Corn Snake
Pantherophis guttatus • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Pantherophis, Species: Pantherophis guttatus
Southeastern and central regions of the United States, ranging from New Jersey south to Florida and west to Louisiana and parts of Tennessee and Kentucky.
Look up Corn Snake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Pantherophis, Species: Pantherophis guttatus
Conservation
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, due to a wide distribution, adaptability to altered habitats, and large stable populations, though local populations face threats from habitat loss and road mortality.
Physical Description
Features a grey to silver background coloration with darker grey to black blotches running down the dorsal region, bordered by lighter whitish or pale grey scales. The head shows distinct patterning with dark markings, and the belly typically displays a checkered black-and-white pattern.
Size & Dimensions
The pictured specimen appears to be a juvenile, approximately 30 to 45 cm in length. Adults typically range from 60 to 180 cm.
Habitat
Found in wooded groves, or rocky hillsides, meadowlands, woodlots, and abandoned or cultivated fields. Prefers areas with ample cover such as fallen logs, bark, and debris.
Diet & Feeding
Primarily feeds on rodents, lizards, birds, and bird eggs. It is an active hunter and constrictor, subduing prey by wrapping its body around it and squeezing.
Reproduction
Oviparous species, females lay clutches of 10 to 30 eggs in concealed, moist locations such as beneath rotting logs or underground burrows during the early summer.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, due to a wide distribution, adaptability to altered habitats, and large stable populations, though local populations face threats from habitat loss and road mortality.
Cultural Significance
Popular in the pet trade due to varied morphs, and plays a beneficial ecological role as a natural predator of agricultural pests like mice and rats.
Notable Features
Possesses a specialized stomach and scale structure allowing it to scale rough surfaces and navigate vertical structures with ease, often leading them into unintended enclosures like buckets or window wells.