc.org/ring-necked-snake.html [accessed date here]. Editor: Lauren Livo.
