Florida Banded Water Snake
Nerodia fasciata pictiventris
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photo ©Jeffrey Dodson
photo ©Rhonda
Roff
Identifiers- 63" long, dark and light
bands across back (fade with age),
dark eye line, light belly
Adaptations- spurts foul
smelling musk when threatened
Status- commonly found
throughout Florida
Distribution- Nerodia fasciata
is found from North Carolina to Texas
and in the Mississippi Valley from southern Illinois
Habitat-
wetland habitats
Diet- fish, amphibians, aquatic invertebrates
Fun facts
- viviparous snake, gives birth to 20-50 live young
- eyes have two distinct colors, whereas Florida Green Water Snakes
and Brown Water Snake eyes do not have a light outer ring; they usually
appear all dark
- 5 subspecies in Florida:
- N. f. fasciata=Banded Water Snake, similar to
pictiventris but with blotches on belly, found in NW Florida
- N. f. clarki=Gulf Salt Marsh Snake, striped back
- N. f.
taeniata=Atlantic Salt Marsh Snake, partially striped back
- N.f. compressicauda=Mangrove Salt Marsh Snake, varies in color
and patterns, found from Palm Beach to Hernando county mangrove swamps
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