Brazos water snake
| Brazos water snake | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Subfamily: | Natricinae |
| Genus: | Nerodia |
| Species: | N. harteri |
| Binomial name | |
| Nerodia harteri (Trapido, 1941) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
The Brazos water snake or Harter's water snake (Nerodia harteri ) is a species of mostly aquatic, nonvenomous, colubrid snake native to the United States.
Geographic range
N. harteri is found only in northcentral Texas along the Brazos River system.
Conservation status
Due to its limited range, N. harteri is considered to be a threatened species in the State of Texas.
Etymology
The specific name or epithet, harteri, is in honor of American amateur herpetologist Philip Harter, who collected the first specimen in Palo Pinto County in 1936.[1][2]
Description
The Brazos water snake grows to a total length (including tail) of 16 to 32 inches (41-81 cm), and ranges in color from brown to olive green. It has two rows of spots that go down either side of its back, and has a pink or orange underside with dark spots down either side.
References
- ↑ Trapido H. 1941. "A New Species of Natrix from Texas". American Midland Naturalist 25 (4): 673-680, 5 figures. (Natrix harteri, new species).
- ↑ Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M. 2011. The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Nerodia harteri, p. 117).
Further reading
- Behler JL, King FW. 1979. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians.New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 743 pp. ISBN 0-394-50824-6. (Nerodia harteri, p. 636 + Plate 549).
- Conant R. 1975. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition. The Peterson Field Guide Series. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. xviii + 429 pp. + Plates 1-48. ISBN 0-395-19979-4 (hardcover), ISBN 0-395-19977-8 (paperback). (Natrix harteri, p. 149 + Plate 21 + Map 102).
- Schmidt KP, Davis DD. 1941. Field Book of Snakes of the United States and Canada. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 365 pp. (Natrix harteri, p. 225).
- Smith HM, Brodie ED Jr. 1982. Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification. New York: Golden Press. 240 pp. ISBN 0-307-13666-3. (Nerodia harteri, pp. 156-157).
- Wright AH, Wright AA. 1957. Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada. Ithaca and London: Comstock. 1,105 pp. (in two volumes). (Natrix harteri, pp. 493-497, Figure 145 + Map 42 on p. 512).
External links
- Species Nerodia harteri at The Reptile Database
- Herps of Texas: Nerodia harteri
- Biographies of People Honored in the Herpetological Nomenclature of North America