Banded Watersnake

Nerodia fasciata

The Banded Watersnake is a friendly snake that loves to swim in water! It has beautiful stripes that help it blend in with its surroundings, making it a great swimmer and a fun creature to spot.

Hábitat: Wetlands

Aspecto

The Banded Watersnake has a thick body with distinct dark crossbands (brown, reddish-brown, or black) on a lighter background (tan, gray, or yellow). Its bands are usually wider in the middle of its back. It also has a dark stripe running from its eye to the corner of its jaw.

ReinoAnimaliaFiloChordataClaseSquamataOrdenSerpentesFamiliaColubridaeGéneroNerodia

Banded Watersnake

Categoría

Reptiles

Rareza

Common

Peligro

2/5 · Bajo

Snaps

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Datos interesantes

Female watersnakes can have up to 50 live babies at once! Wow!

Many people mistake them for venomous cottonmouths, but they are harmless!

They're like submarine hunters, catching fish underwater!

When scared, they might release a smelly musk to warn you off.

Habilidades especiales

Banded Watersnake can hunt for fish and frogs underwater because it is an excellent swimmer and can hold its breath for extended periods.

Banded Watersnake has patterned crossbands that help them blend into the muddy, reedy banks and mucky water of their habitat, hiding from predators and prey.

Banded Watersnake can give birth to live baby snakes, called neonates, which are ready to swim and hunt on their own right away.

Banded Watersnake can flatten its body and head when threatened, making itself look larger and more intimidating to scare away potential attackers.

Medidas y detalles

Longitud: 60-150 cm
Peso: 0.2-2 kg
Esperanza de vida: 5-10 años
Top Speed: 3 km/h
Velocidad de nado: 5 km/h
Tamaño de la puesta: 10-50
Profundidad máxima: 8 m

Dieta y alimentación

These aquatic snakes are expert hunters, mainly eating fish, frogs, and salamanders from freshwater habitats.

Diferencias por edad: Young snakes eat smaller versions of adult prey, such as small fish and tadpoles.

Alimentos principales

fish
frogs
salamanders
tadpoles
crayfish

Método de búsqueda

Pursuit

Conexiones ecológicas

hunts

Eastern Mosquitofish

Gambusia holbrooki

A common food source in southern waterways.

hunts

Southern Leopard Frog

Lithobates sphenocephalus

Often ambushed near the water's edge or caught swimming.

eaten by

American Alligator

Alligator mississippiensis

Large alligators are predators of juvenile and adult watersnakes.

eaten by

Raccoon

Procyon lotor

Predates on watersnakes encountered near water bodies.

Rasgos

A rayas

Marcado con bandas paralelas o líneas de color.

Solitario

Los animales solitarios viven solos durante la mayor parte de su vida y solo interactúan con otros para aparearse o cuidar de sus crías.

Camuflado

El camuflaje describe a los organismos que poseen colores o patrones que les permiten mezclarse con su entorno.

Piscívoro

Los organismos piscívoros son animales que subsisten principalmente de una dieta a base de peces.

Humedal

Este rasgo de hábitat identifica especies que se encuentran en humedales, que son áreas de tierra saturadas de agua, ya sea permanente o estacionalmente, e incluyen marismas, pantanos y ciénagas.