Blotched watersnake

The belly of this snake is cream to yellow, usually with dark tinting along the edge and sides of each belly scute. There is a divided anal plate and a double row of scales under the tail. The dorsal scales are strongly keeled. A fully grown female is larger than a fully grown male. The blotched watersnake has large, mid-dorsal, brown blotches alternating with small, squarish, brown blotches on the sides. Behind the head there are three or fewer dorsal blotches that line up and connect to the lateral squarish blotches, forming saddles. The ground color is tan to brown. The dorsal pattern may be obscured in older adults. (information from "A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Oklahoma")