Siebold's water snake
# Siebold's water snake

Siebold's water snake (Ferania sieboldii), also known commonly as Siebold's mud snake and Siebold's smooth water snake, is a species of mildly venomous, rear-fanged snake in the family Homalopsidae. The species is endemic to Asia.

## Etymology

Both the specific name, sieboldii, and the common name, Siebold's water snake, are in honor of Philipp Franz von Siebold, a German botanist and physician.

## Geographic range

F. sieboldii is found in Bangladesh, northcentral India, and western Malaysia.

## Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of F. sieboldii is freshwater wetlands.

## Description

F. sieboldii has a dorsal pattern of large blotches similar to those of a python, but it is distinctive in having its nostrils on the top of the snout to aid its aquatic lifestyle. It also lacks labial pits.

It may attain a total length (including tail) of 89 cm (35 in). A female of that length had a tail which was 11 cm (4.3 in) long.

## Reproduction

F. sieboldii is viviparous.

