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Natriciteres sylvatica (Southern forest marsh snake)
Suidelike woudvleislang [Afrikaans]
Life >
Eukaryotes
>
Opisthokonta >
Metazoa
(animals) > Bilateria > Deuterostomia >
Chordata >
Craniata > Vertebrata (vertebrates) > Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates) >
Teleostomi (teleost fish) > Osteichthyes (bony fish) > Class:
Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish) > Stegocephalia (terrestrial vertebrates) >
Tetrapoda
(four-legged vertebrates) > Reptiliomorpha > Amniota >
Reptilia (reptiles) >
Romeriida > Diapsida > Lepidosauromorpha > Lepidosauria >
Squamata > Serpentes
(snakes) > Family: Colubridae > Subfamily
Natricinae > Genus:
Natriciteres
Identification
The Southern forest marsh snake is identified by its olive
brown colouration with a dark vertebral stripe and its yellow lip scales. It
grows to an average length of 35 cm and a maximum length of 46 cm.
Distribution and habitat
The distribution of this snake is restricted to south east
corner of the Mozambique/ South Africa border and central Mozambique. Its
favoured habitat is evergreen forest.
Food
Eats small fish,
frogs and
fish-eating
spiders.
Predators, parasites and disease
Unknown
Reproduction
Oviparous (egg-laying), lays between 5 and 6 eggs in
summer.
Longevity
Likely to have an average lifespan of
10 years.
Medical importance
Non-venomous and not dangerous to man and not likely to
bite.
Links
References
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Broadley, D.G. 1983. FitzSimons' Snakes of Southern
Africa. Delta Books, Johannesburg.
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Marais, J. 2004. A Complete Guide to Snakes of
Southern Africa. Struik Publishing, Cape Town.
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