Comparison of Cottonmouth and Water Snake
Cottonmouth: The eyes cannot be seen from the top of the head
Water Snake: The eyes can be seen from the top of the head
Cottonmouth: The pupil of the eye is a catlike vertical slit, and there is a pit on the side of the head between the eye and the nostril.
Water Snake: The pupil of the eye is round, and there is no pit on the side of the head between the eye and the nostril.
Cottonmouth: The top of the head is relatively flat.
Water Snake: The top of the head is relatively rounded.
The watersnake illustrated here is the banded watersnake, Nerodia fasciata.
