Peninsula ribbon snake, Florida ribbon snake
The Southern ribbon snake (Thamnophis saurita sackenii) is one of four subspecies of the Ribbon snake. It is also known commonly as the Peninsula ribbon snake and the Florida ribbon snake.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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SemiaquaticSemiaquatic animals are those that are primarily or partly terrestrial but that spend a large amount of time swimming or otherwise occupied in wate...
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OvoviviparousOvoviviparity, ovovivipary, ovivipary, or aplacental viviparity is a term used as a "bridging" form of reproduction between egg-laying oviparous an...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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NatatorialNatatorial animals are those adapted for swimming. Some fish use their pectoral fins as the primary means of locomotion, sometimes termed labriform...
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PolygynandryPolygynandry is a mating system in which both males and females have multiple mating partners during a breeding season.
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Non-venomousGe
Generally solitaryGenerally solitary animals are those animals that spend their time separately but will gather at foraging areas or sleep in the same location or sh...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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HibernatingHibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy charac...
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starts withThe Southern ribbon snake is smaller than the other three subspecies of the Ribbon snake. Its dorsal color is greenish olive, or blackish in old specimens. It has a dorsal stripe that is vetiver green or light olive-gray bordered on either side with black, and the lateral stripes are marguerite yellow.
Southern ribbon snakes occur in the southeastern United States in extreme southern South Carolina, southeastern Georgia, and peninsular Florida. They inhabit marshes, lakes, ponds, shores of streams, and wet meadows. They prefer shallow water which they use both as hunting grounds and an escape route from predators.
Southern ribbon snakes are semi-aquatic and are seldom found far from water where they hunt during the daylight hours. They are generally solitary but may hibernate in groups. Hibernation occurs during the winter, usually in abandoned burrows, ant mounds, underground, or even underwater. Ribbon snakes are very sensitive to vibrations and have a very sharp vision but despite that, they often fall prey to birds and larger amphibians and reptiles. They rarely use any aggressive forms of defense. Instead, they will use their brown bodies and camouflage themselves into the forest ground. Along with this, Ribbon snakes will also flee and hide in dense patches of grass in which they will coil up and get as low to the ground as possible. They also often escape into the water, where they are safe from many predators.
Southern ribbon snakes are carnivores. They prey on frogs, toads, tadpoles, small fish, spiders, earthworms, and newts.
In general, Ribbon snakes have a polygynandrous (promiscuous) mating system, in which both males and females mate with multiple partners. Their breeding season begins in the spring, after hibernation. During this time Ribbon snakes begin to look for mates. They are ovoviviparous and give birth to live young once or twice each year. Southern ribbon snakes give birth to a litter of 5-12 young. They are born precocial (well-developed) and don't receive parental care.
There are no major threats facing Ribbon snakes at present. However, locally they do suffer from the loss of wetland habitat, pollution, road mortality, and illegal collection.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Southern ribbon snake total population size. In general, the Ribbon snake species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers today are stable.
