Home > Snakes > False Water Cobra

False Water Cobra

False water cobras are large, rear-fanged species of snakes belonging to the colubrid family, found in South America. There are no recognized subspecies of this species. They derived their name from exhibiting the cobra hood when threatened and also they are not true species of cobra, hence the name false cobra. The species is fast moving and diurnal.

Scientific Classification
Quick Information

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Subphylum	Vertebrata
Class	Reptilia
Order	Squamata
Suborder	Serpentes
Family	Colubridae
Subfamily	Xenodontinae
Genus	Hydrodynastes
Scientific Name	Hydrodynastes gigas

Other Names	Brazilian Smooth Snake, False Cobra, South American Water Cobra
Length	Around 2m; some specimens may exceed 3m
Weight	Around 10lbs
Color	Olive green or brown background color with dark bands and spots turning more darker towards the tail; yellow or brown ventral scales with spotted dark streaks that form into three dotted lines which tend to combine towards the tail
Distribution	Eastern Bolivia, southern Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina
Habitat	Wet, humid areas, and marshlands in the tropical rainforests
Diet	Fish, amphibians, rodents, small mammals, birds, other reptiles
Hibernation Fact	Undergoes brumation
Predators	Juveniles fall prey to Amazon horned frogs and some birds of prey
Venom Fact	Venomous
Breeding Season	Spring
Mode of Reproduction	Oviparous (egg laying)
Clutch Size	8 to 16
Incubation Period	60 to 75 days
Reproductive Age	Males: 2 years of age Females: 4 to 5 years of age
Average Lifespan	15 or more years
IUCN Conservation Status	Not Listed