Plain-bellied Watersnake
Nerodia erythrogaster • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Nerodia, Species: Nerodia erythrogaster
Found throughout the southeastern and south-central United States, extending northward into portions of the Midwest and as far west as eastern Texas and Oklahoma.
Look up Plain-bellied Watersnake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Nerodia, Species: Nerodia erythrogaster
Conservation
Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List, with stable populations across most of its native range, though locally threatened by wetland drainage and habitat loss.
Physical Description
Dark greyish-brown to olive dorsal coloration with a uniform yellowish or reddish-orange belly lacking distinct markings. The head is distinct from the neck, the eyes are relatively small with round pupils, and the scales are heavily keeled.
Size & Dimensions
The pictured specimen appears to be an adult approximately 75 to 90 cm in length. Typical adults range from 75 to 120 cm, with maximum recorded lengths exceeding 140 cm.
Habitat
Inhabits aquatic environments such as swamps, marshes, sloughs, oxbow lakes, slow-moving rivers, and cypress ponds. Strongly tied to permanent or semi-permanent bodies of water.
Diet & Feeding
Preys primarily on amphibians, fish, and occasionally crayfish. Hunts actively along shorelines and in shallow water, consuming prey alive without constriction.
Reproduction
Viviparous species giving birth to live young. Mating typically occurs in the spring, resulting in litters ranging from 10 to over 30 neonates born in late summer.
Look-alikes
Frequently confused with other watersnake species in the genus Nerodia, such as the Common Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon) and the Mississippi Green Watersnake (Nerodia cyclopion), which can be distinguished by belly patterns and labial scale markings.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List, with stable populations across most of its native range, though locally threatened by wetland drainage and habitat loss.
Cultural Significance
Plays a vital ecological role in regulating amphibian and fish populations in wetland ecosystems, often mistakenly persecuted due to superficial resemblances to other water-dwelling species.
Notable Features
Exhibits a characteristic bright yellow to orange underside that contrasts sharply with its drab dorsal coloration, along with a strong tendency to flee toward water when disturbed.