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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)

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)

Keeled Scales

Smooth Scales

5. Snakes with smooth or non-keeled scales ................................... (Family Colubridae)

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