Dice snake

Dice snake
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Natrix
Species:
N. tessellata
Binomial name
Natrix tessellata
(Laurenti, 1768)
Distribution of Natrix tessellata
Synonyms

Coronella tessellata Laurenti, 1768
Coluber tessellatus Bonnaterre, 1790
Tropidonotus tessellatus, part., Wagler, 1830
Natrix tessellata Bonaparte, 1834
Tropidonotus tessellatus Boulenger, 1893[2]

The dice snake (Natrix tessellata) or water snake[3] is a Eurasian nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae, subfamily Natricinae. Its average length is 1.0–1.3 m (39–51 in). Body color may vary from greyish green to brownish or almost black, with dark spots on the back. The belly is sometimes vividly coloured in yellow or orange, with black spots, very similar to dice, hence the name.

  1. ^ Mebert, K.; Amr, Z.S.S.; Al Johany, A.M.H.; Aloufi, A.A.H.; Jiang, J.; Meyer, A.; Sterijovski, B.; Baha El Din, S.; Pleguezuelos, J.; Sá-Sousa, P.; Corti, C.; Ajtic, R.; Tuniyev, S.; Orlov, N.L.; Ananjeva, N.B.; Cogălniceanu, D.; Andrén, C.; Crnobrnja-Isailović, J.; Aghasyan, A.; Avci, A.; Tuniyev, B.; Lymberakis, P.; Wilkinson, J.; Üzüm, N.; Podloucky, R.; Kaya, U.; Vogrin, M.; Pérez Mellado, V.; Cheylan, M.; Nettmann, H.K.; De Haan, C.C.; Schmidt, B.; Lau, M.; Borkin, L.; Milto, K.; Golynsky, E.; Belouskova, A.; Rustamov, A; Nuridjanov, D.; Munkhbayar, K. (2021). "Natrix tessellata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T157256A745071. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T157256A745071.en. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  2. ^ Boulenger, G.A. 1893. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History), Volume I. London. pp. 233-234
  3. ^ Guicking, Daniela; Joger, Ulrich; Wink, Michael (25 August 2009). "Cryptic diversity in a Eurasian water snake (Natrix tessellata, Serpentes: Colubridae): Evidence from mitochondrial sequence data and nuclear ISSR-PCR fingerprinting". Organisms Diversity & Evolution. 9 (3): 201–214. Bibcode:2009ODivE...9..201G. doi:10.1016/j.ode.2009.03.001.