Stiles said he was was scuba diving in the Conecuh River working on a mussel survey, when he encountered the brilliant red, yellow and blue stripes of a rainbow snake. Suddenly the mussels could wait.

The South Florida rainbow snake resembles less a rainbow than a rainbow's shadow: With its iridescent, blue-black back, yellow and red patches and three red stripes, the snake is colorful and ...

Adult rainbow snakes have a glossy, black or dark blue back with three red stripes running the length of their bodies. The underside of the snake is typically yellow or red with black spots.