Mud Snake

I was really scared when we caught this Mud snake (Farancia abacura). When i found out it was blind I felt a little bit better. This snake is shiny, black, and red. Most of its scales are smooth (unkeeled) except in the supra-anal region where they are keeled. These snakes live in swampy areas and are burrowers but can live in water as well. When they are caught, the tail presses against the collector's hand, which coined it the name "horn snake." (Patrice Rookard, SC)