Home > Indian History > Flora & Fauna > Water Snakes
Water Snakes
There are different types of water snakes. They are The Schneider`s Smooth Water Snake,Dog-Faced Water Snake etc.

Share this Article:

Water SnakesThere are different types of water snakes. They are The Schneider`s Smooth Water Snake,Dog-Faced Water Snake etc.

Schneider`s Smooth Water Snake
Local Names: Telugu Multo pam, Ally pam.
The Schneider`s Smooth Water Snake (Enhydris enhydris) is a smooth, glossy, moderately thick snake with rounded snout and rather long muzzle. Its transverse slit like nostrils are placed on top of the head. Its eyes are small and are placed high on the face. Its iris is dotted with golden specks and pupils are vertically elliptic.

The Schneider`s Smooth Water Snake is olivaceous-green or brown above. Its belly is lemon yellow in color. A dark line demarcates its ventrals laterally. It is an aquatic species frequenting fresh and brackish water. Although an aquatic snake, it frequents rivers, estuaries, lakes, marshes and perhaps wet fields. It`s a timid and inoffensive snake not known to bite when handled. The Schneider`s Smooth Water Snake feeds mainly on fish.

Dog-Faced Water Snake (Cerberus rhynchops ) The species name of the dog faced water snake is Cerberus rhynchops. Its frontals are partially and parietals are entirely broken up. It`s a stout, rough-skinned snake with pear-shaped head. Its eyes are small and pupils are vertical.

It is dark grey in color with numerous ill-defined darker crossbars. Its belly is coarsely spotted or dappled with greenish black. It is an estuarine species. It inhabits in the brackish waters of tidal rivers, creek and estuaries and also the sea littoral. It swims powerfully but is anchored by its tail and sways in the flow awaiting for fish passing by. It flicks its tail in water to frighten fish towards its head. It climbs on low branches of mangroves and slips into the water when disturbed. It is an inoffensive reptile and bites only under serious provocation. Under great excitement it emits an unpleasant odor. It feeds exclusively on fish.


Share this Article:

Related Articles

More Articles in Flora & Fauna


Flora Of Uttarakhand
Uttaranchal falls under the west Himalayan Biogeography zone and it is well-known for floral diversity .
Flora and Fauna of Ladakh
Flora and Fauna is typical to t he kind of mountainous terrain which dominate the entire landscape of the region. Though some varieties of fauna are to be found here, the vegetation is very limited due to the dry and cold climate.
Flora and fauna in Tripura
Two-thirds of Tripura is forested where different species of trees, orchids, birds and wildlife are found. There are four sanctuaries in the state namely, Rowa wildlife sanctuary, Sepahijala wildlife sanctuary, Trishna wildlife sanctuary and Gumti wildlife sanctuary.
Flora and Fauna in Meghalaya
70 percent of Meghalaya is forested. Meghalayan forests are considered to be among the richest botanical habitats of Asia. These forests receive abundant rainfall and support a vast variety of floral and faunal biodiversity.
Flora and Fauna of Jammu & Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is rich in flora and fauna. Flora includes thorn bush type of the arid plain to the temperate and alpine flora of the higher altitudes. Faunal species found here are leopard, cheetah and deer, wild sheep, bear, brown musk shrew, muskrat; varieties of snakes, bats, lizards etc.
Flora and fauna in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Economy of this region is primly based on agriculture. In Andaman island, paddy is the main food crop, while in Nicoabar island coconut and areca nut are the main crops. Some field crops like pulses, oilseeds and vegetables are also grown here.
Flora And Fauna Of Uttar Pradesh
Flora and Fauna of Uttar Pradesh is widely diversified and adds pride to the state.
Flora and fauna of Kerala
Flora and Fauna of Kerala are diverse. The favourable climate with heavy rainfall and good quality of the soils helps both the flora and fauna to thrive. Forest covers a large area in the Western Ghats of Kerala.
Flora and fauna of Karnataka
Flora and fauna of Karnataka are diverse and comprise of plants, animals, birds, reptiles, etc. Flora of Karnataka comprises of species like eucalyptus, teak and rosewood. Fauna of Karnataka comprises of species like leopard, gaur and wild pig.
Flora and Fauna of Rajasthan
The flora and fauna of Rajasthan supports all kinds of animal species and forests. The diverse flora and fauna of Rajasthan has made it a popular tourist destination.
Flora of Arunachal Pradesh
Flora of Arunachal Pradesh includes infinite species and is a subject of great interests for the botanists.
Flora and Fauna of Manipur
Flora and fauna of Manipur are known to be the assemblage of a huge variety including the endangered ones. The place is especially famed for orchid species which includes the most vibrant and beautiful ones of the world.