You are here » home › advanced search › search results › Nerodia sipedon

Nerodia sipedon (LINNAEUS, 1758)

IUCN Red List - Nerodia sipedon - Least Concern, LC
iNaturalist logo

Can you confirm these amateur observations of Nerodia sipedon?

Add your own observation of
Nerodia sipedon »

Find more photos by Google images search: Google images

Higher TaxaColubridae (Natricinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes)
SubspeciesNerodia sipedon insularum (CONANT & CLAY 1937)
Nerodia sipedon pleuralis (COPE 1892)
Nerodia sipedon sipedon (LINNAEUS 1758)
Nerodia sipedon williamengelsi (CONANT & LAZELL 1973) 
Common NamesE: Northern Water Snake
insularum: Lake Erie Water Snake
pleuralis: Midland Water Snake
sipedon: Northern Water Snake
williamengelsi: Carolina Water Snake
G: Siegel-Ringelnatter, Siegelringnatter 
SynonymColuber Sipedon LINNAEUS 1758: 219
Tropidonotus sipedon — HOLBROOK 1852: 569
Nerodia sipedon — BAIRD & GIRARD 1853
Nerodia agassizii BAIRD & GIRARD 1853: 41
Tropidonotus sepedon — DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL 1854: 568
Tropidonotus sipedon — GARMAN 1884: 25
Tropidonotus sipedon — YOUNG 1887: 121
Tropidonotus sipedon — HEILPRIN & YOUNG 1887: 320
Natrix fasciata sipedon — COPE 1900: 969
Natrix fasciata sipedon — MCATEE 1907
Natrix sipedon — DUNN 1915
Natrix sipedon — GRANT 1937
Natrix sipedon — CLAY 1938
Nerodia sipedon — STEBBINS 1985: 197
Nerodia sipedon pleuralis — CONANT & COLLINS 1991: 153
Nerodia sipedon — CROTHER 2000: 67
Nerodia sipedon — CROTHER et al. 2012
Nerodia sipedon — WALLACH et al. 2014: 485

Nerodia sipedon insularum (CONANT & CLAY, 1937)
Nerodia sipedon insularum — MEHRTENS 1987: 159
Nerodia sipedon insularum — CROTHER 2000: 67
Nerodia sipedon insularum — TENNANT & BARTLETT 2000: 129
Nerodia sipedon insularum — CROTHER et al. 2012
Nerodia sipedon insularum — KING et al. 2018

Nerodia sipedon pleuralis (COPE 1892)
Natrix fasciata pleuralis — COPE 1900: 973
Nerodia sipedon pleuralis — CROTHER 2000: 67
Nerodia sipedon pleuralis — TENNANT & BARTLETT 2000: 131
Nerodia sipedon pleuralis — CROTHER et al. 2012
Nerodia sipedon pleuralis — SCOTT et al. 2012
Nerodia sipedon pleuralis — GUYER et al. 2018

Nerodia sipedon sipedon (LINNAEUS, 1758)
Nerodia sipedon sipedon — CROTHER 2000: 67
Nerodia sipedon sipedon — TENNANT & BARTLETT 2000: 127
Nerodia sipedon sipedon — CROTHER et al. 2012

Nerodia sipedon williamengelsi (CONANT & LAZELL, 1973)
Natrix sipedon williamengelsi CONANT & LAZELL 1973
Nerodia sipedon williamengelsi — PALMER & BRASWELL 1995
Nerodia sipedon williamengelsi — CROTHER 2000: 67
Nerodia sipedon williamengelsi — TENNANT & BARTLETT 2000: 133
Nerodia sipedon williamengelsi — CROTHER et al. 2012 
DistributionSE Canada (Ontario, Quebec),
USA (E Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, E/N Oklahoma, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, SE Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Tennessee, SE Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, N Georgia, NW Florida, NW South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, S Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Michigan),

insularum: USA, Canada (western Lake Erie islands, incl.Pelee); Type locality: Canada, Ontario, Lake Erie, Pelee Island.

pleuralis: USA (Florida, South Carolina, N Texas); Type locality: “probably Summerville, South Carolina” [CLAY 1938: 278].

williamengelsi: USA (North Carolina)

Type locality: “America septentrionali”  
Reproductionovovivparous 
TypesType: nondesignated, present location unknown (P. Kalm, Sept. 1748-Feb. 1751) (fide V. Wallach, pers. comm.)
Holotype: UMMZ 80457 [insularum]
Lectotype: USNM 1080 [pleuralis]
Holotype: MCZ 129298 [williamengelsi]
Holotype: USNM 1350 [Nerodia agassizii] 
DiagnosisAdditional details, e.g. a detailed description or comparisons (4745 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. 
CommentType species: Coluber Sipedon LINNAEUS 1758 is the type species of the genus Nerodia BAIRD in BAIRD & GIRARD 1853: 38.

Synonymy: Kaiser et al. 2013 considered the generic name Funkus Hoser 2012 invalid and rejected its use instead of Nerodia.

Censky cites Cope (1892) PROC. ACAD. NAT. SCI. PHILADELPHIA 14: 672 as the original description of Nerodia s. pleuralis. However, 1892 is vol 44 (not 14) and vol. 44 has only 530 pages (the reference is probably Cope 1892, Proc. U.S. Natl. Mus. 14: 589-694, but I haven’t checked this paper).

Habitat: at least partially coastal and thus considered (partially) “marine”.

Diet: mostly fish

Hybridization: Nerodia sipedon and N. fasciata hybridize “massively” in their contact zones, e.g. in the Carolinas and Georgia (Mebert 2008).

NCBI taxon ID: 876474 [pleuralis]
NCBI taxon ID: 876475 [sipedon] 
EtymologyNamed after Greek “sepedon” = rottenness, decay; a serpent whose bite causes mortification.

The genus name was derived from the Greek words neros, meaning "flowing" and dia, meaning "through," presumably alluding to the flowing movement of these snakes, especially in water (LEMOS-ESPINAL & DIXON 2013). 
References
  • Aldridge, R.D. 1982. The Ovarian Cycle of the Watersnake Nerodia sipedon, and effects of Hypophysectomy and Gonadotropin Administration Herpetologica 38 (1): 71-79. - get paper here
  • Aldridge, R.D. & A.P. Bufalino 2003. Reproductive FEmale Common Watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon sipedon) Are Not Anorexic in the Wild Journal of Herpetology 37 (2): 416-419. - get paper here
  • Anderson, Noah J. and Mark A. Rozmarynowski. 2011. Nerodia sipedon (northern watersnake) response to mobbing by fish. Herpetological Review 42 (3): 442 - get paper here
  • Anonymous 2007. Snakes of New Jersey. New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife
  • Anton, Thomas G., Phillip W. Willink and Bill Kleiman. 2014. Geographic Distribution: Nerodia sipedon (common watersnake). Herpetological Review 45 (2): 286 - get paper here
  • Baird, S. F. and C. Girard. 1853. Catalogue of North American Reptiles in the Museum of the Smithsonian Institution. Part 1.-Serpents. Smithsonian Inst., Washington, xvi + 172 pp. - get paper here
  • Baker, S J; Haynes, E; Gramhofer, M; Stanford, K; Bailey, S; Christman, M; Conley, K; Frasca, S, Jr.; Ossiboff, R J; Lobato, D & Allender, M C; 2019. Case definition and diagnostic testing for snake fungal disease. Herpetological Review 50 (2): 279-285 - get paper here
  • Barron, J.N. 1997. Calorimetric Analysis of Neonatal Water Snakes, Nerodia sipedon Journal of Herpetology 31 (3): 422-425. - get paper here
  • Barron, J.N. & G.M. Andraso 2001. The Influence of Fall Foraging Success on Follicle Number in the Northern Water Snake, Nerodia sipedon Journal of Herpetology 35 (3): 504-507. - get paper here
  • Batson, R. 1949. Caesarean Birth of a Brood of Natrix sipedon sipedon Herpetologica 5 (6): 147. - get paper here
  • Blaney, R. M. ;Blaney, P. K. 1979. The Nerodia sipedon Complex of Water Snakes in Mississippi and Southeastern Louisiana. Herpetologica 35 (4): 350-359 - get paper here
  • Booth, Warren; Gordon W. Schuett 2015. The emerging phylogenetic pattern of parthenogenesis in snakes. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 118 (2): 172–186, DOI: 10.1111/bij.12744
  • Bowen, K.D. 2003. Ontogenetic Changes in the Coloration of the Northern Watersnake, Nerodia sipedon sipedon Journal of Herpetology 37 (4): 729-731. - get paper here
  • Brown, G.P. & P.J. Weatherhead 1999. Growth and sexual size dimorphism in northern water snakes (Nerodia sipedon) Copeia 1999 (3): 723-732. - get paper here
  • Burbrink FT, Futterman I. 2019. Female‐ biased gape and body-size dimorphism in the New World watersnakes (tribe: Thamnophiini) oppose predictions from Rensch's rule. Ecol Evol. 00:1–10
  • Burt, Charles E. 1933. A collection of amphibians and reptiles from southern Missouri. American Midland Naturalist 14 (2): 170-173 - get paper here
  • Burt, Charles E. 1933. A contribution to the herpetology of Kentucky. American Midland Naturalist 14 (6): 669-679 - get paper here
  • Burt, Charles E. 1935. Further records of the ecology and distribution of amphibians and reptiles in the middle west. American Midland Naturalist 16 (3): 311-336 - get paper here
  • Camper, Jeffrey D. 2019. The Reptiles of South Carolina. University of South Carolina Press, 288 pp. [review in Copeia 107 (3): 590, 2019] - get paper here
  • Cecala, Kristen; Price, Steven; Dorcas, Michael 2010. Ecology of juvenile Northern watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon) inhabiting low-order streams. Amphibia-Reptilia 31: 169-174 - get paper here
  • Clay, William M. 1938. A synopsis of the North American Water Snakes of the genus Natrix. Copeia 1938 (4): 173-182 - get paper here
  • Colley, Michael, Stephen Lougheed, Kenton Otterbein and Jacqueline D. Litzgus. 2016. Nerodia sipedon sipedon (Northern Watersnake) Reproduction / Arboreal mating. Herpetological Review 47 (1): 149-150 - get paper here
  • Collins, J.T. & Collins, S.L. 2009. A pocket guide to Kansas snakes, 2nd ed. Great Plains Nature Center, Wichita, 69 pp.
  • Collins, J.T. & Collins, S.L. 2010. A pocket guide to Kansas snakes, 3rd ed. Great Plains Nature Center, Wichita, 69 pp.
  • Conant, Roger 1938. The Reptiles of Ohio. American Midland Naturalist 20 (1): 1-200 - get paper here
  • Conant, Roger 1963. Evidence for the Specific status of the water snake Natrix fasciata. American Museum Novitates (2122): 1-38 - get paper here
  • Conant, Roger; Clay, William M. 1963. A reassessment of the taxonomic status of the Lake Erie Water Snake. Herpetologica 19 (3): 179-184 - get paper here
  • Conant,R. & Collins,J.T. 1991. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern/Central North America, 3rd ed. Houghton Mifflin (Boston/New York), xx + 450 p.
  • Conant,R. and Clay 1937. A new subspecies of water snake from Islands in Lake Erie. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology University of Michigan, No. 346: 1-9 - get paper here
  • Conant,R. and Lazell,J.D. 1973. The Carolina salt marsh snake: a distinct form of Natrix sipedon. Breviora 400: 3
  • Cooper, W.E., Jr., O. Attum & B. Kingsbury 2008. Escape Behaviors and Flight Initiation Distance in the Common Water Snake Nerodia sipedon Journal of Herpetology 42 (3): 493-500. - get paper here
  • Cope, E.D. 1892. A critical review of the characters and variations of the snakes of North America. Proc. US Natl. Mus. 14: 589-694 - get paper here
  • Cope, E.D. 1900. The crocodilians, lizards and snakes of North America. Ann. Rep. U.S. Natl. Mus. 1898: 153-1270 - get paper here
  • Crother, B. I. (ed.) 2012. Standard Common and Current Scientific Names for North American Amphibians, Turtles, Reptiles, and Crocodilians, Seventh Edition. Herpetological Circular 39: 1-92
  • Cundall, David and Abigail Pattishall 2011. Foraging Time Investment in an Urban Population of Watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon). Journal of Herpetology 45 (2): 174-177. - get paper here
  • Dixon, James R. 2000. Amphibians and reptiles of Texas, second edition. Texas A&M University Press, 421 pp.
  • Ducey, Peter K.;Newman, Willis;Cameron, Kimberly D.;Messere, Michael 1998. Herpetofauna of the highly-polluted Onondaga Lake Ecosystem, Onondaga County, New York. Herpetological Review 29 (2): 118-119 - get paper here
  • Dunn, E.R. 1915. The variations of a brood of watersnakes. Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington 28: 61-68 - get paper here
  • Dury, R. 1932. Notes on Reptiles and Amphibians From Clifty Falls State Park, Jefferson County, Indiana. Proc. Jr. Soc. Nat. Hist. Cincinnati 3 (2): 23-26
  • Edmond, Brian S. 1993. Nerodia sipedon sipedon (Northern Water Snake). USA: Missouri. Herpetological Review 24 (2): 68 - get paper here
  • Elmberg, J. 1980. Herpetological observations 77-78 [in Vernon county, Wisconsin]. Fältbiologerna Umea.
  • Enge, Kevin M. 2009. Venomous and non-venomous snakes of Florida. Publication of the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission. 16 pp.
  • Ernst, C.H., & Barbour, R.W. 1989. Snakes of eastern North America. George Mason Univ. Press, Fairfax, VA 282 pp.
  • Finkler, M.S. & D.L. Claussen 1999. Influence of Temperature, Body Size, and Inter-individual Variation on Forced and Voluntary Swimming and Crawling Speeds in Nerodia sipedon and Regina septemvittata Journal of Herpetology 33 (1): 62-71. - get paper here
  • Fraker, M.A. 1970. Home range and homing in the watersnake, Natrix sipedon sipedon Copeia 1970 (4): 665-673. - get paper here
  • Froom, B. 1972. The snakes of Canada. McClelland & Stewart, Toronto & Montreal 128 pp.
  • Garman, Samuel 1884. The reptiles and batrachians of North America. Mem. Mus. comp. Zool, Cambridge (Massachusetts), 8 (3): xxxiv + 185 pp. [1883] [CNAH reprint 10] - get paper here
  • Gibbons, J. W. & Mike Dorcas 2004. North American Water Snakes. University of Oklahoma Press, 496 pp.
  • Gibbs, H.L. & Weatherhead, P.J. 2001. Insights into population ecology and sexual selection in snakes through the application of DNA-based genetic markers. Journal of Heredity 92 (2): 173-179 - get paper here
  • GORDON, JOSEPH K. 2022. NERODIA SIPEDON (Common Watersnake). FEEDING BEHAVIOR and LINGUAL LURING. Herpetological Review 53 (1): 155–156.
  • Gordon, Robert E. 1952. A range extension for the watersnake, Natrix sipedon pleuralis Cope. Copeia 1952 (2): 116-117 - get paper here
  • Grant, Chapman 1937. Herpetological notes from Central Kansas. American Midland Naturalist 18 (3): 370-372 - get paper here
  • Green, N.B., & Pauley, T.K. 1987. Amphibians and reptiles in West Virginia. Univ. of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, 241 pp.
  • Gregory, P.T. 2004. Analysis of patterns of aggregation under cover objects in an assemblage of six species of snakes. Herpetologica 60 (2): 178-186 - get paper here
  • Guyer, Craig; Mark A. Bailey, and Robert H. Mount 2018. Lizards and snakes of Alabama. University of Alabama Press, 397 pp. - get paper here
  • Harding, J. H. & Rockafield, K. 2012. Nerodia sipedon (northern watersnake) captive longevity. Herpetological Review 43: 265 - get paper here
  • Hartzell, S. 2016. Geographic Distribution: Nerodia sipedon (Common Watersnake). Herpetological Review 47(3): 428. - get paper here
  • Heilprin, A. & Young, H.C. 1887. Ovo-viviparous generation in Tropidonotus. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (5) 20: 320 - get paper here
  • Himes, J.G. 2003. Intra- and Interspecific Competition among the Water Snakes Nerodia sipedon and Nerodia rhombifer Journal of Herpetology 37 (1): 126-131. - get paper here
  • Himes, John G. 2002. The role of the midland water snake, Nerodia sipedon (Serpentes: Colubridae), as a predator: foraging behavior, kin recognition, and the response of prey. Amphibia-Reptilia 23 (3): 333-342 - get paper here
  • Hoinville, Elliot J.; Geoffrey R. Smith 2022. Seasonal pattern of basking activity in Nerodia sipedon (Serpentes: Colubridae) along a western Michigan lakeshore, USA Phyllomedusa 21(2): 83-90 - get paper here
  • Holbrook, John E. 1840. North American Herpetology, Vol. 4 (1st ed.). J. Dobson, Philadelphia, 126 pp. - get paper here
  • Holland, Richard L.;Chiszar, David;Ristau, Carolyn;Smith, Hobart M. 1994. Nerodia sipedon sipedon (northern water snake). USA: Colorado. Herpetological Review 25 (4): 168 - get paper here
  • Hoser, R. 2012. Two new genera of water snake from North America. The subdivision of the genera Regina Baird and Girard, 1853 and Nerodia Baird and Girard 1853 (Serpentes: Colubridae: Natricinae). Australasian J. Herpetol. 11: 29-31 - get paper here
  • Hunter, M.L., Jr., Albright, J., & Arbuckle, J., eds. 1992. The amphibians and reptiles of Maine. Maine Agric. Experiment Station, Orono, Bull. 838 188 pp.
  • Irwin, Kelly J. 2004. Arkansas Snake Guide. Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, Little Rock, 50 pp.
  • Jensen, John B.; Carlos D. Camp, Whit Gibbons, & Matt J. Elliott 2008. Amphibians and reptiles of Georgia. University of Georgia Press, 575 pp.
  • Jones, J. D., Urquhart, O., Garrah, E., Eberhardt, E., & Danby, R. K. 2024. Patterns and drivers of amphibian and reptile road mortality vary among species and across scales: evidence from eastern Ontario, Canada. Global Ecology and Conservation, e02855 - get paper here
  • Kaiser, H.; Crother, B.I.; Kelly, C.M.R.; Luiselli, L.; O’Shea, M.; Ota, H.; Passos, P.; Schleip, W.D. & Wüster, W. 2013. Best Practices: In the 21st Century, Taxonomic Decisions in Herpetology are Acceptable Only When Supported by a Body of Evidence and Published via Peer-Review. Herpetological Review 44 (1): 8-23
  • KELLEY, SHANNON; TERENCE M. FARRELL & CRAIG M. LIND. 2021. Validating the Use of a Quick-Read Glucometer to Assess the Glycemic Response to Short-Term Capture Stress in Two Species of Snake, Nerodia sipedon and Sistrurus miliarius. Ichthyology & Herpetology 109(2): 436–442. - get paper here
  • King, R. B. 1987. Color pattern polymorphism in the Lake Erie water snake, Nerodia sipedon insularum. Evolution 41 (2): 241-255 - get paper here
  • King, R.B. 1986. Population ecology of the Lake Erie Water Snake, Nerodia sipedon insularum Copeia 1986 (3): 757-772. - get paper here
  • King, R.B. 1993. Color Pattern Variation in Lake Erie Water Snakes - Inheritance. Can J Zool 71 (10): 1985-1990 - get paper here
  • King, Richard B. 1989. Population ecology of the Lake Erie Water snake, Nerodia sipedon insularum. Litteratura Serpentium 9 (6): 283-284 - get paper here
  • King, Richard B. 1993. Color-pattern variation in Lake Erie water snakes: Prediction and measurement of natural selection. Evolution 47 (6): 1819-1833 - get paper here
  • King, Richard B. and Kristin M. Stanford 2019. Decline and Recovery of the Lake Erie Watersnake: A Story of Success in Conservation. in: Lillywhite, H.B & Martins, M. (eds.) Islands and Snakes, OUP, pp. 258 ff.
  • King, Richard B.; Kristin M. Stanford; Peter C. Jones 2018. Sunning themselves in heaps, knots, and snarls: The extraordinary abundance and demography of island watersnakes. Ecology and Evolution 2018: 1–22; DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4191 - get paper here
  • King, Richard B.; Oldham, Michael J.; Weller, Wayne F.; Wynn, Douglas. 1997. Historic and current amphibian and reptile distributions in the Island Region of Western Lake Erie. American Midland Naturalist 138(1):153-173 - get paper here
  • Lawson, R. 1987. Molecular studies of Thamnophiine snakes: 1. The phylogeny of the genus Nerodia. Journal of Herpetology 21 (2): 140-157 - get paper here
  • LeClere, Jeff 1995. Snakes of Minnesota: Northern watersnake (Nerodia sipedon sipedon). Newsletter of the Minnesota Herpetological Society 15 (2): 12-15
  • Linnaeus, C. [= Linné, C. von] 1758. Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentii Salvii, Holmiæ. 10th Edition: 824 pp. - get paper here
  • Linzey, D.W., & Clifford, M.J. 1981. Snakes of Virgina. Univ. Press of Virginia, Charlottesville 159 pp.
  • Lovich, J.E. & Jaworski, T.R. 1988. Annotated checklist of Amphibians and Reptiles reported from Cedar Bog, Ohio. Ohio J. Sci. 88 (4): 139-143 - get paper here
  • Lutterschmidt, W.I. & H.K. Reinert 1990. The Effect of Ingested Transmitters upon the Temperature Preference of the Northern Water Snake, Nerodia s. sipedon Herpetologica 46 (1): 39-42. - get paper here
  • Lynch, J.D. 1985. Annotated checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of Nebraska. Nebraska Acad. of Sci., Lincoln, Trans. 13: 33-57.
  • McAllister, Chris T. 2015. Geographic Distribution: Nerodia sipedon pleuralis (Midland water snake). Herpetological Review 46 (2): 220 - get paper here
  • McAllister, Chris T. and Henry W. Robison. 2014. Nerodia sipedon pleuralis (midland watersnake) albinism. Herpetological Review 45 (2): 340 - get paper here
  • McAllister, Chris T., Michael A. Barger and Henry W. Robison. 2015. Nerodia sipedon pleuralis (midland watersnake) acanthocephalan parasite. Herpetological Review 46 (4): 648 - get paper here
  • MCALLISTER, CHRIS T.; THOMAS J. FAYTON, DONALD G. CLOUTMAN, ANINDO CHOUDHURY & HENRY W. ROBISON. 2022. NERODIA SIPEDON PLEURALIS (Midland Watersnake). PREDATION. Herpetological Review 53 (2): 345–346.
  • McAtee, W.L. 1907. A list of the mammals, reptiles and batrachians of Monroe County, Indiana. Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington 20: 1-16 - get paper here
  • McClure, R R; 2018. Geographic Distribution: Nerodia sipedon (Common Watersnake). Herpetological Review 49 (4): 718 - get paper here
  • Mebert K. 2010. Massive Hybridization and Species Concepts, Insights from Watersnakes. VDM Verlag, Germany, 187 pp.
  • Mebert, K. 2008. Good species despite massive hybridization: genetic research on the contact zone between the watersnakes Nerodia sipedon and N. fasciata in the Carolinas, USA. Molecular Ecology 17: 1918–1929 - get paper here
  • Mehrtens, J.M. 1987. Living snakes of the world in color. Sterling Publ. Co., hic., New York, NY: 480 pp.
  • Meshaka Jr, Walter E.;, Jane Netting Huff & Robert C. Leberman 2008. Amphibians and Reptiles of Powdermill Nature Reserve in Western Pennsylvania. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (25): 12-18 - get paper here
  • Meyer, Dan T; Mathew McKinney, Zachary Loughman 2018. Habitat requirements of two common aquatic snakes, Regina septemvittata and Nerodia sipedon sipedon. Proceedings of the West Virginia Academy of Science 90 (1) - get paper here
  • Miano, O. J., Rose, J. P. & Todd, B. D. 2012. Nerodia sipedon (northern watersnake) diet. Herpetological Review 43: 348 - get paper here
  • Miano, Oliver. 2015. Nerodia sipedon (northern watersnake) scavengers. Herpetological Review 46 (2): 275-276 - get paper here
  • Mitchell, J. C. & Reay, K.K. 1999. Atlas of amphibians and reptiles in Virginia. Specialty Publication 1, VA Dept of Game and Fisheries, 122 pp. - get paper here
  • Mitchell, J.C. 1994. The reptiles of Virginia. Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, ca. 350 pp.
  • Morinaga, G. & Bergmann, P. J. 2019. Angles and waves: intervertebral joint angles and axial kinematics of limbed lizards, limbless lizards, and snakes. Zoology 134, 16–26 (2019) - get paper here
  • Morris, M.A. 1991. Lectotype and Type Locality of the Midland Water Snake, Nerodia sipedon pleuralis (Cope, 1892) Copeia 1991 (1): 243-245. - get paper here
  • Mullin, Stephen J.;Eubanks, James T. 1997. Geographic Distribution. Nerodia sipedon pleuralis. Herpetological Review 28 (3): 159 - get paper here
  • Mushinsky, H.R. 1979. Mating Behavior of the Common Water Snake, Nerodia sipedon sipedon, in Eastern Pennsylvania (Reptilia, Serpentes, Colubridae) Journal of Herpetology 13 (1): 127-129. - get paper here
  • Nijhof, E. 1987. Breeding results: Natrix sipedon sipedon. Litteratura Serpentium 7 (1): 45-46 - get paper here
  • Owen, Dustin A. S., James P. Flaherty, K. H. Wild, Jonathan S. Clinger, C. M. Gienger and Michael C. Fulbright. 2016. Geographic Distribution: Nerodia sipedon pleuralis (Midland Watersnake). Herpetological Review 47 (2): 263 - get paper here
  • Palmer, W.M. & Braswell, A.L. 1995. Reptiles of North Carolina. Univ. North Carolina Press
  • Pattishall, Abigail and David Cundall 2008. Dynamic changes in body form during swimming in the water snake Nerodia sipedon. Zoology 111 (1): 48-61 - get paper here
  • Pattishall, Abigail and David Cundall 2009. Habitat use by synurbic watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon). Herpetologica 65 (2): 183-198 - get paper here
  • Pattishall, Abigail and David Cundall. 2008. Spatial Biology of Northern Watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon) Living along an Urban Stream. Copeia 2008 (4): 752-762 - get paper here
  • Pelaez, Juan F. Moscoso and Willson, John D. 2017. Nerodia sipedon (Northern Watersnake) Diet. Herpetological Review 48 (1): 216 - get paper here
  • Perkins, M. W. and P. K. Eason 2016. Nerodia sipedon (Northern Watersnake) diet. Herpetological Review 47(3): 480-481. - get paper here
  • Perkins, Micah W. and Perri K. Eason 2019. The relationship of head morphology and diet among three sympatric watersnake species. Amphibia-Reptilia 40 (1): 65-77 - get paper here
  • Perry, David A. 2013. Virginia Herpetological Society Survey of Back Bay NWR and False Cape State Park. Catesbeiana 33 (2): 48-61 - get paper here
  • Persons, Trevor B., Yorks, Derek T. and deMaynadier, Phillip G. 2017. Geographic Distribution: Nerodia sipedon (Common Watersnake). Herpetological Review 48 (1): 129 - get paper here
  • Phillips, JG 2016. Updated Geographic Distributions of Michigan Herpetofauna: a Synthesis of Old and New Sources. The Journal of North American Herpetology 2016: 45–69 - get paper here
  • Pierson, T. 2012. Geographic distribution: Nerodia sipedon (northern watersnake). Herpetological Review 43: 308 - get paper here
  • Pitts, Steven L. 2015. Crotalus horridus (timber rattlesnake), Agkistrodon contortrix (copperhead), Thamnophis sirtalis (common gartersnake), Nerodia sipedon (northern watersnake), Diadophis punctatus (ring-necked snake), Storeria dekayi (Dekay's brownsnake) aggregation. Herpetological Review 46 (4): 641 - get paper here
  • Porter, R.H. & J.A. Czaplicki 1977. Evidence for a Specific Searching Image in Hunting Water Snakes (Natrix sipedon) (Reptilia, Serpentes, Colubridae) Journal of Herpetology 11 (2): 213-216. - get paper here
  • Pyron, R.Alexander; Frank T. Burbrink 2009. Neogene diversification and taxonomic stability in the snake tribe Lampropeltini (Serpentes: Colubridae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 52 (2): 524-529 - get paper here
  • Roe, John H.; Omar Attum, and Bruce A. Kingsbury 2013. Vital Rates and Population Demographics in Declining and Stable Watersnake Populations. Herp. Cons. Biol. 8 (3) - get paper here
  • Rose, Jonathan P.; Brian D. Todd 2014. Projecting Invasion Risk of Non-Native Watersnakes (Nerodia fasciata and Nerodia sipedon) in the Western United States. PLoS One - get paper here
  • Rose, Jonathan P.; Oliver J. Miano, and Brian D. Todd 2013. Trapping Efficiency, Demography, and Density of an Introduced Population of Northern Watersnakes, Nerodia sipedon, in California. Journal of Herpetology Sep 2013, Vol. 47, No. 3: 421-427. - get paper here
  • Ross, Mark A. and Philip A. Cochran. 2013. Nerodia sipedon (northern watersnake) diet. Herpetological Review 44 (4): 695 - get paper here
  • Roth, T.C., II & B.D. Greene 2006. Movement Patterns and Home Range Use of the Northern Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon) Copeia 2006 (3): 544-551. - get paper here
  • Schwaner, Terry D. & Mount, Robert H. 1976. Systematic and ecological relationships of the water snakes Natrix sipedon and N. fasciata in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas (45): 1-44 - get paper here
  • Scott, J., Dye, D. et al. 2012. FHF snapshot. HerpNation 2.5 (8): 18-22 - get paper here
  • Scudder, K.M., N.J. Stewart & H.M. Smith 1980. Response of Neonate Water Snakes (Nerodia sipedon sipedon) to Conspecific Chemical Cues Journal of Herpetology 14 (2): 196-198. - get paper here
  • Showalter, Irina; Brian D. Todd and Patricia L. R. Brennan 2014. Intraspecific and interspecific variation of female genitalia in two species of watersnake. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 111 (1): 183–191, DOI: 10.1111/bij.12184 - get paper here
  • Siegel, Dustin S.; Stanley E. Trauth, Justin L. Rheubert, Brian Rabe, Brenton Ruopp, Aurélien Miralles, Christopher M. Murray, and Robert D. Aldridge 2014. Novel Cloacal Glands in Snakes: The Phylogenetic Distribution of Ventral Urodaeal Glands in Thamnophiini. Herpetologica 70 (3): 279-289. - get paper here
  • Slevin, J.R. 1951. A High Birth Rate for Natrix sipedon sipedon (Linne) Herpetologica 7 (3): 132. - get paper here
  • SMITH, DUSTIN C.; R. GRAHAM REYNOLDS; KATHERINE L. HAGEN 2021. Snakes on a Path: Ecology of a North Carolina Piedmont Snake Community. Herpetological Review 52 (3): 473–481
  • Smith, G.R. & Rettig, J.E. 2018. Nerodia sipedon (Northern Watersnake) Diet. Herpetological Review 49 (1): 135. - get paper here
  • Smith, Hobart M.; Hammerson, Geoffrey A.; Chiszar, David; Ramotnik, Cindy 1993. Nerodia sipedon sipedon (Northern water snake). USA: Colorado. Herpetological Review 24 (4): 156 - get paper here
  • Smith, Philip W. 1956. A Blotch-Count Gradient in Snakes. Herpetologica 12: 156-160 - get paper here
  • Smithberger, S. 1995. Unusual Nerodia sipedon found at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary Bull. Maryland Herpetol. Soc., 31(2): 100-101. - get paper here
  • Spinner, Leo 2017. Auf Schlangensuche in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Terraria-Elaphe 2017 (1): 14-24 - get paper here
  • Stanford, Kirstin M. , Richard B. King, Kent A. Bekker, Deborah D. Jacobs and Tim Reichard. 2010. Nerodia sipedon insularum: Offspring Retention and Mortality. Herpetological Review 41 (3): 368-369 - get paper here
  • Stebbins,R.C. 1985. A Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians, 2nd ed. Houghton Mifflin, Boston
  • Strathemann, U. 1995. Freilandhaltung nordamerikanischer Wassernattern der Gattung Thamnophis und Nerodia. Teil. 2: Erfahrungen mit Thamnophis und Nerodia. Sauria 17 (2): 15-23 - get paper here
  • Sutton, William B., Than J. Boves and N. Emily Boves. 2013. Nerodia sipedon sipedon (northern watersnake) feeding behavior. Herpetological Review 44 (2): 333 - get paper here
  • Swartwout, M.C., P. Vogrinc, J.A. Baecher, C. Kross & J.D. Willson 2020. Prey Size and Feeding Rate Do Not Influence Trophic Morphology of Juvenile Water Snakes (Nerodia sipedon) Herpetologica 76 (1): 53-60. - get paper here
  • Taylor, Steven J.;Krejca, Jean K.;Churchwell, Beth 1998. Geographic Distribution. Nerodia sipedon pleuralis. Herpetological Review 29 (2): 115 - get paper here
  • Taylor-Young, M. 2011. The Guide to Colorado Reptiles and Amphibians. Fulcrum Publishing, Golden, Colorado, 169 pp.
  • Tennant, A. 2003. Snakes of North America - Eastern and Central Regions, revised edition. Lone Star Books, 605 pp.
  • Tennant, A. & Bartlett, R.D. 2000. Snakes of North America - Eastern and Central Regions. Gulf Publishing, Houston, TX, 588 pp.
  • Terrell, Vanessa C., Jaimie L. Klemish, Nathan J. Engbecht, John A. May, Peter J. Lannoo, Rochelle M. Stiles, and Michael J. Lannoo. 2014. Amphibian and reptile colonization of reclaimed coal spoil grasslands. The Journal of North American Herpetology 2014(1):59-68 - get paper here
  • Tiebout III, Harry M. & John R. Cary 1991. Literature: Dynamic spatial ecology of the Water snake, Nerodia sipedon. Litteratura Serpentium 11 (4): 93 - get paper here
  • Tiebout, H.M., III & J.R. Cary 1987. Dynamic Spatial Ecology of the Water Snake, Nerodia sipedon Copeia 1987 (1): 1-18. - get paper here
  • TIMOTHY WARFEL & JOSHUA WARFEL. 2021. Geographic distribution: NERODIA SIPEDON SIPEDON (Northern Water Snake). USA: COLORADO: Douglas Co. Herpetological Review 52 (1): 88. - get paper here
  • VanDeWalle, Terry 2022. The Natural History of the Snakes and Lizards of Iowa. University of Iowa Press, Iowa City, Iowa, 384 pp. ISBN: 978-1- 609388-37-9. [review in HR 54 (1): 151] - get paper here
  • Voris, H.K., D.R. Karns, K.A. Feldheim, B. Kechavarzi, and M. Rinehart. 2008. Multiple paternity in the oriental-australian rear-fanged watersnakes (Homalopsidae). Herp. Cons. Biol. 3: 88-102 - get paper here
  • Wallach, Van; Kenneth L. Williams , Jeff Boundy 2014. Snakes of the World: A Catalogue of Living and Extinct Species. [type catalogue] Taylor and Francis, CRC Press, 1237 pp.
  • Walley, Harlan D., Richard B. King, Julie M. Ray and Theresa L. Wusterbarth. 2012. Nerodia sipedon. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles (899): 1-58 - get paper here
  • Wasser, J.S. 1990. Seasonal Variations in Plasma and Tissue Chemistry in Water Snakes, Nerodia sipedon Copeia 1990 (2): 399-408. - get paper here
  • Weatherhead, P.J., G.P. Brown, M.R. Prosser & K.J. Kissner 1999. Factors Affecting Neonate Size Variation in Northern Water Snakes, Nerodia sipedon Journal of Herpetology 33 (4): 577-589. - get paper here
  • Webb, Alison C.; Lacy D. Chick, Vincent A. Cobb and Matthew Klukowski 2017. Effects of Moderate Food Deprivation on Plasma Corticosterone and Blood Metabolites in Common Watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon). Journal of Herpetology 51 (1): 134–141 - get paper here
  • Weisenbeck, D. R., Nelson, E. M., & McLeod, D. S. 2022. Herpetological inventory at Sweet’s Farm in Highland County, Virginia. Banisteria, 56, 118-136 - get paper here
  • Welsh, Stuart A. and Zachary J. Loughman. 2015. Upstream dam passage and use of an eel ladder by the common watersnake (Nerodia sipedon). Herpetological Review 46 (2): 176-179 - get paper here
  • Werler, John E. & James R. Dixon 2000. Texas Snakes. University of Texas Press, 544 pages
  • Wilgers, D.J.; Horne, E.A.; Sandercock, B.K. & Volkmann, A.W. 2006. Effects of rangeland management on community dynamics of the herpetofauna of the Tall-grass Prairie [Flint Hills, Kansas/Oklahoma]. Herpetologica 62 (4): 378-388 - get paper here
  • Young, H.C. 1887. Ovo-viviparous generation in Tropidonotus. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad. (ser. 3) 39: 121 - get paper here
 
External links  
Is it interesting? Share with others:

As link to this species use URL address:

https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Nerodia&species=sipedon

without field 'search_param'. Field 'search_param' is used for browsing search result.



Please submit feedback about this entry to the curator