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Nerodia sipedon

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Common Watersnake

G5Secure Found in 122 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105253
Element CodeARADB22060
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassReptilia
OrderSquamata
FamilyColubridae
GenusNerodia
COSEWICPS:SC,NAR
Synonyms
Natrix sipedon(Linnaeus, 1758)
Other Common Names
Couleuvre d'eau (FR) northern watersnake (EN) Northern Water Snake (EN)
Concept Reference
Walley, H.D., R.B. King, J.M. Ray, and T.L. Wusterbarth. 2012. Nerodia sipedon. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles:899.1.
Taxonomic Comments
Numerous examples exist of hybridization between Nerodia sipedon and N. fasciata (Conant 1963, Blaney and Blaney 1979, Schwaner et al. 1980, Schwaner and Mount 1976), and sipedon and fasciata are apparently sister taxa (Pyron et al. 2013) (Crother 2017).

Formerly included in genus Natrix.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-02-02
Change Date1996-10-30
Edition Date2010-01-28
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Range Extent Comments
The large range encompasses most of the eastern United States and a relatively small portion of adjacent southeastern Canada, from Maine, southern Quebec, and southern Ontario to Minnesota, extreme southern South Dakota, and eastern Colorado, and south to extreme northern Texas, southern Louisiana, the Florida panhandle, western South Carolina, and North Carolina, at elevations from sea level to around 1,675 meters (5,500 feet) (Conant and Collins 1991, Hammerson 1999, Ernst and Ernst 2003, Stebbins 2003, Gibbons and Dorcas 2004).
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by a very large number of occurrences (subpopulations).
Threat Impact Comments
No major threats are known. This snake tolerates a good deal of habitat alteration.
Ecology & Habitat

Description

Front part of body crossbanded, rear part crossbanded or blotched; pattern sometimes obscure, especially in large individuals; belly often with red or orange blotches; upper scales keeled, with a pair of minute pits near the tip of each scale; anal scale divided; more than two scales between eye and nostril; maximum total length around 150 cm. The end of the tail not uncommonly is missing. Mature male: knobbed keels on dorsal scales near vent. Newborn: average generally 16-19 cm snout-vent length. Source: Hammerson (1999).

Habitat

Habitats include creeks, rivers, canals, lakes, oxbows, ponds, reservoirs, marshes, bogs, and swamps. This snake usually inhabits freshwater but also occurs in brackish and saltwater habitats in some areas (Ernst and Ernst 2003, Gibbons and Dorcas 2004). It frequents sunny areas, especially piles of flood-deposited debris, logs, or rocks, at the water's edge. Hibernation sites often are in burrows, among rocks, or in deep crevices, at the water's edge or in uplands near water.

Ecology

Movements may exhibit great individual variation; in Wisconsin, individuals moved over an area of > 15 hectares (usually much less) during spring-summer (Tiebout and Cary 1987).

If captured by hand, northern water snakes may release voluminous fluid from the vent, including the malodorous secretions from the cloacal sacs, and they usually bite, often drawing blood with the sharp teeth. Adults have high endurance and may expend considerable energy in fleeing or defending themselves.

Reproduction

Courtship and mating occur in spring (generally late April to early June. Reproductive females give birth to up to several dozen young usually from August to October in the north, primarily in July or August in the southern part of the range. Females sexually mature in 2-3 years (Vogt 1981). Females may not breed every year.
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDSCRUB-SHRUB WETLANDFORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
QuebecS3Yes
OntarioS5Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
MaineS5Yes
District of ColumbiaS4Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
KentuckyS5Yes
Rhode IslandS5Yes
MassachusettsS5Yes
LouisianaS4Yes
TennesseeS5Yes
VermontS3Yes
NebraskaS5Yes
South CarolinaS5Yes
DelawareS5Yes
FloridaS2Yes
OhioSNRYes
MissouriS5Yes
MississippiS5Yes
New HampshireS5Yes
South DakotaSUYes
ArkansasS5Yes
IndianaSNRYes
New YorkS5Yes
West VirginiaS5Yes
MarylandS5Yes
TexasS2Yes
ConnecticutS5Yes
MichiganS5Yes
KansasS5Yes
AlabamaSNRYes
GeorgiaS5Yes
North CarolinaS5Yes
WisconsinS4Yes
ColoradoS4Yes
VirginiaS5Yes
MinnesotaS4Yes
New JerseySNRYes
IowaS5Yes
IllinoisSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
Roadless Areas (122)
Alabama (1)
AreaForestAcres
Oakey MountainTalladega National Forest6,129
Arkansas (10)
AreaForestAcres
Bear MountainOuachita National Forest1,910
Blue MountainOuachita National Forest9,755
Brush HeapOuachita National Forest4,205
Clifty CanyonOzark-St. Francis National Forest1,963
East ForkOzark-St. Francis National Forest13,037
Gee CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest7,957
Indian CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest7,855
Little BlakelyOuachita National Forest3,342
PenhookOzark-St. Francis National Forest6,566
Richland CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest571
Georgia (10)
AreaForestAcres
Big MountainChattahoochee National Forest1,974
Boggs CreekChattahoochee National Forest2,073
Cedar MountainChattahoochee National Forest1,083
Helton CreekChattahoochee National Forest2,348
Indian Grave GapChattahoochee National Forest1,020
Joe GapChattahoochee National Forest5,321
Lance CreekChattahoochee National Forest9,025
Miller CreekChattahoochee National Forest701
Pink KnobChattahoochee National Forest12,127
Rocky MountainChattahoochee National Forest4,269
Idaho (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekCaribou-Targhee National Forest118,582
Kentucky (1)
AreaForestAcres
WolfpenDaniel Boone National Forest2,835
Missouri (1)
AreaForestAcres
Swan Creek Rare II Study AreaMark Twain National Forest7,310
New Hampshire (2)
AreaForestAcres
KearsargeWhite Mountain National Forest4,554
Sandwich RangeWhite Mountain National Forest16,797
North Carolina (24)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainPisgah National Forest11,085
Balsam ConePisgah National Forest10,591
BearwallowPisgah National Forest4,113
Cheoah BaldNantahala National Forest7,795
Chunky Gal (addition)Nantahala National Forest3,336
Craggy MountainPisgah National Forest2,657
Dobson KnobPisgah National Forest6,111
Graveyard Ridge (addition)Pisgah National Forest1,958
Harper CreekPisgah National Forest7,325
Jarrett CreekPisgah National Forest7,485
Linville Gorge AdditionPisgah National Forest2,809
Lost CovePisgah National Forest5,944
Mackey MountainPisgah National Forest5,934
Middle Prong AdditionPisgah National Forest1,852
Overflow CreekNantahala National Forest3,379
Sam Knob (addition)Pisgah National Forest2,576
Slide HollowPisgah National Forest193
SnowbirdNantahala National Forest8,489
South Mills RiverPisgah National Forest8,588
Tusquitee BaldNantahala National Forest13,670
Wesser BaldNantahala National Forest4,061
Wilson CreekPisgah National Forest4,863
Woods MountainPisgah National Forest9,602
Yellowhammer Branch (add.)Nantahala National Forest1,255
Pennsylvania (3)
AreaForestAcres
Allegheny FrontAllegheny National Forest7,430
CornplanterAllegheny National Forest2,929
Tracy RidgeAllegheny National Forest9,034
South Carolina (1)
AreaForestAcres
Big MountainSumter National Forest2,337
Tennessee (10)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainCherokee National Forest11,743
Beaver Dam CreekCherokee National Forest5,070
Brushy RidgeCherokee National Forest7,469
Devil's BackboneCherokee National Forest4,287
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
Rogers RidgeCherokee National Forest4,738
Sampson Mountain AdditionCherokee National Forest3,064
Slide HollowCherokee National Forest4,057
Stone MountainCherokee National Forest5,367
Upper Bald RiverCherokee National Forest9,202
Vermont (3)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Lye Brook Addition 09085Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,111
Wilder Mountain 09082Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests8,759
Virginia (37)
AreaForestAcres
Adams PeakGeorge Washington National Forest7,135
Bear CreekJefferson National Forest18,274
Beards MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,505
Beaver Dam CreekJefferson National Forest1,135
Broad RunJefferson National Forest10,971
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Crawford MountainGeorge Washington National Forest9,892
Elliott KnobGeorge Washington National Forest9,380
Gum RunGeorge Washington National Forest12,620
Hoop HoleJefferson National Forest4,652
Hunting Camp Little Wolf CreekJefferson National Forest8,953
JerkemtightGeorge Washington National Forest16,687
Kelley MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,590
Little Dry Run AdditionJefferson National Forest2,204
Little RiverGeorge Washington National Forest27,292
Little Wilson Creek Addition BJefferson National Forest1,725
Mill MountainGeorge Washington National Forest10,840
Mountain Lake Addition AJefferson National Forest1,469
Mountain Lake Addition B (VA)Jefferson National Forest3,405
New London Bridge BranchJefferson National Forest844
North Fork PoundJefferson National Forest4,757
North MountainJefferson National Forest8,377
Northern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest9,444
Oak KnobGeorge Washington National Forest10,882
Oliver MountainGeorge Washington National Forest13,090
Patterson MountainJefferson National Forest4,865
Peters Mountain Addition BJefferson National Forest2,909
Raccoon BranchJefferson National Forest4,388
Ramseys Draft AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest12,781
Rogers RunJefferson National Forest181
Saint Marys AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest1,454
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
SkidmoreGeorge Washington National Forest5,641
Southern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest11,985
The PriestGeorge Washington National Forest5,737
Three RidgesGeorge Washington National Forest4,745
Three SistersGeorge Washington National Forest8,149
West Virginia (17)
AreaForestAcres
Canaan LoopMonongahela National Forest7,867
Cheat MountainMonongahela National Forest8,191
Cranberry AdditionMonongahela National Forest11,123
Cranberry Glades Botanical AreaMonongahela National Forest785
Dolly Sods Roaring PlainMonongahela National Forest13,392
Dry ForkMonongahela National Forest657
Dry River (WV)George Washington National Forest7,331
Falls Of Hills CreekMonongahela National Forest6,925
Glady ForkMonongahela National Forest3,239
Little Allegheny MountainMonongahela National Forest10,514
Little MountainMonongahela National Forest8,172
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Middle MountainMonongahela National Forest19,020
Mountain Lake Addition B (WV)Jefferson National Forest557
North Mountain HopevilleMonongahela National Forest6,525
Tea Creek MountainMonongahela National Forest8,295
Turkey MountainMonongahela National Forest6,421
Wisconsin (1)
AreaForestAcres
09012 - Round Lake Study AreaChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest3,707
References (22)
  1. Blaney, R. M., and P. K. Blaney. 1979. The <i>Nerodia sipedon</i> complex of water snakes in Mississippi and southeastern Louisiana. Herpetologica 35(4):350-359.
  2. Collins, J. T. 1982. Amphibians and reptiles in Kansas. Second edition. Univ. Kansas Mus. Nat. Hist., Pub. Ed. Ser. 8. xiii + 356 pp.
  3. Collins, J. T. 1990. Standard common and current scientific names for North American amphibians and reptiles. 3rd ed. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. Herpetological Circular No. 19. 41 pp.
  4. Conant, R. 1963. Evidence for the Specific status of the water snake <i>Natrix fasciata</i>. American Museum Novitates (2122):1-38.
  5. Conant, R., and J. T. Collins. 1998. A field guide to reptiles and amphibians: eastern and central North America. Third edition, expanded. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Massachusetts. 616 pp.
  6. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2008. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. Sixth edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles Herpetological Circular 37:1-84. Online with updates at: http://www.ssarherps.org/pages/comm_names/Index.php
  7. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2012. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 7th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 39:1-92.
  8. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 8th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 43:1-104. [Updates in SSAR North American Species Names Database at: https://ssarherps.org/cndb]
  9. DeGraaf, R. M., and D. D. Rudis. 1983a. Amphibians and reptiles of New England. Habitats and natural history. Univ. Massachusetts Press. vii + 83 pp.
  10. Ernst, C. H., and E. M. Ernst. 2003. Snakes of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Books, Washington, D.C.
  11. Gibbons, J. W., and M. E. Dorcas. 2004. North American watersnakes: a natural history. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman. xxvi + 439 pp.
  12. Hammerson, G. A. 1982b. Amphibians and reptiles in Colorado. Colorado Division of Wildlife, Denver. vii + 131 pp.
  13. Lawson, R. 1987. Molecular studies of thamnophiine snakes: 1. The phylogeny of the genus <i>Nerodia</i>. J. Herpetology 21:140-157.
  14. Minton, S. A., Jr. 1972. Amphibians and reptiles of Indiana. Indiana Academy Science Monographs 3. v + 346 pp.
  15. Pyron, R. A., F. T. Burbrink, and J. J. Wiens. 2013. A phylogeny and revised classification of Squamata, including 4161 species of lizards and snakes. BMC Evolutionary Biology 29:131.
  16. Schwaner, T. D., and R. H. Mount. 1976. Systematic and ecological relationships of the water snakes <i>Natrix sipedon</i> and <i>N. fasciata</i> in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas (45):1-44.
  17. Schwaner, T. D., H. C. Dessauer, and L. A. Landry, Jr. 1980. Genetic divergence of <i>Nerodia sipedon</i> and <i>N. fasciata</i> in south Louisiana. Isozyme Bull 13:102.
  18. Stebbins, R. C. 2003. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Third edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.
  19. Tiebout, H. M., III, and J. R. Cary. 1987. Dynamic spatialecology of the water snake, <i>Nerodia sipedon</i>. Copeia 1987: 1-18.
  20. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 30 August 1999. Threatened status for Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) on the offshore islands of western Lake Erie. Federal Register 64(167):47126-47134.
  21. Vogt, R. C. 1981c. Natural history of amphibians and reptiles of Wisconsin. Milwaukee Public Museum. 205 pp.
  22. Walley, H.D., R.B. King, J.M. Ray, and T.L. Wusterbarth. 2012. <i>Nerodia sipedon</i>. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles:899.1.