Nerodia paucimaculata

Nerodia paucimaculata, commonly known as the Concho water snake, is a species of mostly aquatic, nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Texas in the United States.

Nerodia paucimaculata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Nerodia
Species:
N. paucimaculata
Binomial name
Nerodia paucimaculata
(Tinkle & Conant, 1961)
Synonyms[1]
  • Natrix harteri paucimaculata
    Tinkle & Conant, 1961
  • Nerodia harteri paucimaculata
    — Conant & Collins, 1991
  • Nerodia paucimaculata
    — Densmore et al., 1992

Geographic range

N. paucimaculata is found only in west-central Texas in the Colorado and Concho river systems, in Coke, Runnels, San Saba, and Tom Green Counties.

Conservation status

Due to its limited range, N. paucimaculata was considered a threatened species in the state of Texas.[2]

Taxonomy

N. paucimaculata was originally considered to be a subspecies of the Brazos water snake, N. harteri, but was elevated to full species status by Densmore et al. in 1992.[3]

Description

The Concho water snake grows to a total length (including tail) of 16 to 32 inches (41–81 cm), and looks very much like N. harteri. However, N. paucimaculata tends to be more red in color, and has no dark markings on the underside.

References
  1. "Nerodia paucimaculata ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  2. Water Snake Is Drought Resistant, Says Agency – Courthouse News Service, 2011-10-28
  3. Densmore LD III, Rose FL, Kain SJ (1992). "Mitochondrial DNA evolution and speciation in water snakes (genus Nerodia) with special reference to Nerodia harteri ". Herpetologica 48 (1): 60-68. (Nerodia paucimaculata, new status).

Further reading
  • Powell R, Conant R, Collins JT (2016). Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. xiv + 494 pp., 47 plates, 207 figures. ISBN 978-0-544-12997-9. (Nerodia paucimaculata, p. 419).
  • Tinkle DW, Conant R (1961). "The Rediscovery of the Water Snake, Natrix harteri, in Western Texas, with the Description of a New Subspecies". Southwestern Naturalist 6 (1): 33-44. (Natrix harteri paucimaculata, new subspecies)
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