Dekay’s Brownsnake

Storeria dekayi

Description:

Habitat: It may be found in a variety of habitats including pond and stream margins, wetlands, meadows and fields, woodlands, hillsides and even overgrown yards.

Range: These snakes are found statewide in Tennessee. They occur throughout eastern North America from southern Canada to Florida and from Minnesota down into the southeast edge of Texas.

Additional Notes:

Behavior: When alarmed or threatened Dekay’s Brownsnake excrete a foul smelling fluid from the anal glands. They may also flatten their bodies trying to look larger or assume a strike position. They rarely try to bite and have such small mouths and teeth they are unable to break the skin.

Subspecies Occurring in Tennessee: Tennessee is home to only 1 subspecies.

Ovoviviparous– producing eggs that are hatched within the body, so that the young are born alive but without placental attachment, as certain reptiles or fishes. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ovoviviparous (accessed: July 04, 2008).

Distribution of the Dekay’s Brownsnake in Tennessee

Map by Susan Marden, TWRA, GIS Lab