Corn Snake
Pantherophis guttatus • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Pantherophis, Species: P. guttatus
Native to the southeastern and central regions of the United States, ranging from New Jersey south to Florida and west into Louisiana and parts of Kentucky.
Look up Corn Snake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Pantherophis, Species: P. guttatus
Conservation
Listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, facing localized threats primarily from habitat loss and vehicular mortality.
Physical Description
Features distinctive orange-red to brown blotches bordered in black along a lighter greyish or orange background, with smooth dorsal scales and a slightly rounded head.
Size & Dimensions
The specimen shown is likely a growing juvenile around 60 cm, while adults typically reach lengths of 61 to 182 cm.
Habitat
Inhabits forested regions, overgrown fields, palmetto flatwoods, and abandoned agricultural lands, often utilizing underground burrows and rotting logs.
Diet & Feeding
Preys primarily on small rodents, birds, and bats, utilizing constriction as an active nocturnal or crepuscular forager.
Reproduction
Oviparous species that typically lays clutches of 10 to 30 eggs in decaying vegetation or underground cavities during early summer.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, facing localized threats primarily from habitat loss and vehicular mortality.
Notable Features
Exhibits checkerboard patterns on the ventral belly scales and possesses specialized scale microstructures that assist in smooth terrestrial locomotion.