Diadophis punctatus edwardsii (Merrem)
the Northern Ringneck Snake
Current Name
Original Name
Synonyms
Physical Description Habitat Natural History Conservation
Diadophis punctatus edwardsii Merrem, 1820:191.
Coluber edwardsii Merrem, 1820:191. Type-locality: Pennsylvania; revised to vicinity of Philadelphia by Schmidt(1953)
Barbour (1919) first relegated this form to a subspecies of D. punctatus.
Diadophis punctatus edwardsii Merrem, 1820:191.
Van Cleave (1928) reduced to subspecies and current usage.
Size: Adults, 10-20 inches; hatchlings, 3-5 inches.
Identifying Attributes: Uniformly bluish black to slate gray or brownish, with a cream to yellow collar across neck that is usually unbroken, and a venter that is either completely unpartterned or with several to numerous black spots along the midventral line. Loreal scale is present; smooth scales; 15 scale rows at midbody; divided anal plate. Hatchlings are uniformly colored black or blue-black and the venter is usually white.
Range: Throughout the Northeastern through Southeastern North America, including as far north as Canada and as central as Kentucky.
Macro: In pine forests, timbered hillsides, bottoms of ravines and gullies, and wooded hills. Edwardsii is also known to be found under rocks in dry habitats in the forest such as exposed rocky areas.
Micro: Under logs, sphagnum, stones, loose bark from fallen trunks, damp leaves, leaf mats, and bark and loose litter around stumps and tree bases.
Feeding: Preys on small vertebrates like salamanders and lizards as well as insects and other small invertebrates.
Behavior: Secretive, seldom encountered in the open. Possibly nocturnal. Do not bite, but will release foul-smelling feces and musk from anal glands when threatened. Also uses exaggerated tail coiling to detract predators from the head.
Reproduction: Oviparous, 2-7 eggs laid under rock and logs where substrate is moist; around 6-7 weeks to hatch.
Period of Activity: Most active between April and October, but may be found at other times of year depending on the weather.
Predators: Birds of prey, other snakes, and bullfrogs.
Diadophis punctatus edwardsii is presently secure.