rainbow snake

noun

1. a burrowing snake, Farancia erytrogramma, of the southeastern U.S., having red and black stripes along the body, a red and yellow underside, and a sharp-tipped tail used in maneuvering prey.

Word History and Origins

Origin of rainbow snake¹

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10

Example Sentences

A rare rainbow snake was spotted slithering through a Florida forest last week, marking the first time in 50 years the multicolored serpent has been seen in the area, experts said.

From Fox News

In the last few months the Western black rhino and the South Florida Rainbow Snake have gone extinct, as far as official recordkeepers are concerned.

From Scientific American

The photographs accompanying this article are of the only existing museum specimen, which is preserved at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville, Fla. Even though confirmed South Florida rainbow snake specimens have not been found in nearly 60 years, anecdotal sightings have been reported, including some from biologists knowledgeable about snakes.

From Scientific American

Even more trap hours might be necessary to find the South Florida rainbow snake.

From Scientific American