Binomial name: Cerberus rynchops
Common name: Dog-faced Water-Snake
Scientific classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Cerberus |
| Species: | C. rynchops |
Type: HARMLESS
Distinguishing Features: Medium sized; thick-bodied; scales keeled and dull; head wider than neck; eyes small; back pattern unclear and checkered belly is distinct.
Average Length: 60 cm; At Birth: 15 cm; Maximum: 1.25 m (female).
Description: This Water-Snake is heavy-bodied, with their eyes and nostrils set high on the head. Their overall colour is slate-grey, but sometimes with indistinct uneven black cross bars. Their abdomen has distinctive black and white checks. Their scales are dull and heavily keeled. There are in all 6 other species of rear-fanged swamp snakes in
Distribution: They are found in near Coastal India including the Andaman and Nicobars.
Habitat: Dog faced water-snakes hang about in muddy and rocky areas in estuaries such as mangrove swamps, salt pans and creeks. Though they prefer brackish water, this water-snake is also found several miles from the coast in fish traps set in rice fields.
Habits: They seem to be nocturnal but mating and feeding activity is also found during the day. They just peep out exposing only their heads from the holes where they live. They have a long sensitive tongue which is extended out as they swim along the bottom. This species of water-snakes are excellent swimmer, when scared they snap to a leaping and escape to the land.
Young: Around 6 to 30 living young are born between February and May.
Food: Being water-snake, they mainly feed on several species of fishes, which includes spiny ones like Tilapia and cat fish. They also eat frogs.
Status: Though this species is unexploited, the loss of coastal habitat and pollution of brackish water badly depletes their number. Once considered a rare snake, actually it is one of the most plentiful in
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