Missouri Animals Western mud snake   (Farancia abacura reinwardtii) Chordate: Vertebrate: Reptile: Serpentia: Colubridae Native North American snake Habitat: swamps, sloughs. Diet: amphiuma, lesser siren. ID Features: dark body with red underbelly blotches. Natural History: The western mud snake is a medium sized snake that grows to 4 1/2 feet. It is semi-aquatic and highly secretive. They attempt to stab their captors with the tip of their tail when caught. It is only found in the bootheel..

The graphics and text are from: The Amphibians and Reptiles of Missouri by Tom R. Johnson, Missouri Department of Conservation, ©1992