''Pseudoferania'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of snake in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Homalopsidae The Homalopsidae are a family of snakes which contains about 30 genus, genera and more than 50 species. They are commonly known as Indo-Australian water snakes, mudsnakes, or bockadams. They are also known as (lit. "water snake") in Indonesian. ...

. The genus is

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unisp ...

, containing the sole

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

''Pseudoferania polylepis'' (MacLeay's water snake). The snake is found in Australia and New Guinea.

Description

MacLeay's water snake is a largely nocturnal species that is typically found in coastal

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...

. The water snakes spend most of their time in or near water where they feed; they will only leave to bask in the sun or breed. They are found mostly in freshwater lagoons, swamps and creeks and can also be found sheltering in vegetation near water. Their range increases markedly during wet season flooding. Their most defining characteristic is their stout bodies and strongly keeled scales. In terms of breeding, water snakes are viviparous which means that they give birth to up to 15 live offspring instead of laying eggs. They are a mildly venomous species with rear-facing fangs.

References

Colubrids Monotypic snake genera Reptiles described in 1886 Snakes of Australia Snakes of New Guinea {{colubrid-stub