Xenodermidae
Smith's Rough Water Snake
HarmlessFimbrios smithi
The Smith's Rough Water Snake (Fimbrios smithi) is a non-venomous snake in the Xenodermidae family, recorded in 2 countries.
- Family
- Xenodermidae
About the Smith's Rough Water Snake
The Smith's Rough Water Snake belongs to the Xenodermidae family, odd-scaled snakes. Forest snakes with strange, knob-like scales.
Odd-scaled snakes are secretive, harmless snakes of damp forests, named for the unusual raised or granular scales that give the skin a rough, beaded look. They are poorly known and rarely seen.
Its genus, Fimbrios, covers bearded snakes. Small, secretive forest-floor snakes of mainland Southeast Asia, named for the fringe of enlarged scales along the lip.
The Smith's Rough Water Snake is non-venomous and harmless to people. Like most snakes it is a quiet predator that helps keep rodents and other small prey in check.
It has been recorded in Viet Nam and Lao People’s Democratic Republic.
Field-guide summary compiled from taxonomy and verified occurrence records. Detailed natural-history notes for this species are still being added.
Frequently asked: Smith's Rough Water Snake
- Is the Smith's Rough Water Snake venomous?
- No. The Smith's Rough Water Snake (Fimbrios smithi) is non-venomous and is not considered dangerous to humans. Like most snakes, it will retreat rather than bite when given the chance.
- Is the Smith's Rough Water Snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Smith's Rough Water Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Smith's Rough Water Snake dangerous?
- The Smith's Rough Water Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- Where does the Smith's Rough Water Snake live?
- The Smith's Rough Water Snake has verified records in 2 countries, including Viet Nam, Lao People’s Democratic Republic. See the distribution section below for its full range.
Where it is found
More Xenodermidae snakes
Bearded SnakeFimbrios klossi
Boulenger's Odd-scaled SnakeAchalinus rufescens
Javan Tubercle SnakeXenodermus javanicus
Black Odd-scaled SnakeAchalinus niger
Huang's odd-scaled snakeAchalinus huangjietangi
Peters' Odd-scaled SnakeAchalinus spinalis
Formosa Odd-scaled SnakeAchalinus formosanus
Achalinus ningshanensisAchalinus ningshanensis
Classification
How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.
- OrderThe broad group of scaled reptiles: all snakes and lizards
- Squamata
- FamilyA group of related snakes that share key traits
- Xenodermidae
- GenusA close-knit group of very similar species
- Fimbrios
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Fimbrios smithi
Keep learning
- What to Do If You Find a SnakeFound a snake at home or on a trail? Here is how to stay calm, give it space, identify it safely, and know when to call a professional.
- Venomous vs Nonvenomous: How to Tell the DifferenceThe folk rules for telling venomous snakes apart, where each one fails, and why location-based identification beats guessing by sight.
- What Is a Snake? Anatomy and the BasicsA clear overview of what makes a snake a snake: limbless body plan, anatomy, evolution from lizards, species diversity, and why they are ectothermic.
- How to Keep Snakes Out of Your Yard and HomeA practical guide to keeping snakes out of your yard and home using habitat changes that work, plus what to skip and what to do if one shows up.
Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.