Crayfish snake (Liodytes rigida)
The crayfish snake is a non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. GBIF holds 449 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 10 states, most of all South Carolina (128), North Carolina (69) and Louisiana (64). Its observation records peak in April.
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Is the crayfish snake poisonous or venomous?
No. The crayfish snake is non-venomous: it belongs to the family Colubridae, not to the pit vipers or coral snakes, the only U.S. land snakes with medically dangerous venom. It may bite if handled; clean the bite like any small wound.
Which states have the crayfish snake?
Records are spread over 10 states; the top three, South Carolina, North Carolina and Louisiana, hold 58% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state snakes | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Carolina | 128 | 3.5% | 11th of 40 |
| 2 | North Carolina | 69 | 0.3% | 31st of 39 |
| 3 | Louisiana | 64 | 1.3% | 19th of 41 |
| 4 | Texas | 61 | 0.1% | 63rd of 86 |
| 5 | Florida | 47 | 0.2% | 34th of 49 |
| 6 | Alabama | 30 | 0.5% | 34th of 44 |
| 7 | Georgia | 20 | 0.3% | 29th of 44 |
| 8 | Mississippi | 12 | 0.6% | 30th of 38 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | 7 | 0.1% | 50th of 50 |
| 10 | Arkansas | 3 | 0.1% | 34th of 36 |
When is the crayfish snake seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the crayfish snake run mostly February through September, peaking in April with 21% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 9% of them.
Where the crayfish snake is recorded in each state
South Carolina
South Carolina holds 128 licensed records, the 11th most recorded of 40 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in South Carolina come from Charleston County, Berkeley County and Georgetown County. Next come Colleton County (2) and Jasper County (2).
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 69 licensed records, the joint 31st most recorded of 39 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in North Carolina come from Brunswick County, Onslow County and Hyde County. Next come New Hanover County (5) and Dare County (4).
Louisiana
Louisiana holds 64 licensed records, the 19th most recorded of 41 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Louisiana come from Saint Charles Parish, Ouachita Parish and Jefferson Parish. Next come Saint Tammany Parish (4) and Lafourche Parish (3).
Texas
Texas holds 61 licensed records, the 63rd most recorded of 86 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Texas come from Chambers County, Jefferson County and Anderson County. Next come Hardin County (3) and Cherokee County (3).
Florida
Florida holds 47 licensed records, the 34th most recorded of 49 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Florida come from Liberty County, Franklin County and Escambia County. Next come Alachua County (2) and Baker County (2).
Alabama
Alabama holds 30 licensed records, the joint 34th most recorded of 44 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Alabama come from Macon County, Covington County and Russell County. Next come Baldwin County (3) and Lee County (2).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charleston County | South Carolina | 115 | 25.6% |
| 2 | Brunswick County | North Carolina | 29 | 6.5% |
| 3 | Chambers County | Texas | 22 | 4.9% |
| 4 | Liberty County | Florida | 16 | 3.6% |
| 5 | Macon County | Alabama | 11 | 2.4% |
| 6 | Saint Charles Parish | Louisiana | 9 | 2.0% |
| 7 | Jefferson County | Texas | 9 | 2.0% |
| 8 | Franklin County | Florida | 8 | 1.8% |
| 9 | Ouachita Parish | Louisiana | 8 | 1.8% |
| 10 | Onslow County | North Carolina | 8 | 1.8% |
| 11 | Jefferson Parish | Louisiana | 6 | 1.3% |
| 12 | Anderson County | Texas | 6 | 1.3% |
| 13 | Covington County | Alabama | 5 | 1.1% |
| 14 | Hyde County | North Carolina | 5 | 1.1% |
| 15 | New Hanover County | North Carolina | 5 | 1.1% |
How recent are the crayfish snake records?
The crayfish snake record leans on older material: only 11% of dated U.S. records come from 2017–2026, and the median record is from 1966. The oldest dated record is from 1855; the busiest year was 1936, with 115 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 1 | 0.2% |
| 1860s | 1 | 0.2% |
| 1920s | 7 | 1.7% |
| 1930s | 121 | 29.0% |
| 1940s | 19 | 4.6% |
| 1950s | 27 | 6.5% |
| 1960s | 60 | 14.4% |
| 1970s | 31 | 7.4% |
| 1980s | 46 | 11.0% |
| 1990s | 10 | 2.4% |
| 2000s | 35 | 8.4% |
| 2010s | 24 | 5.8% |
| 2020s | 35 | 8.4% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 77 counties where the crayfish snake is most recorded, 45 are also top counties for the mud snake, more than for any other snake. Venomous species among its neighbors: the northern cottonmouth and the pygmy rattlesnake.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Mud snake | 45 |
| Southern watersnake | 39 |
| Northern cottonmouth venomous | 37 |
| Eastern hog-nosed snake | 32 |
| Pygmy rattlesnake venomous | 31 |
| Eastern rat snake | 30 |
| Rough greensnake | 30 |
| Eastern racer | 29 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other members of the family Colubridae with profiles here: Western terrestrial garter snake, Common garter snake, Gopher snake, Ring-necked snake, Northern water snake and Eastern racer.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.