Diamondback Watersnake
Nerodia rhombifer
Summary 2
Diamondbacked Watersnakes are common snakes in Bexar County along wherever there is semi-permanent water. They can be quite dark as adults and the chain pattern down their back is difficult to see sometimes in snakes that are muddy. These snakes eat mostly fish.
There is a common misconception than you can tell harmless from venomous snakes by the shape of their heads and the diamondback watersnake is a great example of how this "rule" does not work. This species has a relatively elliptical head shape unless it has been tampered with or annoyed. Then it flattens its head making it look triangular. This species will not hesitate to bite if molested.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Chris Harrison, all rights reserved, uploaded by Chris Harrison
- Adapted by Chris Harrison from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerodia_rhombifer
