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)