Eastern Indigo Snake (Reptiles of Alabama)

Eastern Indigo Snake

Drymarchon couperi

Summary ⁷

The eastern indigo snake(Drymarchon couperi) is a species of large nonvenomous colubrid snake native to the Eastern United States. It is of note as being the longest native snake species in the U.S.

Comprehensive description ⁸

The Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon couperi) is a large shiny bluish black snake, sometimes with chin, throat, and sides of head with cream, reddish, or orange brown. It is the largest North American snake, reaching about 150 to 210 cm (record 263 cm). The scales are normally smooth, but some males, especially larger individuals, have faintly keeled scales on as many as five middorsal rows, starting at about the second quarter of the body; the anal plate is undivided. The third from last upper labial is wedge-shaped and cut off above by contact between adjacent labials. Young are like adults, but often with much more reddish on head and forward part of belly, 43 to 66 cm at hatching. (Behler 1979; Conant and Collins 1991)

The current stronghold for this threatened species is southeastern Georgia and peninsular Florida. It persists in lower numbers in Florida's panhandle, but is functionally extinct in Alabama and Mississippi. (USFWS 2008)