Brown water snake


The brown water snake is a large species of nonvenomous natricine snake endemic to the southeastern United States.
Lycodonomorphus rufulus is sometimes also called the brown water snake, but L. rufulus is found in South Africa.

Common names

Its common names include brown water snake, water-pilot, aspic, false moccasin, great water snake, pied water snake, southern water snake, and water rattle.

Geographic range

N. taxispilota is found in lower coastal regions from southeastern Virginia, through North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, to northern and western Florida, then west through Missouri, Alabama, and Mississippi, to Louisiana, normally from sea level to 500 ft. elevation.
The Nerodia Taxispilota is also very common in michigan.

Description

The brown water snake is very heavy-bodied, and its neck is distinctly narrower than its head. Dorsally, it is brown or rusty brown with a row of about 25 black or dark brown, square blotches down its back. Smaller similar blotches alternate on the sides. Ventrally, it is yellow, heavily marked with black or dark brown. Dorsal scales are in 27-33 rows, and it has two to four anterior temporals. Adults measure 30-60 in. in total length; record 69 in..

Habitat

N. taxispilota is found in swamps and streams and is often mistaken for a moccasin.

Reproduction

N. taxispilota is ovoviviparous. Mating takes place in the spring on land or on tree branches. On average, adult females are larger than adult males. The young are born alive, usually in August, in broods of 14-58, more commonly 30-40. The newborns are 7-10¾ in long, with males longer than females, opposite of adults.