Head to head
Southeastern Crowned Snake vs Short-Tailed Snake
The southeastern crowned snake and the short-tailed snake are both small, secretive, mildly venomous snakes of the southeastern United States, each narrowly specialised on a very specific type of prey.
| Southeastern Crowned Snake | Short-Tailed Snake | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Tantilla coronata | Stilosoma extenuatum |
| Primary prey | Centipedes | Other small reptiles, skinks |
| Range | Southeastern United States, broad | Central Florida only |
| Population status | Common, widespread | Rare, isolated |
| Venom | Mild, rear-fanged | None documented |
| Body shape | Small, dark head cap | Long body, notably short tail |
| Habitat | Forest leaf litter | Sandhill, scrub forest |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
Southeastern Crowned Snake vs Short-Tailed Snake: common questions
Why is the short-tailed snake so much rarer than the southeastern crowned snake?
The short-tailed snake survives only within a naturally small, isolated range in central Florida, unlike the southeastern crowned snake, which is genuinely common and widespread across forest leaf-litter habitat throughout the broader southeastern United States, a difference in range size alone that makes the short-tailed snake considerably more vulnerable to any further habitat loss.
Do both snakes eat the same kind of prey?
No, their diets are quite different despite both being narrow specialists: the southeastern crowned snake feeds mainly on centipedes, subdued with a mild venom from rear teeth, while the short-tailed snake feeds almost exclusively on other small reptiles, particularly burrowing skinks, which it kills through constriction rather than venom.
Are either of these snakes dangerous to people?
No, neither species poses any real danger; the southeastern crowned snake produces only a mild venom suited to subduing small invertebrate prey, and the short-tailed snake has no documented venom at all, relying on constriction, so neither is capable of causing anything more than minor irritation even in the unlikely event of a bite.