Plainbelly water snake
Nerodia erythrogaster, commonly known as the plain-bellied water snake or plainbelly water snake, is a familiar species of mostly aquatic, nonvenomous, colubrid snake endemic to the United States.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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PiscivoresA piscivore is a carnivorous animal that eats primarily fish. Piscivorous is equivalent to the Greek-derived word ichthyophagous. Fish were the die...
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SemiaquaticSemiaquatic animals are those that are primarily or partly terrestrial but that spend a large amount of time swimming or otherwise occupied in wate...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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Pursuit predatorPursuit predation is a form of predation in which predators actively give chase to their prey, either solitarily or as a group. Pursuit predators r...
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PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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NatatorialNatatorial animals are those adapted for swimming. Some fish use their pectoral fins as the primary means of locomotion, sometimes termed labriform...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Ovoviviparity, ovovivipary, ovivipary, or aplacental viviparity is a term used as a "bridging" form of reproduction between egg-laying oviparous an...
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PolyandryPolygyny is a mating system in which one female lives and mates with multiple males but each male only mates with a single female.
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HibernatingHibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy charac...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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AestivationAestivation is a state of animal dormancy, similar to hibernation, although taking place in the summer rather than the winter. Aestivation is chara...
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starts withThe Plain-bellied water snake is a nonvenomous snake native to the United States. This species gets its common name because it has no patterning on its underside. These snakes can vary in color from brown to gray, to olive green, with dark-colored blotching down the back, and an underside that is yellow, brown, red, or green.
Plain-bellied water snakes range through much of the southeastern United States, from Michigan to Delaware in the north, and Texas to northern Florida in the south, but they are absent from the Florida peninsula and the higher elevations of the Appalachian Mountains. These snakes are almost always found near a permanent water source, such as lakes, streams, ponds, bogs, shrubby swamps, or marshes.
Plain-bellied water snakes are semi-aquatic reptiles and lead a solitary life. They are active during the day and often bask or rest in vegetation near water or hang on branches above the water. This also helps them to escape danger by quickly dropping in water. These snakes do come out on land, especially during warm days and usually hibernate in crayfish burrows near wetlands, underground or under rock piles. Plain-belied water snakes are excellent swimmers; they hunt mainly in the water and can travel long distances to reach their prey. Although these snakes are not-venomous, they are quick to vigorously defend themselves when threatened by striking repeatedly and flattening their head. They may also release a foul-smelling musk.
Plain-bellied water snakes are carnivores (piscivores); they feed mainly on fish and amphibians such as crayfish, salamanders, and frogs.
Plain-bellied water snakes are polyandrous meaning that females mate with multiple males each breeding season. They breed from April to June, and broods of 5-27 live young are born in August to October. The gestation period lasts 4 to 7 months. Newly born baby snakes measure 19-33 cm (7.5-13 in) at birth; they are completely independent and don't receive parental care. Both males and females become reproductively mature when they are 3 to 4 years old.
Locally, some populations of Plain-bellied water snakes suffer from the loss of their habitat and road mortality.
According to IUCN, the Plain-bellied water snake is locally common and widespread throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
Due to their diet habits, Plain-bellied water snakes help keep prey populations in balance. In turn, they are an important food source for many local predators.