Wild Snake ID

[MilkmanWes]

Looks like a Worm Snake (Carphophis vermis), but was found a couple hundred miles outside of it's distribution range. (Texas Dist Map , I am about 4 counties west and 1 south of highlighted area.)

It does have the divided anal plate, and did use it's tail to jab or probe my hand (see photo). It did not musk.

Here are some pics and maybe someone can confirm what the little darling is. He was caught by a coworker's 5 year old son and will be rereleased later today.

 

[Empi]

I'm going to say it is a brown snake

 

[Kid Dragon]

I think its DeKay's snake, Storeria dekayi texana, aka Texas Brown snake.

 

[skinheaddave]

Isn't the "ear mark" on S.dekayi relatively consistent accross subspecies? I don't know how much colour variance you get down that way, but every picture/specimen I've seen has the mark -- even the ones with less pattern.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Kid Dragon]

Isn't the "ear mark" on S.dekayi relatively consistent accross subspecies? I don't know how much colour variance you get down that way, but every picture/specimen I've seen has the mark -- even the ones with less pattern.

Cheers,
Dave

Good call Dave. I looked in my field guide and you are correct. Now I think it is a rough earth snake, Virginia striatula. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[MilkmanWes]

What really made me think Western Worm Snake was how it probbed and attempted to jab my finger with it's tail, a behaviour descibed with the worm snake. Do the other species named also engage in this defense mechanism?

 

[Ravnos]

The Texas Brown Snake more typically has some pattern to it, and is more often lighter in color, and the worm snake barely ranges into Texas at all. My vote goes for the Rough Earth Snake as well. They are very common throughout the entire central and eastern half of Texas. Though, it could be one of the species of Flathead snakes (Tantilla sp.), they are very common in Texas as well and I've always had a hard time telling them apart. I've had many fossorial snakes will do the tail probing thing. Worm snakes, flathead snakes, earth snakes, and blind snakes.

Rav

 

[Matthew]

Virgina striatula

No doubt.Virgina striatula Rough Earth Snake
Texas Herper.Catch them all the time.
Matthew