About Liodytes pygaea (Cope, 1871)
Liodytes pygaea, commonly called the black swamp snake, is a small, thin species of snake. Adults are typically 25–38 cm (10–15 in) long including the tail, with a maximum recorded size of 55 cm (22 in). Its back is uniformly black, and it has a bright orange or red belly. This species is found along the east coast of the United States, in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It prefers heavily vegetated swampland habitat. The black swamp snake is ovoviviparous, and gives birth to live young directly in shallow water. Unlike many other snake species, gravid female black swamp snakes feed actively, which suggests they may pass nutrients directly to their developing young. Observed brood sizes range from 11 to 13 offspring. Newborn black swamp snakes are 11–14 cm (4.3–5.5 in) long including the tail.
