Eastern Hog-nosed Snake

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

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

Descripton:
Medium sized, thick (stout) bodied species with keeled scales and a pointed, upturned nose scale giving the snake the name hognose. The head is broad and somewhat triangular, and also distinct from the body. When threatened the snake will sometimes flatten there neck out giving it a cobra-like appearance. The hognose also will "play dead" when threatened.

The upper body background may be gray, tan yellowish to pinkish brown. brown, olive or black with 20-30 brown squarish blotches with 6-14 tail bands. These blotches are bordered by dark brown or black scales that are lighter brown inside. Blotches on the tail, dorsal and lateral intergrade to form bands. 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. The scales that border the mouth opening along the upper jaw are often lighter in coloration than the rest of the head. The chin is white. The belly is yellowish white, gray or tan molted with darker gray or black, but the belly maybe patternless and olive brown to black. The underside of the tail may sometimes be lighter than the rest of the belly. Pennsylvania has a high number of Melanistic (Uniformed Black) adults. Young are lighter colored and have a higher contrasting pattern that darkens with age.

• 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, gray or tan molted with darker gray 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.

• 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 will “play dead” when threatened.

• Melanistic young maybe slate grey.
• Higher contrast than adults.

• 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

• Northern Watersnake
• Eastern Milksnake
• Copperhead

Adult Gallery:

Juvenile Gallery:

• 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.

• Bob Hamilton
• Jeff Slawson
• Dave Emma