It would not be possible to reliably identify a snake based solely on a loose description of its colour and back pattern alone - you will need to collect more information. There are currently over 2,900 recognised species of snake, crossing 456 genera and 15 families.
There is a fantastic resource online based at www.discoverlife.org/20/q?guide=Snakes which allows you to check boxes to denote certain characteristics of the animal you are trying to identify, before arranging results based on your selections. You can input values for different underbelly colours, bottom patterns, top patterns, scale keel/texture, anal plate variety and range, i.e. Whereabouts in the world you can find the species. The tool will then provide you with a list ordered by the likely best match, and you can check each individual species for a photograph and description.
The factors the tool uses to identify different species are the clearest ways to identify the snake you are searching for. There are species that exist whose patterning is used to confuse predators into thinking that they are actually another species entirely, as a defence mechanism or for infiltration. For this reason, colour and pattern are not enough to go by alone. Try to find out more about the snake you are searching for - perhaps there is one at your local zoo or reptile house.
There is a fantastic resource online based at www.discoverlife.org/20/q?guide=Snakes which allows you to check boxes to denote certain characteristics of the animal you are trying to identify, before arranging results based on your selections. You can input values for different underbelly colours, bottom patterns, top patterns, scale keel/texture, anal plate variety and range, i.e. Whereabouts in the world you can find the species. The tool will then provide you with a list ordered by the likely best match, and you can check each individual species for a photograph and description.
The factors the tool uses to identify different species are the clearest ways to identify the snake you are searching for. There are species that exist whose patterning is used to confuse predators into thinking that they are actually another species entirely, as a defence mechanism or for infiltration. For this reason, colour and pattern are not enough to go by alone. Try to find out more about the snake you are searching for - perhaps there is one at your local zoo or reptile house.
