Kirtland's Snake
Clonophis kirtlandii
Size
13–18 in
Status
Endangered
Venomous
No
Region
C & N Indiana
A small, secretive wetland snake with a striking red belly, increasingly rare across its range. It is one of Indiana's conservation priorities.
Identification
A small snake with a brick-red to pink belly bordered by two rows of bold black spots — its most reliable field mark. The back is gray to brown with four rows of darker blotches. Adults rarely exceed 18 inches.
Habitat & Diet
Associated with wet meadows, prairie fens, and even damp urban vacant lots, where it shelters under debris and in crayfish burrows. It feeds mainly on earthworms and slugs.
Conservation in Indiana
Listed as State Endangered and declining rangewide due to wetland drainage and development. Protecting remaining wet prairie and fen habitat is critical.
Similar Species & Taxonomy
This rare, secretive snake has a brick-red belly bordered by a row of black spots along each side, separating it from DeKay's Brownsnake and gartersnakes; it curls stiffly when alarmed. A crayfish-burrow specialist of wet prairies, declining across its range. A small snake (family Colubridae; watersnakes and their kin are often split into the family Natricidae), the only member of the genus Clonophis, earlier placed in the genus Natrix.
United States Range Map Distribution
Distribution in Indiana
