A KEY FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF SELECTED REPTILES
OF PENNSYLVANIA AND SURROUNDING AREAS
1. Body elongate and covered with small scales; anus a cross slit. Lizards and Snakes, Order Squamata ....................................................................................................................... 2
1. Body short and broad and enclosed between two (upper and lower) shields or shells; anus rounded or a longitudinal slit. ........................................ Turtles, Order Testudines (Turtles)
2. Limbs present; eyelids movable; an external ear opening. ....Lizards, Suborder Lacertilia
2. Limbs absent; no external ear openings or movable eyelids.Snakes, Suborder Serpentes ..3
3. Shiny with red, yellow, and black rings completely encircling the body; red and yellow rings touch; end of snout black, followed by yellow band across head (Family Elapidae)
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Micrurus fulvius, Eastern Coral Snake |
3. Without such a colorful pattern .................................................................................4
4. A deep pit between the eye and the nostril; scales under the tail (caudals) in only 1 row ........................................................................... (Family Viperidae; Subfamily Crotalinae)
4. Without a pit between the eye and the nostril; caudals in two rows .............................5
5 Snakes with keeled scales above ............................................. (Family Colubridae)
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Keeled Scales |
Smooth Scales |
5. Snakes with smooth or non-keeled scales ................................... (Family Colubridae)