series of blotches. Its sides have a row of dark 

 blotches that may merge to form short stripes in 

 the neck region. The belly is reddish-brown to 

 black with a median row of yellowish spots. 



Color photograph is in Dodd (1978); black 

 and white photographs in Carr and Goin (1942), 

 Wright and Wright (1957) and Kochman and 

 Christman (1979a). 



RANGE 



This species is endemic to the following 

 localities on the Atlantic coast of Florida: 

 Volusia County - vicinity of National Gardens, 



Daytona Beach, and New Smyrna Beach 

 Brevard County — Merritt Island National 



Wildlife Refuge at Playalinda Beach (R. 



Demmer personal communication) and vici- 

 nity of Micco (Kochman and Christman 



1979a) 

 Indian River County - Gifford (H. Kochman 



unpublished data) and vicinity of Vero Beach 



(Kochman and Christman 1979a). 



Snakes exhibiting various degrees of intermed- 

 iacy between the Atlantic salt marsh snake, the 

 Florida water snake, and the mangrove water 

 snake (Nerodia fasciata compressicauda) occur at 

 various localities throughout the known range of 

 N.f. taeniata (Neill 1958,Kockman 1977). 



There is no evidence to suggest that the range 

 of this species has changed significantly (42 FR 

 60743-60745; 29 November 1977). 



RANGE MAP 



Dots on the following map represent specific 

 localities or general areas from which one or more 

 specimens have been taken (adapted from Koch- 

 man and Christman 1979a). 



STATES/COUNTIES 



Florida: Brevard, Indian River, Volusia. 



HABITAT 



The Atlantic salt marsh snake inhabits coastal 

 salt marshes and mangrove swaimps. It has been 

 specifically reported along shallow tidal creeks 

 and pools in association with glasswort {Salicornia 

 perennis) (Carr and Goin 1942), blackrush {/un- 

 cus roemerianus) (Niell 1958), and black man- 

 grove (Avicennia germinans) (H. Kale personal 

 communication, H. Kochman unpublished data). 

 It occurs in saline environments ranging from 

 brackish to full strength seawater. 



FOOD AND FORAGING BEHAVIOR 



The species is ecologically and behaviorally 

 similar to the Gulf salt marsh snake (N. f. clarki). 

 It forages in shallow water during low tidal stages 

 (Carr and Goin 1942, Neill 1958, Kochman and 

 Christman 1979a), apparently feeding upon dense 

 congregations of small fishes that become entrap- 

 ped during the falling tide (Neill 1958). A similar 

 feeding strategy has also been reported for the 

 Gulf salt marsh snake (Pettus 1956). 



Although primarily regarded as nocturnal 

 (Carr and Goin 1942, Kochman and Christman 

 1979a), Atlantic salt marsh snakes may be strong- 

 ly influenced by ddal rhythms and have been 

 reported to forage in daylight during favorable 

 tides (Neill 1958). They are also known to enter 

 minnow traps in shallow water (H. Kale personal 

 communication) . 



SHELTER REQUIREMENTS 



Little specific information is available. One 

 specimen reportedly withdrew into a fiddler crab 

 (Uca) burrow when approached during daylight 

 (Carr and Goin 1942). 



NESTING OR BEDDING 



Not known. 



RITUAL REQUIREMENTS 



Not knowTi. 



OTHER CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL 

 REQUIREMENTS 



Coastal races of N. fasciata are reproductively 

 compatible with adjacent freshwater populations 

 and require ecological isolation to maintain 

 genetic integrity (Pettus 1956, 1963; Conant 

 1975, Kochman 1977). The Atlantic salt marsh 

 snake appears to hybridize freely with the Florida 

 water snake in ecotonal areas of distributional 

 overlap (Kochman 1977). It can remain genetical- 

 ly distinct only if hybridization is limited to 

 narrow zones of ecological transition between 

 freshwater and saline habitats. Alteration of 

 coastal wetlands through drainage and diking 

 enhances hybridization and promotes genetic 

 introgression, i.e. swamping, by the Florida water 

 snake (Kochman and Christman 1979a; 42 FR 

 60743-60745; 29 November 1977). 



POPULATION NUMBERS AND TRENDS 



No population estimates are available. Ap- 

 proximately 50 specimens are known to science 

 (H. Kochman unpublished data). 



