Plain-bellied Watersnake
Nerodia erythrogaster • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Nerodia, Species: Nerodia erythrogaster
Found in the central and southeastern United States, ranging from Texas and Louisiana east to Florida, and north up the Mississippi River basin into parts of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.
Look up Plain-bellied Watersnake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Nerodia, Species: Nerodia erythrogaster
Conservation
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, as it has a wide distribution and generally stable populations, though local populations face threats from wetland habitat destruction and road mortality.
Physical Description
Robust body with heavily keeled scales giving it a dull, rough texture. Coloration is typically dark brown, grey, or olive-black dorsally, sometimes showing faint darker banding or blotching especially in juveniles. The head is distinct from the neck, and the lips often show lighter markings or yellowish labial scales.
Size & Dimensions
Estimated length of this specimen is approximately 30 to 40 inches. Typical adults range from 30 to 48 inches (76 to 122 cm), with maximum recorded lengths exceeding 60 inches.
Habitat
Inhabits aquatic environments such as swamps, marshes, lakes, ponds, and slow-moving streams or rivers. Often found basking on logs, branches, or rocks near the water's edge, but is known to travel over land further from water than many other watersnake species.
Diet & Feeding
Preys primarily on amphibians, fish, and occasionally crayfish or small mammals. Utilizes active foraging along water margins and shallow areas, capturing prey with a quick strike and consuming it live without constriction.
Reproduction
Viviparous (gives birth to live young rather than laying eggs). Mating typically occurs in the spring, and females give birth to litters averaging 10 to 30 or more young in late summer or early fall.
Look-alikes
Frequently confused with cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) due to dark coloration and heavy-bodied build, but can be distinguished by round pupils, lack of facial pit, distinct lip markings, and a more slender head shape. Also confused with other watersnake species like the Common Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon), which typically has distinct banding patterns.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, as it has a wide distribution and generally stable populations, though local populations face threats from wetland habitat destruction and road mortality.
Cultural Significance
Plays an important ecological role in controlling amphibian and fish populations in aquatic ecosystems. Often misunderstood and mistakenly perceived as dangerous, leading to unnecessary persecution by humans.
Notable Features
Known for its tendency to flatten its body and strike defensively when cornered, often releasing a foul-smelling musk from its cloacal glands. Unlike many strictly aquatic watersnakes, it is a strong terrestrial traveler and is frequently encountered moving through yards and away from water sources.