Colubridae

Synonyms

Garter Snake

Garter Snakes

King Snake

King Snakes

Lampropeltis

Mocassin, Water

Mocassins, Water

Moccasin, Water

Moccasins, Water

Natrix

Snake, Garter

Snake, King

Snake, Water

Snakes, Garter

Snakes, King

Snakes, Water

Thamnophis

Water Mocassin

Water Mocassins

Water Moccasin

Water Moccasins

Water Snake

Water Snakes

The largest family of snakes, comprising five subfamilies: Colubrinae, Natricinae, Homalopsinae, Lycodontinae, and Xenodontinae. They show a great diversity of eating habits, some eating almost anything, others having a specialized diet. They can be oviparous, ovoviviparous, or viviparous. The majority of North American snakes are colubrines. Among the colubrids are king snakes, water moccasins, water snakes, and garter snakes. Some genera are poisonous. (Goin, Goin, and Zug, Introduction to Herpetology, 3d ed, pp321-29)