Relatively large. Color a midnight blue with bold, narrow, yellowish “rings” (that do not extend onto the belly). Belly grayish to yellowish. 
Arkansas Herpetological Atlas 2019
This species is represented by 731 records from 33 sources: 576 museum (
), 0 literature (
), 0 research (
), and 151 observation (
), with 4 additional Trauth et al. (2004) locality points remaining unsourced (
). It has been museum vouchered for 19 of 75 counties (), with 5 additional counties having other forms of reported occurrence (). Years of collection range from 1894 to present.
This species occurs throughout portions of the Interior Highlands. In the mountainous regions of the Arkansas Valley, it has been reported from Mount Magazine, Logan County, and Petit Jean Mountain, Conway County, but not from other likely areas (e.g., Poteau Mountain). Relatively large gaps in sampling exist in the Ozark Highlands and range boundaries are not clearly delineated in some areas, particularly the northern and eastern extents in the Ouachita Mountains. An observation record from Pulaski County (ANHC AAAAA01010*042 from 1992) warrants reexamination of the source evidence.
