# Dice snake > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Dice_snake > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Dice_snake.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dice_snake > Source revision: 1327795572 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Species of snake}} {{speciesbox | image = Natrix tessellata capturing a Gobius fish - 20060710.jpg | image_caption = Eating a [goby](/source/goby) | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = {{cite iucn |author1=Mebert, K. |author2=Amr, Z.S.S. |author3=Al Johany, A.M.H. |author4=Aloufi, A.A.H. |author5=Jiang, J. |author6=Meyer, A. |author7=Sterijovski, B. |author8=Baha El Din, S. |author9=Pleguezuelos, J. |author10=Sá-Sousa, P. |author11=Corti, C. |author12=Ajtic, R. |author13=Tuniyev, S. |author14=Orlov, N.L. |author15=Ananjeva, N.B. |author16=Cogălniceanu, D. |author17=Andrén, C. |author18=Crnobrnja-Isailović, J. |author19=Aghasyan, A. |author20=Avci, A. |author21=Tuniyev, B. |author22=Lymberakis, P. |author23=Wilkinson, J. |author24=Üzüm, N. |author25=Podloucky, R. |author26=Kaya, U. |author27=Vogrin, M. |author28=Pérez Mellado, V. |author29=Cheylan, M. |author30=Nettmann, H.K. |author31=De Haan, C.C. |author32=Schmidt, B. |author33=Lau, M. |author34=Borkin, L. |author35=Milto, K. |author36=Golynsky, E. |author37=Belouskova, A. |author38=Rustamov, A |author39=Nuridjanov, D. |author40=Munkhbayar, K. |date=2021 |title=''Natrix tessellata'' |article-number=e.T157256A745071 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T157256A745071.en |access-date=21 February 2022}} | genus = Natrix | species = tessellata | authority = ([Laurenti](/source/Josephus_Nicolaus_Laurenti), 1768) | synonyms = ''Coronella tessellata'' [Laurenti](/source/Josephus_Nicolaus_Laurenti), 1768
''Coluber tessellatus'' [Bonnaterre](/source/Pierre_Joseph_Bonnaterre), 1790
''Tropidonotus tessellatus'', ''part.'', [Wagler](/source/Johann_Georg_Wagler), 1830
''Natrix tessellata'' [Bonaparte](/source/Charles_Lucien_Bonaparte), 1834
''Tropidonotus tessellatus'' [Boulenger](/source/George_Albert_Boulenger), 1893Boulenger, G.A. 1893. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History), Volume I. London. pp. 233-234 | range_map = Natrix tessellata distribution map.svg | range_map_caption = Distribution of ''Natrix tessellata'' }} The '''dice snake''' ('''''Natrix tessellata''''') or '''water snake'''{{cite journal |last1=Guicking |first1=Daniela |last2=Joger |first2=Ulrich |last3=Wink |first3=Michael |title=Cryptic diversity in a Eurasian water snake (Natrix tessellata, Serpentes: Colubridae): Evidence from mitochondrial sequence data and nuclear ISSR-PCR fingerprinting |journal=Organisms Diversity & Evolution |date=25 August 2009 |volume=9 |issue=3 |pages=201–214 |doi=10.1016/j.ode.2009.03.001 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2009ODivE...9..201G }} is a Eurasian nonvenomous snake in the family [Colubridae](/source/Colubridae), subfamily [Natricinae](/source/Natricinae). Its average length is {{convert|1.0|-|1.3|m|in|abbr=on}}. Body 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. == Ecology == Living mainly near rivers, streams and lakes, it frequently feeds on fish. Sometimes, it feeds also on [amphibians](/source/amphibians) such as [frogs](/source/frogs), [toads](/source/toads), and [tadpoles](/source/tadpoles). In one instance, a dice snake was even observed trying to feed on an [olm](/source/olm) (''Proteus anguinus'') that had been flushed from a cave in [Bosnia and Herzegovina](/source/Bosnia_and_Herzegovina) following heavy rains.{{cite journal |last1=Lewarne |first1=Brian |last2=Allain |first2=Steven J. R. |date=2023 |title=Attempted predation of a cave olm ''Proteus anguinus'' by a dice water snake ''Natrix tessellata'', in Bosnia and Herzegovina |journal= Herpetological Bulletin |volume= 165 |pages=34–35 |doi=10.33256/hb165.3435 |url=https://www.thebhs.org/publications/the-herpetological-bulletin/issue-number-165-autumn-2023/3862-11-attempted-predation-of-a-cave-olm-i-proteus-anguinus-i-by-a-dice-water-snake-i-natrix-tessellata-i-in-bosnia-and-herzegovina|doi-access=free }} However, the snake was far too small to be able to consume the olm. While considered nonvenomous, ''N. tessellata'' produces a potent [antihemorrhagin](/source/Antihemorrhagic) in its serum.{{cite journal |last1=Borkow |first1=Gadi |last2=Gutierrez |first2=Jose Maria |last3=Ovadia |first3=Michael |title=A potent antihemorrhagin in the serum of the non-poisonous water snake Natrix tessellata: isolation, characterization and mechanism of neutralization |journal=Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - General Subjects |date=December 1994 |volume=1201 |issue=3 |pages=482–490 |doi=10.1016/0304-4165(94)90080-9 |pmid=7803481 |hdl=10669/29234 |hdl-access=free }} As a defence, it spreads a very bad-smelling secretion from its cloaca. Another defence mechanism is [thanatosis](/source/thanatosis), playing dead.{{cn|date=August 2024}} During the [mating](/source/mating) season (March–May), they congregate in large groups. [Egg](/source/Egg_(biology))-laying is usually in July, and one clutch consists of 10–30 eggs. The young snakes hatch in early September. Dice snakes hibernate from October to April in dry holes near the water.{{cn|date=August 2024}} {{Multiple image | image1 = Schlange frist Fisch.jpg | image2 = Pumpkinseed, Dubravice, Skradin, Chorvatsko imported from iNaturalist photo 167015144.jpg | total_width = 600 | align = center | caption1 = Eating a [European perch](/source/European_perch) | caption2 = Eating a young [pumpkinseed sunfish](/source/pumpkinseed_sunfish) }} == Distribution == The dice snake is found throughout much of central and eastern Eurasia, from Italy and Czechia in the west to Kyrgyzstan in the east, and from Ukraine in the north to Iran in the south. ==Conservation== The species is considered to be of [Least Concern](/source/Least_Concern) in its overall range, although local populations may be more sensitive. For example, it is considered [Critically Endangered](/source/Critically_Endangered) in the Czech Republic, mostly due to destruction of habitats and the introduction of invasive [American mink](/source/American_mink).{{cite journal |last1=Chmelař |first1=Jan |last2=Civiš |first2=Petr |last3=Fischer |first3=David |last4=Frynta |first4=Daniel |last5=Jeřábková |first5=Lenka |last6=Rudolfová |first6=Veronika |last7=Rehák |first7=Ivan |title=Protecting isolated reptile populations outside their main area of distribution: a predictive model of the Dice snake, Natrix tessellata, distribution in the Czech Republic |journal=Biodiversity Data Journal |date=28 December 2023 |volume=11 |article-number=e114790 |doi=10.3897/BDJ.11.e114790 |doi-access=free |pmid=38188184 |pmc=10767748 }} ==Gallery== File:Dürigen, 1897, T07.JPG|Illustration of dice snake (top) and grass snake (''[Natrix natrix](/source/Natrix_natrix)'') including underside File:Dicesnake umbriaitaly.jpg|In [Umbria](/source/Umbria), Italy ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== {{Commons category}} * [List of reptiles of Italy](/source/List_of_reptiles_of_Italy) {{Taxonbar|from=Q750237}} {{Authority control}} Category:Natrix Category:Reptiles of Europe Category:Reptiles of Azerbaijan Category:Snakes of China Category:Reptiles of Pakistan Category:Reptiles described in 1768 Category:Snakes of Jordan Category:Reptiles of Russia --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Dice snake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dice_snake) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dice_snake?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.