Olive marsh snake


The olive marsh snake is a species of snake in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa.

Geographic range

N. olivacea is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Central African Republic, both Congos, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Description

N. olivacea is a small snake which exhibits sexual dimorphism. Males may attain a maximum total length of only, but the larger females may attain a total length of.
It has smooth dorsal scales, which are arranged in 19 rows at midbody, reducing to 17 rows towards the rear.
Dorsally, it is dark olive. Ventrally, it is whitish. The upper labials are whitish, with dark vertical bars at the sutures.

Habitat

The preferred habitat of N. olivacea is savanna.

Diet

N. olivacea preys on winged termites.

Reproduction

N. olivacea is oviparous. In early summer the adult female lays a clutch of 6-8 eggs. Each egg measures 22 x 9 mm.