Barry Mansell photo.

Scientific name: Nerodia erythrogaster flavigaster

Description: Average adult size is 30-48 inches (76.2-121.9 cm), record is 59 inches (149.8 cm). Adults are heavy-bodied, greenish gray in color with faint to no markings on the back. The belly, neck, and labial scales are almost uniform yellow. The scales are keeled, and there are 23 dorsal scale rows at midbody. The pupil is round. Juveniles are grayish-brown with distinct dark crossbands and blotches, with pale yellow bellies.

Yellowbelly water snake: Left to right: Top of the head; underside of the head (chin and throat).

Yellowbelly watersnake: Left to right: Side of the head; front (face view) of the head.

Range: In Florida, it is found throughout the western panhandle where it intergrades (interbreeds) with the redbelly watersnake (Nerodia erythrogaster erythrogaster). Outside of Florida, it is found from eastern Texas east to central Georgia and north to Illinois.

Habitat: Commonly found in rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps, and cypress strands.

Comments: . The yellowbelly watersnake is active mainly during the daytime. During the hot summer months it is active in the early morning, late afternoon, and at night.

It feeds on fishes, frogs, tadpoles, other amphibians, and inverbrates.

It is live-bearing, newborns are 9-12 inches (22.8-30.4 cm) in length.

Comparison with other species: The Mississippi green watersnake (Nerodia cyclopion) and Florida green watersnake (Nerodia floridana) have scales between the eye and the scales on the upper lip.

Because they are found around water bodies, harmless watersnakes are often confused with the venomous cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti). The cottonmouth has a triangular shaped head and vertical pupil. Cottonmouths can easily be distinguished from watersnakes. If the head is viewed from above, the eyes of cottonmouths cannot be seen while the eyes of watersnakes are visible; cottonmouths have elliptical pupils and watersnakes have round pupils; cottonmouths have a facial pit between the nostril and the eye, while watersnakes have none.

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