Scientific Name: Heterodon platirhinos
Size: 20-33 in. (90 – 152 cm) in length
PA Status: Species of special concern

Habitat Type:
Wooded hillsides, grassy fields, cultivated fields, dirt roads, open forest, dry areas with loose soil or sand.

Colorations:
Adults:

• The dorsal background may be grey, tan yellowish to pinkish brown. brown, olive or black
• PA has a high number of Melanistic (Uniformed Black) adults.
• The dorsal has 20-30 brown squarish blotches with 6-14 tail bands.
• Blotches are bordered by dark brown or black scales that are lighter brown inside.
• The sides of the body have rows of smaller blotches alternating with the dorsal blotches.
• Blotches on the tail, dorsal and lateral intergrade to form bands.
• The ventral is yellowish white, grey or tan molted with darker grey or black, but the ventral maybe patternless and olive brown to black.
• The underside of the tail maybe lighter than the rest of the ventral.
• The neck has two elongated lateral blotches that often resemble a ”V”.
• The head has a dark bar that runs across the eyes and a diagonal bar runs from the posterior margin of the eyes to the corner of the mouth.
• Head scales often have black spots.
• Suparlabials are often lighter in coloration than the rest of the head.
• Chin is usually white.

Juveniles:

• Melanistic young maybe slate grey.
• Higher contrast.

Characteristics:

• Medium-sized species.
• Stout body
• Pointed, upturned rostral scale. (Giving the snake the name hognose)
• Can flatten there neck out.
• The head is broad and somewhat triangular, and also distinct from the body
• Dorsal scales are keeled.
• The hognose also will “play dead” when threatened.

Scale Counts:

• 25 scale rows at midbody
• 23-25 scale rows at anterior
• 19 scale rows at posterior
• 112-157 ventral scales
• 30-64 subcaudals | 2 rows of subcaudals
• 2 nasal scales
• 1 loreal scale
• 8-13 orbital ring scales below the supraocular scale
• 3-4+4-5 temporal scales
• 8 supralabials
• 10-11 infralabials
• Anal plate is divided

Confused with:

• Northern Water Snake
• Eastern Milk Snake
• Copperhead

Coloration/Pattern Photos:
Yellow Phase Adults:

Dark Phase Adults:

Juveniles:

Range Map:

References:

• Hulse, C. and McCoy C. J. and Ellen Censky ,1998. Amphibians and Reptiles of Pennsylvania and the Northeast. 291-295pp
• Ernst, Carl H. and Ernst, Evelyn M. ,2003. Snakes of the United States and Canada. 146-150pp.

Photo Credits:

• Bob Hamilton
• Jeff Slawson
• Dave Emma