Southern watersnake

Description

The banded water snake or southern water snake (Nerodia fasciata) is a species of mostly aquatic,nonvenomous,colubrid snake endemic to the central and southeastern United States.Adults of the banded water snake measures from 61 to 106.7 cm (24.0 to 42.0 in) in total length,with a record size (in the Florida subspecies) of 158.8 cm (62.5 in) in total length.In one study of the species,the average body mass of adult snakes was 464.3 g (16.38 oz).It is typically gray,greenish-gray,or brown in color,with dark crossbanding.Many specimens are so dark in color that their patterning is barely discernible.They have flat heads,and are fairly heavy-bodied.If irritated,they release a foul-smelling musk to deter predators.Their appearance leads them to be frequently mistaken for other snakes with which they share a habitat,including the less common,[citation needed] venomous cottonmouth.