A slender, satiny snake that is plain black both above and below. Usually very little white on chin and throat. Iris of eye brown or dark amber. Scales smooth; anal divided. Young: Strongly patterned with a mid dorsal row of dark gray ,brown, or reddish-brown blotches on a ground color or gray or bluish gray; small dark spots on flanks and venter; tail virtually unpatterned.As snake grows older,pattern becomes less distinct and upper surface darkens; at 30" virtually all traces of pattern have usually disappeared.