Black morph of water snake. Already a snake

The merman's muzzle is already pointed. Internasal shields more or less triangular shape. The suture between the internasal and intermaxillary scutes is shorter than the suture between the first upper labial and intermaxillary. Preorbital scutes 2-3, very rarely 1 or 4; postorbital 3-4, very rarely 5. Posterior mandibular scutes longer than anterior ones and separated from each other by scales. The ribs on the body and tail scales are sharp.

The upper side of the body of the water snake is olive, olive-gray, olive-green, olive-brown, brownish or, extremely rarely, reddish-orange in color, usually with dark, more or less checkerboard spots or narrow transverse stripes on the back. In rare cases, the spots form 2 dark dotted or solid stripes on the sides of the back, continuing on the tail. On the back of the head there is usually a dark L-shaped spot, with its apex facing the parietal scutes. Single-colored individuals without any pattern are also not rare. In adult males, during life, the belly is often pink-red or orange-yellow, and in females it is orange or orange-yellow. yellow color with dark, more or less rectangular spots, merging with each other in places. There are also complete melanists.

The water snake is distributed from Southwestern France, the Rhine Valley and the eastern part North Africa in the west through Central and Southern Europe, Asia Minor, Western and Central Asia to the Persian Gulf and, possibly, the shores of the Arabian Sea in the south and to Afghanistan, West Pakistan, North-West India and Western China in the east. In the USSR it is found in Moldova, in the south of Ukraine and the Volga region, in the Caucasus, in the republics of Central Asia and in Kazakhstan (map 96).

Subspecies identified by some researchers N.t. hydrus(Pall., 1771) and N.t. heinrothi(Hecht, 1930), differing in coloration characteristics, have no taxonomic significance.

The water snake is closely associated with water, living near various kinds of flowing and standing bodies of water, on sea coasts and islands located in the open sea, where it swims from the mainland. Loves cliffs and rocky slopes along the banks of rivers and streams, floodplain lakes, oxbow lakes and swamps, tugai and reed thickets, flooded rice fields, irrigation canals, ditches and swamps near springs.

As shelters, including winter ones, it uses gullies and cracks in rocks, voids in piles of stones, holes of water rats, gophers, voles, gerbils, etc. On the Kerch Peninsula (in Crimea) on the seashore 1 at 30 m of the route. On the northern shore of the lake. Sevan (in Armenia) in mid-summer the population density is 5-7 individuals per 100 m of route; in the Volga delta - in some places 70-80 individuals per 1 km. In some areas of the Donetsk Ridge (in Ukraine), the number reaches 86-96 individuals per 1 hectare, which amounts to a biomass of 7.3-8.1 kg/ha.

In the lowland regions of Central Asia, after wintering, it appears in early March - mid-April, in the mountains - in mid-March - late April. The first time after waking up, it stays on the shore near wintering sites, sometimes in large numbers together. In summer, it spends most of its time in the water, sometimes swimming 3-5 km from the nearest land. Leaves for the winter at the end of September - November. It overwinters alone or, more often, in groups of several individuals, often together with other snakes, including common snakes. Up to 200 individuals of various sexes and ages were found simultaneously in wintering grounds.

60-66% of the water snake’s diet consists of fish. In addition to fish, it also feeds on tadpoles and adult frogs and toads, especially often in spring and autumn. Occasionally it also eats gerbils, mice, voles, and sometimes newborn muskrats. Mating occurs in early to mid-April. Laying 4-18 eggs in late June - July. Eggs measuring 15-16x32-35 mm contain already well-formed embryos 45-55 mm long. Young 140-185 mm long (without tail) and weighing up to 5 g appear in mid-August - early September.

Literature: Key to amphibians and reptiles of the fauna of the USSR. Textbook manual for students of biology. specialties ped. Inst. M., "Enlightenment", 1977. 415 p. with ill.; 16 l. ill.

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(Laurenti, 1768)
(= Coluber idrus Pallas, 1771, Coluber ponticus Guldenstadt, 1811, Colluber penttatus Menetrics, 1832, Tropidonotus tessellatus (Lanzcdi, 1768)

Appearance. Large a snake with a body length of up to 1400 mm and a tail approximately 5-6 times shorter. The most common sizes of sexually mature individuals are up to 800 mm for males and 980 mm for females. Head flattened, pointed muzzle. Internasal shields more or less triangular in shape. The suture between the intermaxillary and the first upper labial is much longer than the suture between the intermaxillary and internasal. There are, as a rule, eight labial scutes. There are two or three preorbital shields (extremely one); three or four (very rarely five) postorbital shields. Around the body 19 scales. The ventral scutes are 162-189 in males and 164-197 in females; 60-86 subcaudals in males and 47-70 in females. The scales are both trunk and caudal, with highly developed ribs.

Coloring The upper side of the body is olive, olive-gray, olive-greenish, olive-brown, brown or - very rarely - reddish-orange. A pattern of dark spots located more or less in a checkerboard pattern, or of narrow dark transverse stripes on the back; very rarely the spots form two dark or solid stripes on the sides of the back, also extending onto the upper surface of the tail. A dark spot is often noticeable on the back of the head. The ventral surface varies in color from yellowish to red with more or less rectangular black spots. Sometimes there are specimens without a pattern on the body or completely black.

Spreading. The water snake is widely distributed from southwestern France, the Rhine Valley and eastern northern Africa in the west through central and southern Europe, Asia Minor, Western and Central Asia to the Persian Gulf and Pakistan in south-central Asia (northwest China) in the east. In the Middle East it inhabits Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Nile Delta in Egypt, and an isolated population is known in Yemen. In the European part of the former USSR, this snake is found in its eastern part, including the Black Sea coast in Russia and Ukraine, as well as Crimea. The water snake is common in the Ciscaucasia and Transcaucasia, as well as in Central Asia and Kazakhstan. In Tajikistan it is absent only in the Eastern Pamirs; in Turkmenistan it is found on the coast and on the islands of the Caspian Sea, in the valleys of the Sumbar and Atrek rivers, near small rivers and streams of the Kopetdag and Kugitangtau, in the valleys of the Tedzhen, Murgab and Amu Darya rivers.

Habitat. Throughout its entire range, the water snake is closely associated with water; its habitats are confined to the banks of various flowing and standing bodies of water, from muddy ditches rich in suspended particles to clear mountain rivers and streams with very strong currents. This snake is also common in rice fields, on sea coasts and islands. Thus, in particular, in Turkmenistan, the water snake is found mainly on the sea coasts of the Caspian Sea and on islands located in the open sea, as well as on coastal strips rivers, in canals irrigating cotton fields. On the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea they favorite places- limestone niches formed by the surf, sunken ships, barges, as well as stones near the sea. On the islands, the places where they are most concentrated are found in areas overgrown with rush or reeds. Throughout the entire range of the water snake, as follows from its species name, the presence of reservoirs is a determining factor in the existence of this snake. In Tajikistan, it is found in tugai thickets, on irrigated lands occupied by alfalfa, cotton or vegetable gardens, on rocks, in mountain gorges in juniper forests and deciduous forests, in semi-desert landscapes, as well as not far from human habitation, but always at a distance of no more than 100- 200 m from the water. The vertical limit of distribution in Turkmenistan in Kopetdag passes at an altitude of 1000 m above sea level; in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan it can rise to 3000 m above sea level. The species is common, in some places it can reach high numbers. Large concentrations of water snakes can be observed in individual reservoirs in Central Asia, where, according to records, in an area 3 km long and 25-30 m wide on the seashore, the population numbers 8-10 thousand snakes. The high number on the Caspian coast with numerous calcareous niches formed by the surf is associated with the abundance of food supply, shelters and favorable places for breeding and wintering.

Activity. After wintering in the southern regions of its range in Central Asia, it appears on. surfaces in March-April, activity continues until the end of October - November. Throughout the season, water snakes are active during the day. They spend most of their time in the water, swimming up to 3-5 km from the nearest land.

When danger appears, snakes usually take refuge in the water and hide at the bottom of reservoirs.

Reproduction. Mating of water snakes occurs during April. Females lay eggs in late June - July. There are 4-18 eggs in a clutch, measuring 15-16 x 32-35 mm. Young water snakes with a body length (without tail) of 140-185 mm appear on the surface in mid-August - early September.

Nutrition. These snakes feed mainly on various fish, often climbing into fishing nets; secondary food items - frogs and toads; Sometimes the diet includes small rodents and birds.

Wintering. Rodent burrows located along the banks of reservoirs are used as winter shelters. Water snakes overwinter either alone or, more often, in large groups, often together with other snakes, and often with ordinary snakes. Such clusters can number up to 200 snakes of different sexes and ages.

Similar species. It differs from the common snake in its color and pattern, the absence of yellow or orange spots on the sides of the head, as well as the number of preorbital and upper labial scutes.

At the Ecosystem Ecological Center you can purchase color identification table " Amphibians and reptiles of central Russia"and a computer guide to reptiles (reptiles) of Russia and the USSR, as well as other teaching materials on animals and plants of Russia(see below).

On our website you can also find information on anatomy, morphology and ecology of reptiles: general characteristics of reptiles, integument, movement, and skeleton of reptiles, digestive organs and nutrition, respiratory organs and gas exchange, circulatory system and blood circulation, excretory organs and water-salt metabolism, genitals and reproduction, nervous system and sensory organs, behavior and image life, annual life cycle,

Water snake - Natrix tesselata (Laurenti, 1768) Order Scaly Squamata Suborder Snakes Serpentes Family Snakes Colubridae Status. Category 4 species, status uncertain. Currently, there is no sufficient information about the state in nature. International status. Protected by the Berne Convention.

Spreading.

From Southwestern France, eastern part of the North. Africa through Europe, Asia Minor, Western and Central Asia to the Persian Gulf. and Pakistan. The range covers the Black Sea coast, Crimea, the entire Caucasus and Transcaucasia, Kazakhstan. The species extends to the eastern border of the European part of Russia. In the Voronezh region. melanistic water snakes were found on the left bank and right bank of the river. Bityug in the vicinity X. Serov in 1996, 2002 and 2004.

Description.

A large snake with a body length of up to 140 cm and a tail approximately 56 times shorter. The length of males is 80 cm, females 98 cm. The muzzle is pointed. On the upper side of the body there are dark spots located in a checkerboard pattern or in the form of narrow transverse stripes. Individuals of one color, without a pattern, are not uncommon. There are also complete melanists.

Features of biology and ecology.

The water snake is closely associated with water and lives near flowing and standing bodies of water. Loves cliffs and rocky slopes along the banks of rivers and streams, floodplain lakes, oxbow lakes and swamps, reed thickets, swamps near springs.

Throughout the season, snakes are active during the day and spend most of their time in the water. They feed mainly on fish, as well as frogs, tadpoles, small rodents and birds. In spring they appear on the surface in March-April. Mating occurs throughout April.

In the summer, at the end of June and beginning of July, the female water snake lays from 4 to 18 eggs. By the end of summer or early September, young snakes appear; their body length (without tail) is 14.018.5 cm. The activity of snakes stops with the onset of cold weather in October-November.

Number and trends of its change. Unknown.

Limiting factors. Lack of suitable bodies of water.

Accepted and necessary measures security It is necessary to organize protected areas in key habitats of the species in which its presence has been established.

Information sources: Key to amphibians... 1977; Amphibians and reptiles... 1998; Tkachenko, 2004. Compiled by: S. V. Repitunov, A. I. Masalykin; photo: S. V. Smirnov.

About two-thirds of all snakes living on the planet belong to the colubrid family. Currently, there are about one and a half thousand varieties, each of which has its own distinctive characteristics.

Despite the amazing similarities between a snake and a viper common, thanks to which many people fall into a stupor at the sight of this completely harmless reptile, they differ from their poisonous relatives in their peaceful and calm character.

snake snake many years ago it was customary to keep cats as pets, since they are often superior to four-legged animals in catching other rodents.

In steppe and mountainous areas, snakes are also frequent residents, where they can be found at an altitude of up to two and a half thousand meters. Since these reptiles are not afraid of people, they can also settle in unfinished buildings, basements, waste dumps and even in vegetable gardens.

Snakes usually do not make well-equipped burrows, and roots can become their refuge in the dark. big trees, piles of leaves and branches, as well as haylofts and crevices in buildings. In soft ground, they can make relatively long passages on their own.

In winter, they prefer to move to more reliable places, such as burrows of all kinds of rodents and outbuildings made by man. Some snakes wait it out winter period alone or in small groups, however, most individuals gather in mass gatherings for wintering together with vipers.

There have been cases when snakes waiting out the cold in the basements of residential buildings, due to exposure to especially low temperatures they made their way directly into apartments and even crawled into people’s beds.

Character and lifestyle

To the question what a snake is really It can be answered with certainty that it has a very friendly character and does not pose any danger to humans. As soon as it sees people, it will most likely retreat further away, preferring not to come into direct contact with representatives of bipeds.

If you still manage to catch him, then the snake, of course, will try to fight back the aggressor, starting to actively throw out its head with a loud hiss.

If such a trick does not bear fruit, then it will begin to emit a specific repulsive odor that can kill the appetite of even many predators, not to mention humans. After trying these methods, the snake may pretend to be dead so that it will finally be left alone.

Snakes are unusually active reptiles: on flat areas of land they can reach speeds of up to eight kilometers per hour, crawl well in trees and are excellent at navigating in water.

These swim, raising their heads directly above the water surface and leaving characteristic traces in the form of ripples behind them. They are able to stay under water for up to half an hour and quite often swim several tens of kilometers from the coast.

Water snakes, on the contrary, are characterized by relatively low mobility and increased susceptibility to heat, so in the dark they do not show any noticeable activity, but as soon as the first rays of the sun appear, they immediately set off to surf the waters.

In case of danger, they can lie to the bottom or, in rare cases, crawl onto one of the birds, such as geese, or in order to look out for their future prey from there.

Are there any snakes poisonous snakes ? Although most representatives of this species are non-venomous and are considered safe for humans, there are snakes of the snake family(more precisely, they fall under the category of false snakes), which have fangs that, when bitten, can poison a fairly large animal. For humans, such a poison is conditionally dangerous, that is, it can lead to death only in exceptional cases.

Snake food

Snakes' favorite foods include all kinds of amphibians, such as toads, tadpoles, and newts. Occasionally their diet includes insects, small birds and mammals.

The most favorite food for snakes are frogs, which they are ready to hunt at any time of the day, which leads to the disappearance of the frog population in places where these reptiles are crowded.

Favorite prey of snakes are frogs

On the coast or in the middle of the water, it usually sneaks up on a frog, trying not to disturb its potential prey, then makes a sharp jerk and grabs the amphibian. On land, he can simply start chasing them, and getting away from a fast snake is not at all easy.

After the victim is grabbed, he begins to swallow it, and certainly from the very place where he actually caught it. Different kinds Snakes have their own preferences in food: some simply adore toads, others would never touch them. In captivity they can even feed raw meat.

Reproduction and lifespan of snakes

The mating season of grass snakes usually occurs in the spring, with rare exceptions in the autumn. Courtship in these reptiles occurs without particularly complex elements; the number of eggs per clutch ranges from 8 to 30.

The photo shows a grass snake's nest

To hatch eggs, the female usually selects the optimal place, such as a pile of dry leaves, peat or sawdust. The time the eggs spend in such an incubator until the offspring hatch is from one to two months.

In conditions wildlife Life expectancy can reach twenty years. For keeping at home, this reptile is not the best the best option, so it’s best to get less dangerous pets.

A snake is a snake that belongs to the class of reptiles, the order Scaly, the suborder of snakes, the family Colubridae (lat. Colubridae).

The Russian name “uzh” may have come from the Old Slavonic “uzh” - “rope”. Moreover, the Proto-Slavic word supposedly comes from the Lithuanian angìs, which means “snake, snake.” According to information from etymological dictionaries, these words may be related Latin word angustus, which translates as “narrow, cramped.”

Types of snakes, photos and names

Below is short description several varieties of snakes.

• Common already (Natrix natrix )

It has a length of up to 1.5 meters, but on average the size of the snake does not exceed 1 meter. The snake's habitat extends across Russia, North Africa, the countries of Asia and Europe, except for the northern regions. In southern Asia, the range boundary includes Palestine and Iran. Characteristic distinctive feature common snake- this is the presence of two bright, symmetrical spots on the back of the head, on the border with the neck. Spots with a black border are yellow, orange or off-white. Occasionally there are individuals with faint spots or no spots, that is, completely black common snakes. There are also albinos. The back of the snake is light gray, dark gray, sometimes almost black. There may be dark spots on the gray background. The abdomen is light and has a long dark stripe that stretches all the way to the snake's throat. Most often, the common grass snake is found along the shores of lakes, ponds, quiet rivers, in coastal shrubs and oak forests, in floodplain meadows, in old overgrown clearings, in beaver settlements, on old dams, under bridges and in other similar places. In addition, common snakes settle near human habitation. They make their home in the roots and hollows of trees, in haystacks, in burrows, in other secluded places, in gardens and vegetable gardens. They can settle in basements, cellars, barns, woodpiles, piles of stones or garbage. In poultry farms, snakes like moist and warm litter, and they get along well with poultry. They can even lay their eggs in abandoned nests. But snakes almost never settle near large domestic animals that can trample them.

• Water snake (Natrix tessellata )

Much like his close relative an ordinary snake, but there are differences. It is more thermophilic and common in the southern regions of the habitat of the snake genus - from the southwest of France to Central Asia. Also, water snakes live in the south of the European part of Russia and Ukraine (especially at the mouths of rivers flowing into the Caspian and Black Sea), in Transcaucasia (very numerous on the islands of the Absheron Peninsula in Azerbaijan), in Kazakhstan, in the Central Asian Republics, up to India, Palestine and North Africa in the south and to China in the east. Outside of reservoirs, snakes are extremely rare. Water snakes live on the coasts of not only fresh water bodies, but also seas. They swim well, can cope with strong currents of mountain rivers, and stay under water for a long time. The water snake has a color of olive, olive-green, olive-gray or olive-brown with dark spots and stripes located almost in a checkerboard pattern. By the way, Natrix tessellata literally translates from Latin as “chess snake.” The snake's abdomen is yellowish-orange or reddish, covered with dark spots. There are also individuals that have no pattern or completely black water snakes. Unlike an ordinary snake, there are no “signal” yellow-orange spots on the head of the water snake, but often on the back of the head there is a dark spot in the shape of the Latin letter V. The length of the water snake is on average 1 meter, but the largest individuals reach 1.6 meters. With the onset of morning, water snakes crawl out of their shelters and settle under bushes or, literally, “hang out” on their crowns, and when the sun begins to get hot, they go into the water. They hunt in the morning and evening. During the day they bask in the sun on rocks, reeds, and in the nests of water birds. The water snake is non-aggressive and safe for humans. It is not able to bite at all, since instead of teeth it has plates to hold slippery prey. But because of its color, it is confused with a viper and is mercilessly destroyed.

• Colchis, or big-headed already (Natrix megalocephala )

Lives in Russia in the south Krasnodar region, in Georgia, Azerbaijan, Abkhazia. Already lives in chestnut, hornbeam, beech forests, in thickets of cherry laurel, azalea, alder, where there are clearings and ponds, on tea plantations, near streams. Colchis snakes can be found high in the mountains. They are adapted to life in fast mountain streams. This snake differs from the common snake in its wide head, with a concave upper surface, and the absence of light spots on the back of the head in adult specimens. The body of the big-headed snake is massive, from 1 to 1.3 m in length. The upper body is black, the head is white below, the abdomen has a black and white pattern. In spring and autumn, the Colchis grass snake is active in daytime, and in summer - in the morning and at dusk. Snakes living in the mountains are active in the mornings and evenings. Colchis is no longer dangerous for humans. He escapes from his enemies by diving into the water, even despite the rapid current of the river. The number of large-headed snakes is small and in Lately decreases. This is due to uncontrolled trapping, a decrease in the population of amphibians due to the development of river valleys, and the destruction of grass snakes by raccoons. Conservation measures are necessary to preserve this species.

• Viper snake (Natrix maura )

Distributed in Western and Southern Mediterranean countries, not found in Russia. Snakes live near ponds, lakes, calm rivers, and swamps. Snakes of this species got their name because of their color, similar to that of a viper: on the dark gray back there is a black-brown pattern in the form of a zigzag stripe, with large ocellated spots on the sides of it. True, some individuals have a color similar to water snakes, and there are also individuals with a solid gray or olive color. The snake's abdomen is yellowish, with reddish and black spots closer to the tail. Average length reptiles are 55-60 cm, large individuals reach 1 meter. Females are larger and heavier than males.

• Tiger snake (Rhabdophis tigrinus )

Lives in Russia in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories, distributed in Japan, Korea, North-Eastern and Eastern China. Settles near water bodies, among moisture-loving vegetation. But it also occurs in mixed forests, far from bodies of water, in treeless areas and on the seashore. The tiger snake is one of the most beautiful snakes in the world, the length of which can reach 1.1 meters. The back of the snake can be dark olive, dark green, blue, light brown, black. Juveniles are usually dark gray. The dorsal and lateral dark spots give the snake a striped appearance. Adult snakes have characteristic red-orange, red and brick-red spots between dark stripes on the front part of the body. Upper lip the snake is yellow. The snake defends itself from predators by releasing a poisonous secretion from their special neck glands. The brindle snake is capable of, like, lifting and inflating its neck. When people are bitten by enlarged back teeth and poisonous saliva gets into the wound, symptoms are observed, similar to a viper bite.

Taken from: www.snakesoftaiwan.com

• Shiny tree snake (Dendrelaphis pictus)

Distributed in South-East Asia. It is found near human settlements, in fields and forests. It lives on trees and bushes. It is brown or bronze in color, with a light stripe bordered by black stripes on the sides. There is a black “mask” on the snake’s face. This non-venomous snake with a long thin tail making up a third of her body.

• Schneider's fish snake(Xenochrophis piscator )

It lives in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, some islands of Indonesia, western Malaysia, China, Vietnam, and Taiwan. Lives in small rivers and lakes, in ditches, in rice fields. The color of the snake is olive green or olive brown with light or dark spots forming a checkerboard pattern. The abdomen is light. Length 1.2 m. The head is slightly expanded and has a cone-shaped shape. Non-venomous fishing snakes are aggressive and fast. They hunt mainly during the day, but often at night.

• Eastern ground snake(Virginia valeriae )

Distributed in the eastern United States: from Iowa and Texas to New Jersey and Florida. It differs from other species in having smooth scales. A small snake, the length of which does not exceed 25 cm. The color of the snake is brown, tiny black spots may be observed on the back and sides, and the abdomen is light. Ground snakes lead a burrowing lifestyle, living in loose soil, under rotten logs and in leaf litter.

• Green bush grass snake(Philothamnus semivariegatus )

A non-venomous snake that is found throughout most of Africa, excluding arid regions and the Sahara Desert. Green snakes live in dense vegetation: on trees, in bushes growing along rocks and river beds. The body of reptiles is long, with a thin tail and a slightly flattened head. The body of the snake is bright green with dark spots, the head bluish tint. Scales with pronounced carinae. Active during the day. Not dangerous for humans. It feeds on lizards and tree frogs.

• Japanese snake ( Hebius vibakari)

One of the species of snakes found in Russia, namely in Far East: in the Khabarovsk and Primorsky territories, as well as the Amur region. Distributed in Japan, Eastern China and Korea. Inhabits forests in these regions, thickets of bushes, meadows in the forest zone, abandoned gardens. The length of the snake is up to 50 cm. The color is uniform: dark brown, brown, chocolate, brown-red with a greenish tint. The abdomen is light, yellowish or greenish. Small snakes are light brown or more often black in color. The non-venomous Japanese grass snake leads a secretive lifestyle, hiding under the ground, stones and trees. It feeds mainly on earthworms.