HARMLESS. Characterized by keeled scales, a divided anal scale, and a distinct color and pattern. The head, body, and tail are uniform brown or gray with a wide yellow or cream stripe running along each side near the belly. The belly is cream or white with a series of small dark spots. Adult males have slightly longer tails than females. Females grow larger than males.
The adults normally grow 45.7- 71.0 cm (18-28 inches) in total length. The largest specimen from Kansas is a female (KU 188175) from Lyon County with a total length of 102.9 cm (405⁄8 inches) collected by Robert F. Clarke on 11 June 1960. The maximum length throughout the range is 119.4 cm (47 inches) (Powell et al., 2016).
This species occurs along the margins of mud-bottomed and rocky-edged marshes, oxbow lakes, rivers, and streams in areas with abundant crawfish.
Few records exist for northeastern Kansas (one each from Brown and Doniphan counties), but they are substantiated by records from southeastern Nebraska and northwestern Missouri.
Resides near ponds and sluggish streams of prairies, wet meadows, and river valleys. It is active from April to October. Like many other snakes, this species is active during the day in spring and fall and becomes nocturnal during the hot summer months. When not foraging for food, it retreats into its crawfish burrow to rest. During winter, this snake retreats into these same burrows to avoid cold temperatures. From 1 May to 6 June, Irwin and Collins (1987) recorded 82 Graham's Crawfish Snakes active at Cheyenne Bottoms in Barton County.
Probably breeds during April and May. Courtship occurs in the water and consists of preliminary frenzied swimming by several males, probably trying to locate a female. Eventually, the males discover a female, and all may entwine with her, forming a fairly compact mass. More than one male may copulate with a single female.
Females give birth in late July, August, or September. Number of young per litter ranges from four to 39 (Fitch, 19856), with an average of sixteen. Males reach sexual maturity after one season, but females do not breed until their third year. Species of Regina are viviparous and form vascularized placentae supporting gas exchange and fluid balance during gestation. Embryos are chiefly lecithotrophic, with yolk providing most of the organic biomass. As in other Natricids, maternal transfer of water and ions is substantial, and organic nutrient transfer likely occurs at modest levels consistent with incipient placentotrophy.
This snake feeds almost exclusively on crawfish (Collins, 1993).
Predators of this species include large birds, mammals, and other snakes.
First reported by Mozley (1877) based on a specimen collected by F. H. Morgan in Douglas County and deposited in the KU collection that existed at that time. Burt (1933) referenced a specimen in the US National Museum for Cairo (Pratt County) collected on 29 June 1892. However, the earliest existing specimen (KU 1305) from Kansas was collected in May of 1899 in Douglas County.
The given locality of Harper County specimen (KU 186009) is actually in Barber County.
Additional surveys along the eastern sections of the Smoky Hill, Saline, Solomon, and Republican rivers may yield specimens.
References
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