Venom Status:

Non Venomous

Characteristics:

This is a 100% aquatic species. The wart snake (so called for its tubercular scales) is also known as the elephant trunk snake.It has a wide flat head with small roughened, granular scales on the crown. Females are the larger gender and may attain a length of ~7 feet. The dorsum is olive-brown to olive gray with poorly defined darker markings. The venter is light gray to yellow and lacks enlarged scales. The prehensile tail is proportionately short. Pupil round.

Unique Features:

The only snake in the USA with raised, sandpapery, wart-like body scales. This introduced aquatic Asian species may now be extirpated from its small range in the USA.

Habitat and Diet:

As currently known, only small to medium ponds of quiet water. They primarily feed on fish and other aquatic mammals but sometimes they will feed on frogs as well.

Geographic Range:

FL