Striped Swamp Snake
Also known as the crayfish snake, derived from its principal prey: crayfish. Most adults are about 13-20 inches in total length. They are highly aquatic & inhabit a variety of slow-moving waterways such as cypress strands, sawgrass prairies, swamps & bogs. They prefer dense vegetation where they hide within the submerged roots. These secretive snakes are rarely seen away from water, but can sometimes be found crossing roads during or after heavy rains.
The nasal and frontal bones of the Striped Swampsnake (𝘓𝘪𝘰𝘥𝘺𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘪) are reduced in the skull, producing a rhinokinetic snout adapted to feeding on hard-shelled prey (Dwyer and Kaiser 1997)
