Midland Brown Snake *invalid taxa*
Storeria dekayi wrightorum
Natural History:
The Midland Brown Snake was a subspecies of the Dekay's Brown Snake. This separation of subspecies however is divided by phenotypes rather than genotypes, physical characteristics rather than genetics. As a result of the lack of genetic evidence to support this division of subspecies, this taxa is no longer considered valid by many sources.
The separation of the subspecies was largely due to physical characteristics being present in one population and absent from another. While other subspecies will have some spots along their back, the Midland Brown Snake instead has bands across their back. The characteristics of both the Dekay's Brown Snake and the Midland Brown Snake can be found along the shores of the Great Lakes of Ontario both as this area was listed as a hybrid zone between the two subspecies.
Being differentiated based on phenotypes, the Midland Brown Snake behaves just like other Brown Snake species and subspecies.
The Brown Snake is a small snake that seldom bites. It's small disposition means that its prey also has to be small, they feed primarily on invertebrates, mainly such animals as slugs and some insects making them beneficial to gardens. Brown Snakes are also some of the some of the most harmless of snakes as they are nonvenonous and unlikely to bite if provoked. When threatened, the Midland Brown Snake will likely musk which it does so by creating a fowl smelling liquid and excreting it through their cloaca.
Like the related Garter Snake, the Brown Snake gives birth to live young instead of laying eggs. This adaptation likely proved more advantageous as the young won't be as easily predated upon as they are more mobile. The young Brown Snake is often confused with the Ring-Necked Snake as they too sport a white ring around their neck although is not nearly as uniformly rounded as that of the Ring-Necked Snake. This makes identification difficult with smaller individuals. Unlike the Ring-Necked Snake however, the Brown Snake is highly variable in colouration with individuals found that are grey to yellow and some even reddish in colour. Brown Snakes have keeled scales which have a small ridge running down each one, closely related snakes such as Garter Snakes and Water Snakes also have these special scales. Ring-Necked Snakes have smooth scales that lack a ridge making it a useful key for identification.
The Midland Brown Snake was a subspecies of the Dekay's Brown Snake. This separation of subspecies however is divided by phenotypes rather than genotypes, physical characteristics rather than genetics. As a result of the lack of genetic evidence to support this division of subspecies, this taxa is no longer considered valid by many sources.
The separation of the subspecies was largely due to physical characteristics being present in one population and absent from another. While other subspecies will have some spots along their back, the Midland Brown Snake instead has bands across their back. The characteristics of both the Dekay's Brown Snake and the Midland Brown Snake can be found along the shores of the Great Lakes of Ontario both as this area was listed as a hybrid zone between the two subspecies.
Being differentiated based on phenotypes, the Midland Brown Snake behaves just like other Brown Snake species and subspecies.
The Brown Snake is a small snake that seldom bites. It's small disposition means that its prey also has to be small, they feed primarily on invertebrates, mainly such animals as slugs and some insects making them beneficial to gardens. Brown Snakes are also some of the some of the most harmless of snakes as they are nonvenonous and unlikely to bite if provoked. When threatened, the Midland Brown Snake will likely musk which it does so by creating a fowl smelling liquid and excreting it through their cloaca.
Like the related Garter Snake, the Brown Snake gives birth to live young instead of laying eggs. This adaptation likely proved more advantageous as the young won't be as easily predated upon as they are more mobile. The young Brown Snake is often confused with the Ring-Necked Snake as they too sport a white ring around their neck although is not nearly as uniformly rounded as that of the Ring-Necked Snake. This makes identification difficult with smaller individuals. Unlike the Ring-Necked Snake however, the Brown Snake is highly variable in colouration with individuals found that are grey to yellow and some even reddish in colour. Brown Snakes have keeled scales which have a small ridge running down each one, closely related snakes such as Garter Snakes and Water Snakes also have these special scales. Ring-Necked Snakes have smooth scales that lack a ridge making it a useful key for identification.