Overview

Eastern indigo snakes are one of the largest snakes in North America; reaching a maximum total length of 2.62 m. The species is fairly stout-bodied and sexually dimorphic in size, with males attaining greater lengths than females. Large males are typically 2.13-2.36 m and weigh 3.2-4.5 kg; while large females seldom exceed 2.0 m and weigh 1.8-2.7 kg. Eastern indigo snakes are a uniform bluish or gunmetal black both dorsally and ventrally with a wash of orange-red on the chin, sides of the head, and throat.

The taxon was described by James Edward Holbrook in 1842, and named in honor of J. H. Couper who brought him the first specimen from south of the Altamaha River in Wayne County, Georgia. The species Drymarchon corais historically was considered a monotypic species with 8 to 12 subspecies; including D. c. couperi. In the early 1990’s the eastern indigo snake, Drymarchon corais couperi, was elevated to full species level (Drymarchon couperi), and most herpetologists have adopted this suggestion, including the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, in their official names list. Eastern indigo snakes occur throughout most of Florida and much of the Coastal Plain of southern Georgia. The historic range included southeastern Mississippi, southernmost Alabama, and possibly southeastern South Carolina; however, eastern indigo populations no longer inhabit these states.

Habitat

Throughout its range, the eastern indigo snake can be found in a wide variety of habitats depending on the region in which it is found. In peninsular Florida, eastern indigo snakes occur in diverse habitat types; including sandhills, oak scrub, sand pine scrub, mangrove swamps, wet prairies, cabbage palm-live oak hammocks, and pine flatwoods. In the northern parts of the range (i.e., southern Georgia and northern Florida, including the Panhandle region) eastern indigo snakes appear to be dependent on gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) burrows for winter dens, and are more largely restricted to sandy, longleaf pine habitats. Reports of eastern indigo snake nest sites are rare, but appear to be mostly associated with gopher tortoise burrows; especially abandoned burrows. Here females lay a single clutch of 4-14 large eggs between April-June, with the eggs hatching in August-September.

Eastern indigo snakes are indiscriminate carnivores known to feed on virtually any vertebrate they can overpower. They are a robust and domineering species that overpowers their prey by using strong jaws while pinning the prey item to the substrate with a body coil; often swallowing the prey alive. Eastern indigo snakes are known to feed on fish, frogs, toads, small alligators, hatchling aquatic turtles, hatchling and juvenile gopher tortoises, lizards, other snakes, birds and their eggs, and small mammals.

For more information, download the Eastern Indigo Snake Fact Sheet