Lizards and Snakes of Alabama

Abbreviations
Introduction
            The Squamate Fauna of Alabama
                        Indigenous Species
                        Introduced Species
                        Taxonomic Changes and Problems
            Climate of Alabama
            Alabama Geography
                        River Basins
                        Important Geographic Units
                            The Coastal Plain
                                 Lower Coastal Plain
                                 Red Hills
                                 Black Belt
                                 Fall Line Hills
                            Upland Regions
                                 Piedmont
                                 Talladega Upland
                                 Ridge and Valley
                                 Appalachian Plateaus
                                 Tennessee Valley
                                 Highland Rim                      
Species Accounts
      Keys
      Names
      Photographs
      Descriptions
      Alabama Distribution
       Habits
       Conservation and Management
       Taxonomy
Lizards and Snakes – Squamata
        Key to the Major Lineages of Squamata of Alabama
        Iguanians – Group Iguania
                  Key to Families of Iguania of Alabama
                  Anoles – Family Dactyloidae
                      Key to the Genera of Dactyloidae of Alabama
                            Beta Anoles – Genus Norops
                                  Cuban Brown Anole (Norops sagrei sagrei)
                            Anoles – Genus Anolis
                                   Northern Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis carolinensis)
         Spiny Lizards – Family Phyrynosomatidae
                     Key to the Genera of Phrynosomatidae of Alabama
                           Horned Lizards – Genus Phrynosoma
                                   Texas Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum)
                            Spiny Lizards – Genus Sceloporus
                                    Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus)
        Gekkotans – Group Gekkota
              True Geckos – Family Gekkonidae
                         House Geckos – Genus Hemidactylus
                                   Turkish House Gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus turcicus)
      Scincomorps – Group Scincomorph
                     Key to the Families of Scincomorphs of Alabama
                     Skinks – Family Scincidae
                         Key to the Genera of Scincidae of Alabama
                            Ground Skinks – Genus Scincella
                                   Ground Skink (Scincella lateralis)
                            Toothy Skinks – Genus Plestiodon
                                  Key to the Species of Plestiodon of Alabama
                                  Coal Skink (Plestiodon anthracinus)
                                  Key to the Subspecies of Plestiodon anthracinus of Alabama
                                  Northern Coal Skink (Plestiodon anthracinus anthracinus)
                                  Southern Coal Skink (Plestiodon anthracinus pulvialis)
                                  Northern Mole Skink (Plestiodon egregius similis)
                                   Southeastern Five-lined Skink (Pleistiodon inexpectatus)
                                   Broad-headed Skink (Pleistiodon laticeps)
                                   Five-lined Skink (Pleistiodon fasciatus)
                          Teiids - Family Teiidae
                                Whiptails - Genus Aspidoscelis
                                    Eastern Six-lined Racerunner (Aspidoscelis sexlineata) 
              Anguimorphans – Group Anguimorpha
                          Anguids – Family Anguidae
                                 Glass Lizards – Genus Ophisaurus
                                         Key to the Species of Ophisaurus of Alabama
                                              Mimic Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus mimicus)
                                              Eastern Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus ventralis)
                                              Eastern Slender Glass Lizard(Ophisaurus attenuatus longicaudus)
                 Snakes – Group Serpentes
                       Key to the Families of Snakes of Alabama                            
                            Colubrid Snakes – Family Colubridae
                                 Synoptic Key to the Subfamilies of Colubridae of Alabama                           
                                    Key to the Genera of Colubrina of Alabama
                                       Black-headed, Crowned, and Flat-headed Snakes – Genus Tantilla
                                            Southeastern Crowned Snake (Tantilla coronata)
                                       Bullsnakes, Pinesnakes, and Gophersnakes – Genus Pituophis
                                          Pinesnake (Pituophis melanoleucus)
                                             Key to the Subspecies of Pituophis melanoleucus of Alabama      
                                                 Black Pinesnake (Pituophis melanoleucus lodingi)
                                                 Florida Pinesnake (Pituophis melanoleucus “mugitus”)
                                                 Northern Pinesnake (Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus)
                                        North American Ratsnakes – Genus Pantherophis
                                             Key to the Species of Pantherophis of Alabama           
                                                 Red Cornsnake (Pantherophis guttatus)
                                                 Gray Ratsnake (Pantherophis obsoletus)
                                        Greensnakes – Genus Opheodrys
                                                 Northern Rough Greensnake (Opheodrys aestivus aestivus)
                                        Indigo Snakes – Genus Drymarchon     
                                                 Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon couperi)
                                        North American Racers, Coachwhips, and Whipsnakes – Genus Coluber
                                            Key to the Species of Coluber of Alabama
                                                 Eastern Coachwhip (Coluber flagellum flagellum)
                                                     Black Racer (Coluber constrictor)
                                                       Key to the Subspecies of Coluber constrictor of Alabama
                                                           Northern Black Racer (Coluber constrictor constrictor)
                                                           Southern Black Racer (Coluber constrictor helvigularis)
                                                           Gulf Coast clade (Coluber constrictor)
                                         Scarletsnakes – Genus Cemophora
                                                 Northern Scarletsnake (Cemophora coccinear copei)
                                         Kingsnakes – Genus Lampropeltis
                                            Black Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula nigra)
                                              Key to the Species of Lampropeltis of Alabama
                                                 Eastern Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula)
                                                     Key to the Subspecies of Lampropeltis nigra of Alabama
                                                          Black Kingsnake (Lampropeltis nigra nigra)
                                                          Eastern Speckled Kingsnake(Lampropeltis nigra holbrooki)
                                                          Scarlet Kingsnake (Lampropeltis elapsoides)
                                                     Key to the Subspecies of Lampropeltis triangulum of Alabama
                                                          Red Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum syspila)
                                                          Eastern Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulu triangulum)
                                                     Key to the Subspecies of Lampropeltis calligaster of Alabama
                                                          Mole Kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster rhombomaculata)
                                                          Prairie Kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster calligaster)
                   Dipsads – Subfamily Dipsadinae
                       Key to the Genera of Dipsadinae of Alabama
                             Mudsnakes and Rainbow Snakes – Genus Farancia
                                   Key to the Species of Farancia of Alabama
                                       Rainbow Snake (Farancia erytrogramma)
                                            Key to the Subspecies of Farancia abacura of Alabama           
                                                Eastern Mudsnake (Farancia abacura abacura)
                                                Western Mudsnake (Farancia abacura reinwardtii)
                             North American Wormsnakes – Genus Carphophis
                                           Key to the Subspecies of Carphophis amoenus of Alabama      
                                                Midwestern Wormsnake (Carphophis amoenus helenae)
                                                Eastern Wormsnake (Carphophis amoenus amoenus)
                             North American Hog-nosed Snakes – Genus Heterodon
                                  Key to the Species of Heterodon of Alabama
                                        Southern Hog-nosed Snake (Heterodon simus)
                                        Eastern Hog-nosed Snake (Heterodon platifhinos)
                             Ring-necked Snakes – Genus Diadophis
                                  Key to the Subspecies of Diadophis punctatus of Alabama
                                        Southern Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus punctatus)
                                        Northern Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus edwardsii)
                                        Mississippi Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus stictogenys)
                             Littersnakes – Genus Rhadinaea
                                        Pine Woods Littersnake (Rhadinaea flavilata)
                  Natricines – Subfamily Natricinae
                       Key to the Genera of Natricinae of Alabama
                              Swampsnakes – Genus Liodytes
                                    Key to the Species of Liodytes of Alabama
                                        Gulf Glossy Swampsnake (Liodytes rigida sinicola)
                                        Northern Florida Swampsnake (Liodytes pygaea pygaea)
                               North American Earthsnakes – Genus Virginia
                                     Key to the Species of Virginia of Alabama
                                         Rough Earthsnake (Virginia striatula)
                                               Key to the Subspecies of Virginia valeriae of Alabama
                                                   Eastern Smooth Earthsnake (Virginia valeriae valeriae)
                                                   Western Smooth Earthsnake (Virginia valeriae elegans)
                               North American Brownsnakes – Genus Storeria
                                     Key to the Species of Storeria of Alabama
                                         Northern Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata          
                                                occipitamaculata)
                                               Key to the Subspecies of Storeria dekayi of Alabama
                                                   Midland Brownsnake (Storeria dekayi wrightorum)
                                                   Marsh Brownsnake (Storeria dekayi limnetes)
                                Queensnakes – Genus Regina
                                          Queensnake (Regina septemvittata)
                                 North American Gartersnakes – Genus Thamnophis
                                       Key to the Species of Thamnophis of Alabama
                                             Eastern Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis)
                                             Eastern Ribbonsnake (Thamnophis sauritus sauritus)
                                  North American Watersnakes – Genus Nerodia
                                        Key to the Species of Nerodia of Alabama
                                              Key to the Subspecies of Nerodia erthrogaster of Alabama
                                                     Red-bellied Watersnake (Nerodia erythrogaster erythrogaster)
                                                     Yellow-bellied Watersnake (Nerodia erythrogaster flavigaster
                                               Green Watersnake (Nerodia cyclopion)
                                               Florida Green Watersnake (Nerodia floridana)
                                               Gulf Saltmarsh Watersnake (Nerodia clarkia clarkia)
                                               Brown Watersnake (Nerodia taxispilota)
                                               Diamond-backed Watersnake (Nerodia rhombifer rhombifer)
                                               Key to the Subspecies of Nerodia fasciata of Alabama
                                                    Florida Watersanke (Nerodia fasciata pictiventris)
                                                    Banded Watersnake (Nerodia fasciata fasciata)
                                                    Broad-banded Watersnake (Nerodia fasciata confluens)
                                               Midland Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon pleuralis)
               Vipers – Family Viperidae
                   Key to the Genera of Viperidae of Alabama
                         American Moccasins - Genus Agkistrodon
                              Key to the Species of Agkistrodon of Alabama
                                   Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix)
                                         Key to the Subspecies of Agkistrodon piscivorus of Alabama
                                            Florida Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti)
                                            Continental Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus)
                          Massasauga and Pygmy Rattlesnakes – Genus Sistrurus.
                                         Key to the Subspecies of Sistrurus miliarius of Alabama
                                             Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius barbouri)
                                             Carolina Pygmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius miliarius)
                                             Western Pygmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius streckeri)
                           Rattlesnakes – Genus Crotalus
                                 Key to the Species of Crotalus of Alabama
                                      Eastern Diamond-backed Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus)
                                      Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)
                Elapids - Family Elapidae
                      American Coralsnakes – Genus Micrurus
                                Eastern Coralsnake (Micrurus fulviu                
References
Notes
About the Authors
Index