Northern Watersnake
Nerodia sipedon
Description 4
Dark dorsal markings on body from neck to anus usually are bands anteriorly becoming alternating dorsal and lateral blotches posteriorly (rarely completely cross-banded), but total dorsal markings (bands plus blotches) on body, from neck to above anus, usually 30 or more and separated by one scale row or less. Light spaces between lateral dark markings usually less than 2 1/2 scale rows wide. Reddish or brownish centered half-moon and other distinct markings on belly extend past the 50th ventral scute. Ground color varies from pale gray to dark brown, markings from bright reddish brown to black. Scales keeled; anal plate divided.
Habitat: swamp, march, bog, stream, pond, or lake border. Prefers quiet waters.
Young: strongly patterned, black on a ground of pale gray or light brown.
Adults: tend to darken so that the pattern becomes obscure; it may disappear altogether.
Conant, R., & Collins, J. T. (1998). A field guide to reptiles & amphibians: eastern and central North America (3rd ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Sources and Credits
- (c) floracliff, all rights reserved, uploaded by floracliff
- (c) Douglas Mills, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/70651647@N00/2455260775
- (c) floracliff, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by floracliff
- (c) floracliff, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
