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Mississippi Green Watersnake vs. Plain-bellied Watersnake

Both are plain, dark, heavy watersnakes of the southern tip, hard to tell apart from above. The belly settles it: the Plain-bellied's is plain red-orange or yellow, unmarked, and the colour shows on the lips; the Mississippi Green's is dark brown or grey with pale yellow half-moons, with a yellow chin. Up close, the Mississippi Green has a row of small scales between the eye and the upper lip, which the Plain-bellied lacks.

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Mississippi Green Watersnake

Nerodia cyclopion

Plain-bellied Watersnake

Nerodia erythrogaster
Mississippi Green Watersnake vs. Plain-bellied Watersnake: comparison sheet with the differences marked

Photographs via iNaturalist under Creative Commons licences; the photographers are credited on the sheet.

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