Viperine Snake
Natrix maura • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Natrix, Species: N. maura
Found throughout Southwestern Europe (Spain, Portugal, France, parts of Italy and Switzerland) and Northwestern Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia). The specimen in the photo is within its native range in Spain.
Look up Viperine Snake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Venomous Status
Non-venomous
Danger Level
Harmless; they almost never bite, preferring to mimic vipers or release a foul-smelling secretion from their cloacal glands when threatened.
Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Natrix, Species: N. maura
Conservation
IUCN Red List: Least Concern. Major threats include habitat degradation, water pollution, and persecution by humans who mistake them for venomous vipers.
Physical Description
Small to medium snake with a zig-zag dorsal pattern that resembles a viper. Coloration is typically grey, brown, or olive. The head is distinct from the body with large eyes featuring round pupils. The scales are strongly keeled, giving it a rough appearance.
Size & Dimensions
The specimen in the photo appears to be a juvenile or sub-adult, roughly 20-30cm. Adults typically range from 60 to 80 cm, with a record maximum of roughly 100 cm.
Habitat
Semi-aquatic species preferring margins of fresh water. Found in rivers, streams, lakes, and marshes. They range from sea level up to 2,000 meters in altitude.
Behavior & Temperament
Diurnal and crepuscular. It is a highly docile snake that reacts to threats by flattening its head (triangulating) and hissing to look like a viper (Batesian mimicry). It is very comfortable in water.
Diet & Feeding
Active forager primarily preying on small fish, amphibians (frogs and tadpoles), and occasionally earthworms.
Reproduction
Oviparous (egg-laying). Females lay between 4 and 20 eggs in mid-summer, usually in rotten vegetation or underground burrows near water, which hatch in late summer.
Venom Profile
Non-venomous - no medically significant venom.
Look-alikes
Commonly confused with the Lataste’s Viper (Vipera latastei) due to the zig-zag pattern. Distinguishable by the round pupils (vipers have vertical slits) and large head shields (vipers have small, fragmented scales on the head).
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern. Major threats include habitat degradation, water pollution, and persecution by humans who mistake them for venomous vipers.
Cultural Significance
Historically persecuted in rural Spain due to its resemblance to vipers. Ecologically important as a mid-level predator and indicator of water quality in Mediterranean ecosystems.
Notable Features
Outstanding example of Batesian mimicry; the snake has evolved to look and act like a venomous viper to deter predators, despite being completely harmless.
Notes
España