Hydrops martii

Hydrops martii, also known as the Amazon water snake, is a snake belonging to the colubrid family.

Hydrops martii
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Genus:	Hydrops
Species:	H. martii
Binomial name
Hydrops martii (Wagler, 1824)

Taxonomy

The type species, Elaps martii, named after German botanist Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius (1794-1868), was first described by Johann Georg Wagler in 1824.^[2][3] The type genus was changed to Hydrops by Wagler in 1930.^[4]

Range and habitat

Hydrops martii is found in Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Venezuela.^[3] In Brazil, this species has been found in the Amazonas,^[5][6] Amapá,^[7] Maranhāo,^[6] Pará,^[5][6] and Roraima states.^[6] H. martii has also been recorded in the Loreto and Ucayali departments of Peru and has only been documented in the Guainía department of Colombia.^[5]

This species spends the majority of its time in small streams, but it is believed that they may come onto land for foraging.^[8]

Biology

Males of this species are reported to be smaller than females.^[9] They are oviparous and clutch size ranges from 7 to 23 eggs.^[10] The breeding season of this species is not well known, but pregnant females have been found by researchers in March, July, September, and October.^[10]

Diet

Hydrops martii has only been reported to eat fish and is therefore is thought to be a fish specialist.^[8][11][12] Stomach contents of H. martii most commonly contained fish belonging to the orders Gymnotiformes, Synbranchiformes, and Siluriformes.^[10] Confirmed fish species include Callichthys callichthys (cascarudo), Pimelodella cristata (commonly referred to as a bagre in Brazil),^[13] Hoplias malabaricus (wolf fish), and Erythrinus erythrinus (red wolf fish).^[12] The family Synbranchidae, consisting of swamp eels, has also been found in their diet.^[11]

Foraging is normally done during the evening and night, following the activity of their prey.^{[11][12][14][15]}

Predation

H. martii has been found in the stomach of Serrasalmus rhombeus (redeye piranha)^[16] and has also been reported to be eaten by Micrurus lemniscatus (South American coral snake),^[17] caiman,^[18] and aquatic fishes and snakes.^[10] Defensive behavior has not yet been reported in this species.^{[citation needed]}