Dekay's Brownsnake

Appearance

Dorsally, "S. dekayi" is brown to gray with a lighter center stripe bordered by small black spots; ventrally, it is lighter brown or pink with small black dots at the ends of the ventral scales. Adults usually measure less than 12 inches in total length, but the record total length is 19+3⁄8 inches. The dorsal scales are keeled, and it has no loreal scale.

Naming

The specific name, "dekayi", is in honor of American zoologist James Ellsworth De Kay, who collected the first specimen on Long Island, New York, while the generic name, "Storeria", honors zoologist David Humphreys Storer.

This is the only North American snake whose binomial is a double honorific – that is, both the generic name and the specific name honor people.

Habitat

"S. dekayi" is a prey item for larger snakes, large frogs and toads, birds, and many mammals including weasels.

Reproduction

Like other natricine snakes such as water snakes and garter snakes, "S. dekayi" is a viviparous species, giving birth to live young. Sexual maturity is reached at two to three years. Mating takes place in the spring, after snakes emerge from brumation. Between 3 and 41 young are born in late summer.

Food

"S. dekayi" primarily feeds on slugs, snails, and earthworms. In the southern extent of its region the snake usually preys predominantly on earth worms, however in the northern reaches of its range slugs are the predominant food source. It has specialized jaws that allow it to remove snails from their shells for consumption. Reports of other invertebrates in the diet of "S. dekayi" are more than likely the result of accidental ingestion rather than intentional feeding, in which one of these invertebrates may have adhered to a slug or other prey item being consumed.