# Tessellated Water Snake

*Natrix tessellata*

To deter predators, this snake is a master actor; it will roll onto its back, let its tongue hang out, and emit a putrid musk to perfectly mimic a rotting corpse.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Reptilia › Squamata › Colubridae › Natrix
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** wetland
- **Habitat:** Rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, marshes, and brackish coastal waters with abundant vegetation.
- **Diet:** Primarily fish (piscivorous), occasionally consuming amphibians.
- **Range:** Southern Europe, Central Europe, Western Asia, Middle East, Central Asia
- **Size:** 75 to 100 cm in length, with females being significantly larger than males.
- **Lifespan:** 10 to 15 years in the wild
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Water pollution, wetland drainage, river canalization, and human persecution due to mistaken identity as venomous vipers.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless and non-venomous. If encountered, maintain a respectful distance of 1-2 meters. If cornered, it may hiss loudly, secrete a foul-smelling musk, or play dead (thanatosis). It rarely bites, but if bitten, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water to prevent infection.

## About

The dice snake ( Natrix tessellata ) is a European nonvenomous snake belonging to the family Colubridae, subfamily Natricinae.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/71699ac6-c2e8-4aa7-bcc8-be231dca2b89
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/64346
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natrix tessellata
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/9512591/medium.jpeg (carnifex, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.