Plain-bellied Water Snake
Nerodia erythrogaster
Summary 4
Nerodia erythrogaster, commonly known as the plain-bellied water snake or plainbelly water snake, is a familiar species of mostly aquatic, nonvenomous, colubrid snake endemic to the United States.
Description 5
NOT venomous but may bite if harassed. Typically found in and around bodies of water. Head is only slightly wider than neck, keeled scales, round pupils. Stocky body with a pattern of large dark blotches down the spine, smaller blotches down the sides. Bold pattern when young, darkens with age. Typically 30 inches up to 4 feet (76 to 120cm) in length. (J. R. Dixon and J. E. Werler, Texas Snakes: A Field Guide, University of Texas Press, 2000.)
Natural habitat 6
Plain-bellied water snakes are found in every southeastern state of the U.S., from Florida to southeastern Virginia on the east coast, and to the borders of eastern North Carolina and western Tennessee. The snakes are almost always found near a permanent water source. They are usually seen near rivers and floodplains, lakes and ponds and any natural wetlands in their geographic range.
Conservation 6
The plain-bellied water snake is considered a conservation risk because of its tendency to travel over land on roads and highways. Destruction or damage to wetlands is also a threat to the species's habitat. It is not a protected species in the southeastern states. In 1997, the subspecies, copper-bellied water snake was designated a threatened species in Ohio, Michigan and northern Indiana under the Federal Endangered Species Act.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Leah Heady, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/35433453@N03/3843354185
- (c) Sara Viernum, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/64920564@N03/6006219489
- (c) Cullen Hanks, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Cullen Hanks
- Adapted by Desmon M Dunn from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerodia_erythrogaster
- (c) Amber Leung, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/494740
- (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerodia_erythrogaster
