HARMLESS. The Diamond-backed Watersnake is characterized by keeled scales, a divided anal scale, dark half-moon-shaped spots scattered irregularly on a yellow belly, and 30- 65 narrow dark brown, black, or gray bands on a light gray or yellowish gray body. Young specimens have the same patterns and colors as adults. Adult males have numerous tiny raised bumps on the chin. Females have shorter tails than males and grow slightly larger.
Adults normally attain 76.0-122.0 cm (30- 48 inches) in total length. The largest specimen from Kansas is a female (KU 204483) from Douglas County with a total length of 141.5 cm (55½ inches) collected by Gregory Beilfuss on 25 March 1986. The heaviest example from the state is a female (KU 207187) from Lyon County that weighed 1,750 grams (3 pounds, 14 ounces) collected by B. Stapp on 18 May 1987. The maximum length throughout the range is 175.3 cm (69 inches) (Boundy, 1995; Powell et al., 2016).
Found commonly in farm ponds, reservoirs, and streams along the Kansas (below Manhattan), Marais des Cygnes, Neosho, Verdigris, and Arkansas (below Great Bend) rivers. The Diamond-backed Watersnake inhabits rivers, sloughs, ponds, backwaters, and oxbows.
This species usually inhabits permanent lakes, marshes, and swamps, as well as the backwaters of rivers. Diener (1957) found that in Meade County, Diamond-backed Watersnakes showed a preference for fast-flowing water.
Irwin and Collins (1987) considered this serpent to be the most observably abundant snake in the stillwater ditches at Cheyenne Bottoms in Barton County, recording 218 examples from l May to 6 June.
This species is active from March to September, when it basks during the day on brush, logs, and grassy banks along the water edge. In the summer, it searches for food at night. During winter, this snake retreats into muskrat dens and other burrows around water to avoid cold temperatures.
Diamond-backed Watersnakes mate in the spring after emergence from winter inactivity. Although courtship has not been observed in Kansas, it probably involves the male rubbing the female's back with his bumpy chin. Litters of this snake are large, with the number of young per litter ranging from 13 to 62 (Fitch, 1985); young are usually born from August to early October. Gloyd (1928) reported a female from Franklin County that gave birth to thirty-four young on 8 November. Species ofNerodia are viviparous and develop functional placentae that support gas exchange and maternal–fetal transfer of water and ions. Stable-isotope evidence demonstrates maternal amino acid allocation to embryos during gestation, confirming organic nutrient transfer. Nevertheless, yolk remains the dominant source of embryonic dry mass; thus Nerodia are best described as predominantly lecithotrophic viviparous snakes with incipient placentotrophy.
This snake feeds primarily on slow-moving and dead fish. The Diamond-backed Watersnake uses an 'entrapment' behavior when preying on fish in drying pools.
Predators of the Diamond-backed Watersnake include mammals and large turtles (Collins, 1993).
References
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