Tessellated Water Snake

Natrix tessellata

The Tessellated Water Snake is a smooth, non-venomous snake that loves to swim! It has beautiful patterns that help it blend in with the water and plants around it.

Hábitat: Wetlands

Aspecto

The Tessellated Water Snake has a slender body, typically grey, olive, or brownish, marked with a distinctive checkerboard-like pattern of dark, square spots. Its underside is usually yellowish with scattered dark blotches. This unique pattern helps it camouflage in rocky riverbeds.

ReinoAnimaliaFiloChordataClaseSquamataOrdenSerpentesFamiliaColubridaeGéneroNatrix

Tessellated Water Snake

Categoría

Reptiles

Rareza

Common

Peligro

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Snaps

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Datos interesantes

Female water snakes are often much larger than males.

These snakes can shed their skin several times a year.

They sometimes bask on tree branches overhanging water.

They're non-venomous, making them harmless to humans!

Habilidades especiales

Tessellated Water Snake can release a smelly musk because of glands near its tail that deters predators when it feels threatened.

Tessellated Water Snake has a special ability to play dead (thanatosis) that helps them trick predators into thinking they are no longer a threat.

Tessellated Water Snake has a streamlined body and powerful tail that helps them swim quickly through water to catch agile fish.

Medidas y detalles

Longitud: 50-130 cm
Peso: 0.2-1.5 kg
Esperanza de vida: 8-15 años
Velocidad de nado: 7 km/h
Tamaño de la puesta: 5-30
Incubación: 30-70 días

Dieta y alimentación

This snake is a skilled underwater hunter, mostly eating fish but also enjoying frogs!

Diferencias por edad: Young snakes tend to eat smaller prey like tadpoles and very small fish.

Alimentos principales

fish
frogs
newts
tadpoles

Método de búsqueda

Ambush

Conexiones ecológicas

hunts

Gudgeon

Gobio gobio

A common small fish preyed upon by the snake.

hunts

European perch

Perca fluviatilis

Another fish species that the water snake commonly hunts.

eaten by

Western Marsh Harrier

Circus aeruginosus

A bird of prey that can hunt these snakes.

eaten by

European Otter

Lutra lutra

An aquatic mammal that preys on water snakes.

eaten by

Grey Heron

Ardea cinerea

A large wading bird that can catch and eat snakes.

Rasgos

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.