Welcome to the Florida Keys Cybermuseum
This page by Jerry Wilkinson
Welcome to the Snake Shelf in the Reptile Case of the Fauna Room.
Snakes of the Florida Keys
Photos are from A Field Guild to Snakes of Florida
by Alan Tennant.
This is a very venomous reptile. The saying is
"Red touches yellow, kill a fellow. Their prey is other reptiles chiefly
other small snakes, even cannilbalism. Their color rings completely encircle
the body and scheme is equally wide red and black rings separated by a
yellow ring. Only black and yellow are found near the tail and head.
This is nonvenomous reptile that does not bite
humans. They have been found on Key Largo, Upper Matecumbe and Grassey
Keys. Lack of habitat is their demise. Their prey is insects, snails, centipedes,
spiders, etc. The record size is 11.5 inches.
The Mangrove Salt Marsh Snake are varibly colored
reptiles. They can vary from tan to almost black including redishtan and
greenish tan.. They are found in brackish and saline waters on offshore
islands as well as roadside canals. Small fish and crayfish are its primary
diet.
Generally considered the most dangerous venomous snake
in Florida. They are strong, agile and can easily strike three feet and
usually delivers a large amount of venom. Its prey is any small warm-blooded
animal.
The snake shown above is the Upper Keys Deckert
variant. This snake also is an varibly colored reptile. The Upper Keys
variant is more likely to have brown or orange back patches. They are excellent
swimmers and climbers. Birds, rodents, lizards, frogs and their eggs are
generally their food source. They are also a powerful constrictor.
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