Nerodia erythrogaster

Species of snake

Nerodia erythrogaster, also known as the plain bellied water snake or plainbelly water snake, is a common species of semi aquatic, non venomous colubrid snake endemic to the United States.

The plain bellied water snake is a large, thick bodied, mostly patternless snake, with a generally beige underside. Some snakes display a thin, white line between the pale belly and their darker top scales. Subspecies can range from dark brown, gray, and olive green to greenish gray or blackish in color. Some lighter colored individuals have dark dorsal patterns. Plain bellied water snakes can be distinguished from other water snakes by their “plain”, patternless undersides, which vary in color from light reddish hues to beige; this is where they get the common name “plain bellied”, as they typically have no notable markings on their bellies. There used to be recognized subspecies of the plain bellied water snake, although scientists often had a hard time differentiating between them. This has led to these subspecies no longer being recognized. The scientific name erythrogaster comes from the Greek word “erythros” (meaning ‘red’) and “gaster” (meaning ‘belly’). This species exhibits geographically distinct, phenotypic variations which result in a number of unique subspecies. Adults vary in size from 24 to 40 inches (76–122 cm) in total length. Juvenile snakes feature patterns similar to banded water snakes, but can be identified by their unmarked bellies.

Plain bellied water snakes are found in every southeastern state of the U. S., except for the higher elevations in the Appalachian Mountains (thus excluding them from eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina). On the east coast, they are found across Florida, north to southeastern Virginia, as well as western Tennessee. They are found at lower elevations from Georgia and west across the Gulf States, extending as far west as Oklahoma and Texas. The snakes are almost always found near a permanent freshwater source, usually several feet deep, and not necessarily clear or fast moving waters, either. They can often be observed resting on branches or foliage directly over the water, for an easy escape route. In their natural geographic range, the snakes are adapted to a wetland lifestyle, often found at or near creeks, rivers, swamps, floodplains, lakes, and ponds, as well as man made reservoirs, dams, and canals. Unfortunately, their migration leads to high mortality rates on roads, with mortality rates reaching up to sixty percent. They tend to spend more time in terrestrial habitats than other water snake species. They hibernate during the coldest months of the winter. aquatic insects (like water beetles), hatchling turtles and carrion.

The plain bellied water snake is considered a conservation risk because of loss of wetlands and other anthropogenic factors. 35% of wetlands worldwide have been lost from 1970 to 2015. This species is often struck by vehicles while it crosses highways traveling from one water source to another. They are commonly mistaken for cottonmouths and are consequently killed by people averse to snakes. It is not a protected species in the southeastern states. In 1997, the copper bellied water snake subspecies was designated a threatened species in Ohio, Michigan and northern Indiana under the Federal Endangered Species Act.