The dice snake (Natrix tessellata) is a Eurasian nonvenomous snake belonging to the family Colubridae, subfamily Natricinae. It is also called water snake.[3]
Illustration of dice snake (top) and grass snake (Natrix natrix) including undersideA dice snake in Umbria, Italy
Females are bigger than males. Their typical size is 1.0–1.3 m (39–51 in) long. Their 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.
Biology
Living mainly near rivers, streams and lakes, it frequently feeds on fish. Sometimes, it feeds also on amphibians such as frogs, toads, and tadpoles.
Classified as nonvenomous, N. tessellata produces a potent antihemorrhagin in its serum[4] and has been said to produce a neurotoxin through a gland in its mouth.[5] As a defence, it spreads a very bad-smelling secretion from its cloaca. Another defence mechanism is thanatosis, playing dead.
During the mating season (March–May), they congregate in large groups. Egg-laying is usually in July, and one clutch consists of 10–30 eggs. The young snakes hatch in early September.
N. tessellataDice snake observed along Caspian Sea in northern Iran
Dice snakes hibernate from October to April in dry holes near the water.
One of the most numerous populations lives in the vicinity of the ruins of Histria, in the Dobruja region, Romania. This population has been recently discovered to be threatened by a parasiticnematode of the genus Eustrongylides. Since 2005, the population from Histria has been receiving researchers' attention. For example, a joint Romanian–Swedish–Czech research program is focused on population biology studies and parasitic threats of this unique coastal population. An overview on Biology, Distribution and Conservation is given by Mebert (2011).[7]
References
^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.
^Boulenger, G.A. 1893. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History), Volume I. London. pp. 233-234
^Guicking, Daniela; Joger, Ulrich; Wink, Michael (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. doi:10.1016/j.ode.2009.03.001.
^Borkow, Gadi; Gutierrez, Jose Maria; Ovadia, Michael (1994-12-15). "A potent antihemorrhagin in the serum of the non-poisonous water snake Natrix tessellata: isolation, characterisation and mechanism of neutralisation". Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - General Subjects. 1201 (3): 482–490. doi:10.1016/0304-4165(94)90080-9. ISSN 0304-4165. PMID 7803481.
^Vlcek, Petr; Bartlomiej Najbar and Daniel Jablonski. (2010) First records of the Dice Snake (Natrix tessellata) from the North-Eastern part of the Czech Republic and Poland. 2010-04-14 at the Wayback MachineHerpetology Notes3:23-26
^Mebert, Konrad (ed.): The Dice Snake, Natrix tessellata: Biology, Distribution and Conservation of a Palaearctic Species. Mertensiella 18, 2011, pp. 1-456.
External links
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dice, snake, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, january, 2008,. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Dice snake news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message The dice snake Natrix tessellata is a Eurasian nonvenomous snake belonging to the family Colubridae subfamily Natricinae It is also called water snake 3 Dice snakeConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ReptiliaOrder SquamataSuborder SerpentesFamily ColubridaeGenus NatrixSpecies N tessellataBinomial nameNatrix tessellata Laurenti 1768 Distribution of the Natrix tessellataSynonymsCoronella tessellata Laurenti 1768Coluber tessellatus Bonnaterre 1790Tropidonotus tessellatus part Wagler 1830Natrix tessellata Bonaparte 1834Tropidonotus tessellatus Boulenger 1893 2 Natrix tessellata Contents 1 Brief description 2 Biology 3 Distribution 4 Research projects 5 References 6 External linksBrief description Edit Illustration of dice snake top and grass snake Natrix natrix including underside A dice snake in Umbria ItalyFemales are bigger than males Their typical size is 1 0 1 3 m 39 51 in long Their 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 Biology EditLiving mainly near rivers streams and lakes it frequently feeds on fish Sometimes it feeds also on amphibians such as frogs toads and tadpoles Classified as nonvenomous N tessellata produces a potent antihemorrhagin in its serum 4 and has been said to produce a neurotoxin through a gland in its mouth 5 As a defence it spreads a very bad smelling secretion from its cloaca Another defence mechanism is thanatosis playing dead During the mating season March May they congregate in large groups Egg laying is usually in July and one clutch consists of 10 30 eggs The young snakes hatch in early September N tessellata Dice snake observed along Caspian Sea in northern IranDice snakes hibernate from October to April in dry holes near the water Distribution EditThe dice snake is found throughout much of Eurasia Afghanistan Albania Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria China Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic France Georgia Germany Greece Hungary India Iran Iraq Israel Italy Jordan Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Lebanon Montenegro North Macedonia Pakistan Poland 6 Romania Russia Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Switzerland Syria Tajikistan Turkmenistan Turkey Ukraine Uzbekistan and Yemen The species is also present in Egypt Research projects EditOne of the most numerous populations lives in the vicinity of the ruins of Histria in the Dobruja region Romania This population has been recently discovered to be threatened by a parasitic nematode of the genus Eustrongylides Since 2005 the population from Histria has been receiving researchers attention For example a joint Romanian Swedish Czech research program is focused on population biology studies and parasitic threats of this unique coastal population An overview on Biology Distribution and Conservation is given by Mebert 2011 7 References Edit 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 Sa Sousa P Corti C Ajtic R Tuniyev S Orlov N L Ananjeva N B Cogălniceanu D Andren C Crnobrnja Isailovic J Aghasyan A Avci A Tuniyev B Lymberakis P Wilkinson J Uzum N Podloucky R Kaya U Vogrin M Perez 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 Boulenger G A 1893 Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum Natural History Volume I London pp 233 234 Guicking Daniela Joger Ulrich Wink Michael 2009 Cryptic diversity in a Eurasian water snake Natrix tessellata Serpentes Colubridae Evidence from mitochondrial sequence data and nuclear ISSR PCR fingerprinting Organisms Diversity amp Evolution 9 3 201 214 doi 10 1016 j ode 2009 03 001 Borkow Gadi Gutierrez Jose Maria Ovadia Michael 1994 12 15 A potent antihemorrhagin in the serum of the non poisonous water snake Natrix tessellata isolation characterisation and mechanism of neutralisation Biochimica et Biophysica Acta BBA General Subjects 1201 3 482 490 doi 10 1016 0304 4165 94 90080 9 ISSN 0304 4165 PMID 7803481 Discovery Channel UK www facebook com Retrieved 2018 03 17 Vlcek Petr Bartlomiej Najbar and Daniel Jablonski 2010 First records of the Dice Snake Natrix tessellata from the North Eastern part of the Czech Republic and Poland Archived 2010 04 14 at the Wayback Machine Herpetology Notes 3 23 26 Mebert Konrad ed The Dice Snake Natrix tessellata Biology Distribution and Conservation of a Palaearctic Species Mertensiella 18 2011 pp 1 456 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Natrix tessellata List of reptiles of Italy Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dice snake amp oldid 1170169337, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
