# Drymarchon

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Genus of snakes

Drymarchon Drymarchon couperi, eastern indigo snake Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Suborder: Serpentes Family: Colubridae Subfamily: Colubrinae Genus: Drymarchon Fitzinger, 1843[1] Species See text Synonyms[2] Georgia Baird and Girard, 1853 Geoptyas Steindachner, 1867 Morenoa Duges, 1905

***Drymarchon*** is a [genus](/source/Genus) of large, nonvenomous, [colubrid](/source/Colubridae) [snakes](/source/Snake), commonly known as **indigo snakes** or **cribos**,[3] found in the [Southeastern United States](/source/Southeastern_United_States), [Mexico](/source/Mexico), [Central America](/source/Central_America), and South America.

## Description

Indigo snakes are large, robust snakes. They have smooth [dorsal scales](/source/Dorsal_scales), and several color variations, including a glossy blue-black color. The snake's [generic](/source/Genus) name *Drymarchon* means "lord of the forest". The species in this genus are sexually dimorphic, with the males being larger than the females. This is thought to be due to intraspecies competition from the males.[4]

## Behavior and diet

Indigo snakes are diurnal and actively forage for prey. They feed on a broad variety of small animals such as [rodents](/source/Rodents), [birds](/source/Birds), [lizards](/source/Lizards), [frogs](/source/Frogs), [toads](/source/Toads), and other [snakes](/source/Ophiophagy), including [rattlesnakes](/source/Rattlesnakes). Indigo snakes also eat small gopher tortoises when they are available.[5] They are not aggressive snakes and bite only when threatened. Its typical threat display includes hissing and shaking of its tail as a warning.

## Habitat

The current distribution of *D. couperi* is reported as extending from the coastal plain of southern Georgia to peninsular Florida and the lower Florida Keys west to Southeastern Mississippi. The species uses a variety of different habitats, including longleaf pine-turkey oak sandhills, pine and scrub flatwoods, dry prairie, tropical hardwoods, freshwater wetlands, and coastal dunes; however, winter survival, especially in northern portions of its range, depends on the availability of appropriate shelters, which are primarily gopher tortoise burrows.[6] These burrows can be used to hide from predators, fires, and extreme temperatures.[7]

## Threats

Populations in Alabama, Texas, and South Carolina have been largely lost due to [habitat destruction](/source/Habitat_destruction), [poaching](/source/Poaching), and killings. Indigo snakes are currently protected under the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which makes possession, harming, or harassing them illegal. Permits are also required to keep or transport this species.[8]

## Species and subspecies

*[Drymarchon melanurus erebennus](/source/Drymarchon_melanurus_erebennus)*

The genus *Drymarchon* was formerly considered to be a [monotypic taxon](/source/Monotypic_taxon) formed by [subspecies](/source/Subspecies) of *D. corais*. Currently, the genus includes six distinct species recognized by [ITIS](/source/ITIS):[9] One of the species has several subspecies that are recognized as being valid.

- [Falcon indigo snake](/source/Falcon_indigo_snake) — *Drymarchon caudomaculatus* [Wüster](/source/Wolfgang_W%C3%BCster), [Yrausquin](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jos%C3%A9_Lu%C3%ADs_Yrausquin&action=edit&redlink=1) & [Mijares-Urrutia](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Mijares-Urrutia), 2001[10]

- [Indigo snake](/source/Indigo_snake_(species)) — *Drymarchon corais* ([F. Boie](/source/Friedrich_Boie), 1827)

- [Eastern indigo snake](/source/Drymarchon_couperi) — *Drymarchon couperi* ([Holbrook](/source/John_Edwards_Holbrook), 1842)[11]

- Gulf Coast indigo snake — *Drymarchon kolpobasileus* [Krysko](/source/Kenney_Krysko), Granatosky, Nuñez & D. J. Smith, 2016[12]

- [Margarita indigo snake](/source/Margarita_indigo_snake) — *Drymarchon margaritae* [Roze](/source/Janis_Roze), 1959

- [Middle American indigo snake](/source/Middle_American_indigo_snake) — *Drymarchon melanurus* ([A.M.C. Duméril](/source/Andr%C3%A9_Marie_Constant_Dum%C3%A9ril), [Bibron](/source/Gabriel_Bibron) & [A.H.A. Duméril](/source/Auguste_Dum%C3%A9ril), 1854) - Black-tailed cribo — *D. m. melanurus* (A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854) - [Texas indigo snake](/source/Texas_indigo_snake) — *D. m. erebennus* ([Cope](/source/Edward_Drinker_Cope), 1860)[13] - Orizaba indigo snake — *D. m. orizabensis* ([Dugès](/source/Alfredo_Dug%C3%A8s), 1905) - Mexican red-tailed indigo snake — *D. m. rubidus* [H.M. Smith](/source/Hobart_Muir_Smith), 1941 - Unicolor cribo — *D. m. unicolor* H.M. Smith, 1941

*[Nota bene](/source/Nota_bene)*: A [binomial authority](/source/Binomial_nomenclature) or a [trinomial authority](/source/Trinomen) in parentheses indicates that the species or subspecies was originally described in a genus other than *Drymarchon*.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-fitzringer1843_1-0)** [Fitzinger L](/source/Leopold_Fitzinger) (1843). *Systema Reptilium, Fasciculus Primus, Amblyglossae*. Vienna: Braumüller & Seidel. 106 pp. + indices. (*Drymarchon*, new genus, p. 26). (in Latin).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-McCranie_(1980)_2-0)** McCranie, James R. 1980. *[Drymarchon, D. corais.](https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/bitstream/handle/2152/45186/0267%20Drymarchon%20D%20corais.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y)* Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, 267: 1-4.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-mherps_3-0)** ["Cribos and Indigo Snakes"](https://web.archive.org/web/20181022073508/http://madisonherps.org/guwp/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Cribos.pdf) (PDF). *madisonherps.org*. Archived from [the original](http://madisonherps.org/guwp/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Cribos.pdf) (PDF) on 2018-10-22. Retrieved 2018-10-21.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Stevenson, Dirk J.; Dyer, Karen J.; Willis-Stevenson, Beth A. (2003). "Survey and Monitoring of the Eastern Indigo Snake in Georgia". *Southeastern Naturalist*. **2** (3): 393–408. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1656/1528-7092(2003)002\[0393:SAMOTE\]2.0.CO;2](https://doi.org/10.1656%2F1528-7092%282003%29002%5B0393%3ASAMOTE%5D2.0.CO%3B2). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1528-7092](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1528-7092). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [3878009](https://www.jstor.org/stable/3878009). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [86306664](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:86306664).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Stevenson, Dirk J.; Bolt, M. Rebecca; Smith, Daniel J.; Enge, Kevin M.; Hyslop, Natalie L.; Norton, Terry M.; Dyer, Karen J. (March 2010). ["Prey Records for the Eastern Indigo Snake ( Drymarchon couperi )"](http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1656/058.009.0101). *Southeastern Naturalist*. **9** (1): 1–18. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1656/058.009.0101](https://doi.org/10.1656%2F058.009.0101). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1528-7092](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1528-7092).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Hyslop, N.L (2007). "Movements, habitat use, and survival of the threatened eastern indigo snake (*Drymarchon couperi*) in Georgia". *Diss*. University of Georgia: 12.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** HYSLOP, NATALIE L.; MEYERS, J. MICHAEL; COOPER, ROBERT J.; STEVENSON, DIRK J. (2014). "Effects of Body Size and Sex of "Drymarchon couperi" (Eastern Indigo Snake) on Habitat Use, Movements, and Home Range Size in Georgia". *The Journal of Wildlife Management*. **78** (1): 101–111. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2014JWMan..78..101H](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014JWMan..78..101H). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1002/jwmg.645](https://doi.org/10.1002%2Fjwmg.645). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0022-541X](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0022-541X). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [43188431](https://www.jstor.org/stable/43188431).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Stevenson, Dirk J.; Dyer, Karen J.; Willis-Stevenson, Beth A. (2003). "Survey and Monitoring of the Eastern Indigo Snake in Georgia". *Southeastern Naturalist*. **2** (3): 393–408. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1656/1528-7092(2003)002\[0393:SAMOTE\]2.0.CO;2](https://doi.org/10.1656%2F1528-7092%282003%29002%5B0393%3ASAMOTE%5D2.0.CO%3B2). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1528-7092](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1528-7092). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [3878009](https://www.jstor.org/stable/3878009). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [86306664](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:86306664).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ITIS_9-0)** ["*Drymarchon*"](https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=174223). [Integrated Taxonomic Information System](/source/Integrated_Taxonomic_Information_System). Retrieved 2011-02-06.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** [Wüster, Wolfgang](/source/Wolfgang_W%C3%BCster); Yrausquin, José Luís; [Mijares-Urrutia, Abraham](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Mijares-Urrutia) [in French] (2001). ["A new species of indigo snake from north-western Venezuela (Serpentes: Colubridae: *Drymarchon*)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070205144435/http://biology.bangor.ac.uk/~bss166/Publications/Drymarchon.pdf) (PDF). *Herpetological Journal*. **11**: 157–165. Archived from [the original](http://biology.bangor.ac.uk/~bss166/Publications/Drymarchon.pdf) (PDF) on 2007-02-05. (*Drymarchon caudomaculatus*, new species).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Hammerson GA (2007). ["*Drymarchon couperi*"](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/63773/12714602). *[IUCN Red List of Threatened Species](/source/IUCN_Red_List)*. **2007** e.T63773A12714602. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T63773A12714602.en](https://doi.org/10.2305%2FIUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T63773A12714602.en).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Krysko, Kenneth L.; Granatosky, Michael C.; Nuñez, Leroy P.; Smith, Daniel J. (2016-07-18). ["A cryptic new species of Indigo Snake (genus Drymarchon) from the Florida Platform of the United States"](http://publication.plazi.org/id/F56EA42DFFC91546163E0471FFF11277). *Zootaxa*. **4138** (3): 549–569. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.11646/zootaxa.4138.3.9](https://doi.org/10.11646%2Fzootaxa.4138.3.9). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1175-5334](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1175-5334). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [27470779](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27470779).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Gutiérrez-Cárdenas, P.; Rivas, G. (2017). ["*Drymarchon melanurus*"](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/63774/3129309). *[IUCN Red List of Threatened Species](/source/IUCN_Red_List)*. **2017** e.T63774A3129309. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T63774A3129309.en](https://doi.org/10.2305%2FIUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T63774A3129309.en). Retrieved 12 November 2021.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Drymarchon](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Drymarchon).

- [The Indigo Snake Systematics Page: A New Species of Indigo Snake (*Drymarchon*) from Venezuela, and a Reclassification of the Genus](https://web.archive.org/web/20050307073542/http://biology.bangor.ac.uk/~bss166/Taxa/Drymar.htm).

- ["Black Snakes": Identification and Ecology](http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw251) - University of Florida fact sheet.

Taxon identifiers Drymarchon Wikidata: Q2363493 Wikispecies: Drymarchon ADW: Drymarchon CoL: 48G6 EoL: 36223 GBIF: 2452316 iNaturalist: 30333 IRMNG: 1034565 ITIS: 174223 NCBI: 186582 Open Tree of Life: 69225 Paleobiology Database: 67525 WoRMS: 1393159

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Drymarchon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drymarchon) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drymarchon?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.