Reptiles of North Carolina

Scientific Name:	Common Name:		Family (Alpha):

NC Records
Colubridae Members:
Storeria dekayi - Dekay's Brownsnake

Photo: Steve Hall

Photo: Steve Hall and Savannah Hall

Taxonomy

Class: Reptilia

Order: Serpentes

Family: Colubridae

Subfamily: Natricinae

Other Common Name(s): Brown Snake

- Dekay's Brownsnake


Taxonomic Comments: Storeria, as currently considered, consists of four species of small, semi-fossorial natricid snakes ranging throughout much of the eastern United States and into Mexico and Central America. The generic name Storeria was first applied to these snakes in 1853.
Species Comments: Storeria dekayi, Dekay's Brownsnake, is one of two species of Storeria found in North Carolina. It ranges primarily throughout the eastern and central United States, from southeastern Canada and New England south through eastern Mexico, with a disjunct population found in northern Central America. The species reaches its western limits in the Midwest. Previously, as many as eight subspecies were recognized; however, recent molecular work by Pyron et al. (2016) showed that the morphology-delimited subspecies do not correspond to molecular lineages; they synonymized all subspecies within S. dekayi with the exception of S. victa (endemic to the Florida panhandle) which was elevated to species status. Thus, no subspecies are currently recognized. The generic epithet Storeria is a patronym honoring the famed 18th-century American physician and naturalist D.H. Storer, who first described Storeria occipitomaculata (as Coluber occipitomaculatus). The specific epithet dekayi is a patronym honoring the 19th-century American naturalist J.E. De Kay (alternatively spelled DeKay or Dekay), who collected the first specimen of S. dekayi on Long Island, NY. Taxonomic References: Christman (1982), Pyron et al. (2016).

Identification

Description: Dekay's Brownsnakes are small snakes with slender to moderately stout bodies and semi-rounded, often blunt heads slightly wider than the neck. The base dorsal coloration may be gray, gray-brown, tan, dark-brown, or reddish-brown. There is typically a paler middorsal stripe running most of the length of the dorsum down to the tail. This stripe is bordered laterally by dark brown or black spots that often alternate with an additional row of spots on the lateral surfaces; these spots, when present, typically fade or reduce posteriorly. There is often an incomplete dark spotting that runs horizontally or diagonally on the temporals, and additional dark pigmentation on the top of the head and parietals. The venter is cream, sometimes pinkish or gray, typically unpatterned but occasionally with a mottling of small black spots laterally. The supralabials often have dark vertical streaks or are darkly pigmented, white the infralabials and underside of the head are pale and lack pattern.

Extensive variation in the dorsal and lateral spots is evident in this species: some individuals have spots fused into transverse bars (appearing like rungs on a ladder), others have a more distinct, dark checkerboard pattern, in others the spots are reduced or run together to give a more "smudged" appearance, and in others the spots are reduced to small dots along the lateral aspects of the middorsal stripe. Those in coastal populations may have extremely reduced spotting to the point their dorsum appears almost solid in color.

Neonates are dorsally very dark, gray to almost black, with a distinct pale band at the base of the head; this can often lead to confusion with the ringnecked snake, Diadophis punctatus. This dorsal coloration fades in adulthood.

Morphological Features: Dekay's Brownsnakes typically have 17 keeled scale rows at midbody. Ventral counts range from 112-149 (112-135 in NC specimens; Palmer and Braswell, 1995), with 36-73 subcaudals (39-61) and a divided anal plate. Head scale counts are typically as follows: 7 supralabials, 7 infralabials, 2 nasals, no loreal, 1 preocular, 2 postocular, and 1+2 temporals. Palmer and Braswell (1995) noted variation in scalation across multiple specimens in NC.

These are typically small snakes. Palmer and Braswell (1995) reported the largest female NC specimen they measured had a total length of 45.8 cm (18.0 inches). Tail lengths range from 16-32% of total length. Females typically reach larger size than males, have smaller average tail lengths relative to body, and average more ventral scales and fewer subcaudal scales. Males are smaller on average but with longer tails relative to body length, meaning fewer ventrals and more subcaudals.

Dekay's Brownsnakes lack enlarged posterior teeth or a Duvernoy's gland capable of producing venom. They are inoffensive snakes, harmless to humans and pets, and almost never attempt to bite. When captured, they typically writhe about, releasing musk and feces.

Technical Reference: Palmer and Braswell (1995); Ernst and Ernst (2003).

Field Guide Descriptions: Beane et al. (2010).

Online Photos: Google iNaturalist GBIF

Observation Methods: Dekay's Brownsnakes may be sampled using drift fences with pitfall traps and cover objects. They may be incidentally encountered under cover objects, and frequently encountered in gardens and other semi-urban environments.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution Comments: In North Carolina, Brownsnakes can be found essentially statewide with the exception of the northwestern Mountain region. It has been collected as high as 1219 m elevation.
Distribution Reference: Palmer and Brawell (1995)
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.

Key Habitat Requirements

Habitat: The natural habitats occupied by Dekay's Brownsnake include hardwood forests, Longleaf Pine flatwoods, pocosins, and maritime shrublands (Palmer and Braswell, 1995). However, it is often common in disturbed ruderal habitats and in urban and suburban neighborhoods, particularly where there is a lot of litter, boards, and other surface debris that provide cover.

Biotic Relationships: Brownsnakes consume primarily soft-bodied invertebrates such as earthworms and slugs (Brown, 1979; Palmer and Braswell, 1995). Other arthropods and arthropod larvae may be taken, as well as small frogs such as Acris.

Brownsnakes are known prey of many small to medium-sized mammals (shrews, opossums, cats, raccoons, skunks, and weasels), ophiophagous snakes (including racers, kingsnakes, garter snakes, coralsnakes, and cottonmouths), birds (including hawks, thrashers, and robins), and spiders (Ernst and Ernst, 2003).

Life History and Autecology

Breeding and Courtship: Female Brownsnakes mature at approximately 17 cm SVL, while males can mature at approximately 15 cm SVL. Mating has been reported from March to August across the species's range, and females are capable of storing sperm over winter.

Reproductive Mode: Brownsnakes are ovoviviparous snakes, giving birth to "litters" of live young primarily in summer and early fall (June to September). Average litter size is 13 young.

Newly-born young are 9 cm in length on average, and weigh 0.25-0.5 g.

Terrestrial Life History: Brownsnakes are secretive and semi-fossorial, altering their daily habits depending on the season; in the spring and fall they are more active diurnally, shifting to more crepuscular and nocturnal activity in the summer. They are generally found under surface cover, but can also be encountered crossing roads. Brownsnakes have been recorded in North Carolina year-round, with most activity in March–June. They will overwinter in communal hibernacula, and Ernst (2003) noted site fidelity among individuals.

Home range estimates are not known from North Carolina. Home range estimates elsewhere are relatively small. In Ontario, Freedman and Catling (1979) estimated home ranges for two individuals, which varied widely (50 m² and 1200 m²). In Pennsylvania, home range diameters reported by Ernst (2003) averaged less than 50 m.

General Ecology

Adverse Environmental Impacts

Status in North Carolina

NHP State Rank: S5

Global Rank: G5

Photo Gallery for Storeria dekayi - Dekay's Brownsnake		16 photos are shown.
	Recorded by: Cooper Barton Johnston Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Cooper Barton Johnston Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Cooper Barton Johnston Co. Comment:	Recorded by: jBob Kerger Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Michael Wilson Harnett Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: J. Reynolds Rockingham Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Greg Hays Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones Polk Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Jessica Tate Forsyth Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jessica Tate Forsyth Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Travis McLain Cabarrus Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: J. Buie Stokes Co. Comment: Neonate	Recorded by: Steve Hall and Savannah Hall Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment:

Storeria dekayi - Dekay's Brownsnake

Photo Gallery for Storeria dekayi - Dekay's Brownsnake

16 photos are shown.