Common keelback
A species of Eastern keelbacks, Also known as Freshwater snake Scientific name : Tropidonophis mairii Genus : Eastern keelbacks
Common keelback, A species of Eastern keelbacks
Also known as:
Freshwater snake
Scientific name: Tropidonophis mairii
Genus: Eastern keelbacks
Content
Description General Info
Description
Tropidonophis mairii, commonly known as the common keelback, Mair's keelback, the keelback, or the freshwater snake, is a species of nonvenomous snake found throughout Northern Australia.
General Info
Lifespan
6-10 years
Diet
Common keelback is predominantly carnivorous. Its diet primarily comprises of small rodents, lizards, frogs, and birds. Known for its opportunistic feeding behavior, common keelback also consumes invertebrates like insects and spiders when available.
Appearance
Common keelback is a medium-sized, semi-aquatic snake with a slender, elongated body covered in smooth, non-venomous scales. Adult specimens typically exhibit a mottled pattern of dark brown to olive green on their dorsal side, with a paler, cream-colored ventral side. The species is sexually monomorphic, meaning males and females appear the same. Juvenile common keelback tend to have more contrasting patterns, which become less defined as they mature. A distinct feature of this species is its short, blunt tail.
Behavior
Common keelback is a averagely non-venomous, nocturnal creature known for its unique foraging traits. It hunts primarily near water bodies, relishing a diet of frogs and small mammals. Solitary by nature, it exhibits aggressive defensive behavior when threatened, quickly retracting its head coils to strike. However, its survival strategy is primarily evasion, quickly sliding away into the water or dense undergrowth at the onset of danger.
Population
Stable
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Reptiles Order
Lizards and snakes Family
Natricinae Genus
Eastern keelbacks Species
Common keelback 
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