WATER SNAKES

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Water snakes are commonly encountered in ditches and bayous, and around ponds and lakes. They are often observed resting in low vegetation overhanging water, or slipping into water from shore when approached. Water snakes tend to have a vicious temperament and will readily bite and exude a foul-smelling musk when captured. However, they are non-venomous. Unfortunately, most water snakes bear a strong resemblance to the dangerously venomous cottonmouth. Differences between the cottonmouth and water snakes are difficult to observe unless the snake is lying motionless and in full view. Cottonmouths tend to have a rounder, chunkier head, a low ridge or angle around the top of the snout, vertical pupils, and a loreal pit in front of each eye. Water snakes tend to have elongate heads, although they may obtain a diamond shape when annoyed by spreading the rear portion of the jaws outward. In addition, all water snakes have round pupils and lack the loreal pit. The scales of all species are keeled. Water snakes feed on fish, amphibians and crawfish, and may be either nocturnal or diurnal. They give birth to live young.

Fig.4. Head of water snake

Salt Marsh Snake, Nerodia clarkii

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• Identification: 15-35 inches. Pale gray or tan above with three broad, dark brown or black longitudinal stripes and a dark band through the eye; underside dark reddish brown with a central row of pale spots. The keeled scales are in 21 rows.
• Habits: Salt marsh snakes occur in open brackish and salt marshes. They give birth to 3-19 young.
• Distribution: Coastal mashes including the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain.

Mississippi Green Water Snake, Nerodia cyclopion

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• Identification: 16-50 inches. Dark gray-green, olive or dark gray above, with a row of small, dark squared markings along the upper sides, alternating with a row on the lower sides and middle of the back; underside pale yellow with diffuse gray spotting that increases posteriorly. The keeled scales are in 23-27 rows.
• Habits: Green water snakes prefer large, permanent bodies of water, especially in open country and around open cypress lakes and marshes. They give birth to 8-34 young.
• Distribution: The southern part of the state and the Red, Ouachita and Mississippi River valleys.

Diamond-backed Water Snake, Nerodia rhombifer

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• Identification: 18-65 inches. Pale gray-brown or tan above with dark brown or black crossbars alternating on the back and sides; dark markings are smaller than the interspaces; underside yellowish with small dark markings. The keeled scales are in 25-27 rows.
• Habits: Diamond-backed water snakes occur in and around lakes, ponds, marshes, swamps and larger streams and rivers, especially in low country. They give birth to 6-62 young.
• Distribution: Throughout Louisiana.

Banded Water Snake, Nerodia fasciata

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• Other common name: Broad-banded water snake.
• Identification: 16-45 inches. One pattern morph consists of dark brown to nearly black snakes with narrow tan or yellow crossbands and a pale orange band from the eye to the angle of the jaw. Another pattern morph, found in the upper Florida Parishes, consists of tan to orange-brown snakes with dark brown or gray crossbands (blonde morph). The underside is white, but heavily marked with large, alternating dark red, brown or black blotches. The keeled scales are in 21-25 rows.
• Habits: Banded water snakes occur in and around most freshwater and some brackish bodies within Louisiana, and especially favor swamps. They give birth to 7-39 young. It is known to hybridize with the Salt Marsh Snake where the two species come in contact.
• Distribution: Throughout Louisiana except the salt marshes.

Common Water Snake, Nerodia sipedon

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• Identification: 16-50 inches. Gray, orange or tan above with dark gray, reddish brown or brown crossbands that may be offset between the back and sides; underside pale with small dark crescent-shaped markings; head unmarked. The keeled scales are in 21-23 rows.
• Habits: Common water snakes inhabit sand-bottomed streams and rivers in wooded areas. They give birth to 6-40 young.
• Distribution: Upland portions of the Florida Parishes.

Yellow-bellied Water Snake, Nerodia erythrogaster

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• Identification: 16-55 inches. Dark gray, gray-green or olive above, yellow below. Young are pale gray, with a pinkish cast on the sides, with large, squared, alternating blotches. The markings of the young begin to disappear during their second year, but may persist in adults from the southwestern part of the State. The keeled scales are in 23-27 rows.
• Habits: The yellow-bellied water snake can be less aquatic than the other water snakes and may be found some distance from water in wooded areas. It occurs in most habitats within Louisiana. They give birth to 14-32 young.
• Distribution: Throughout the state except the salt marshes.

Graham's Crayfish Snake, Regina grahamii

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• Identification: 15-45 inches. Gray or olive above, yellow to pale gray or tan on the belly and lowermost 3 scales rows; pale tan band may be present down the back; underside often with a central row of gray or black spots, and with a dark line on either side of the belly. The keeled scales are in 19 rows.
• Habits: Crayfish snakes occur in and around marshes, swamps and bayous in lowlands, preferably in open areas. They are chiefly nocturnal and apparently spend much of the remainder of their time in crawfish burrows. They give birth to 4-39 young.
• Distribution: Low areas of the state in the Mississippi - Atchafalaya basins, Acadiana, and the Red and Ouachita river bottoms.

Glossy Crayfish Snake, Regina rigida

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• Identification: 15-30 inches. Dark gray or dark olive to nearly black above with vague, dark longitudinal bands; dull yellow or pale tan below and on the lowermost scale row; underside with two rows of black spots. Entirely black individuals are occasionally found in the southeastern part of the State. The keeled scales are in 19 rows.
• Habits: Crayfish snakes are chiefly nocturnal and inhabit swamps and bayous. They spend the day hidden in crawfish burrows, water hyacinths and damp leaf litter near shore. They give birth to 6-14 young.
• Distribution: Throughout the state except for dry, upland portions away from water, and the salt marshes.

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