Diamondback Watersnake
Nerodia rhombifer
They are excellent climbers and are often found basking on tree limbs overhanging water, into which they drop at the slightest sign of danger.
- Scientific name
- Nerodia rhombifer
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Reptilia › Squamata › Colubridae › Nerodia
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- wetland
- Habitat
- Slow-moving rivers, lakes, ponds, and freshwater marshes.
- Diet
- Primarily fish and amphibians, occasionally crayfish.
- Range
- Central United States, Southern United States, Mexico
- Size
- 30 to 60 inches in length
- Lifespan
- 9-15 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat destruction and human persecution due to being mistaken for venomous species.
- Safe to approach?
- Often mistaken for the venomous Cottonmouth. This snake is non-venomous but highly defensive; it will bite repeatedly and release a foul musk if cornered. Maintain a distance of five feet. If bitten, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water to prevent infection; seek medical advice only if signs of infection or allergic reaction occur.
Nerodia rhombifer , commonly known as the diamondback water snake , is a species of nonvenomous natricine colubrid endemic to the central United States and northern Mexico. There are three recognized subspecies of N. rhombifer , including the nominotypical subspecies.
Photo: B. P. White, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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