Graham's Crayfish Snake
Regina grahamii
Summary 4
Regina grahamii, commonly known as Graham's crayfish snake, is a species of nonvenomous semiaquatic colubrid snake, which is endemic to North America.
Coloration: 5
Dorsal surface is olive, with the exception of a light colored lateral stripe found along the first three dorsal scale rows.
A broken line of black pigment is found along the border of the first dorsal scale row and the ventral scales.
Ventral surface is usually yellowish with a row of dark spots found medially, although individuals may be found with immaculate bellies.
Behavior: 5
Recorded food items for the non-venomous Regina grahamii are mainly crayfish, though salamanders, tadpoles and adult frogs, and snails have been found in the stomachs of this snake species. Mainly nocturnal during the summer, R. grahamii can be sometimes be found basking in the early morning hours, particularly in the spring and the fall. This species can also be found hiding in crayfish burrows along stream banks.
General Distribution: 5
Regina grahamii is found throughout portions of the Midwest and the South, from Iowa and Illinois south to Louisiana and Texas.
Texas Distribution: 5
In Texas, Regina grahamii is found through much of the eastern third of the state, from the eastern border with Louisiana west to the aquifers of the Balcones Fault, with the distribution additionally extending into parts of the Panhandle and North Texas.
Conservation Status: 5
The Graham's crayfish snake is not a protected species in Texas and can be legally collected with a hunting license.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Diana-Terry Hibbitts, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Diana-Terry Hibbitts
- (c) Judith Ellen Lopez, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://picasaweb.google.com/112692329998402018828/2014_05ArcadiaTrailSpring7#6016812333287934898
- (c) Bryan Box, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Bryan Box
- Adapted by Desmon M Dunn from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regina_grahamii
- (c) Caleb Paul, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/776622
