Acrochordidae – File snakes

A fascinating group of non-venomous aquatic snakes found mostly in the tropical waters of Southeast Asia and parts of Australia. One of the most striking features of these snakes is their skin, which is loose, baggy, and covered with small, rough scales that feel like sandpaper. This texture, which gives the family its name, helps them in a couple of ways. First, it provides excellent camouflage among the muddy riverbeds and murky waters where they reside. Second, the rough texture helps them hold onto slippery prey like fish. The skin is often a dull gray or brown, blending seamlessly with their aquatic environments.

File snakes are entirely aquatic and are rarely seen on land. They are excellent swimmers and spend most of their lives in water, including rivers, lakes, and mangrove swamps. Their bodies are adapted to this lifestyle, with flattened tails that aid in swimming and nostrils positioned on top of their snouts, allowing them to breathe while mostly submerged.

Diet-wise, file snakes primarily eat fish. They have an interesting method of catching their prey; they coil their bodies into a tight loop and use it as a trap to snag passing fish. Once caught, the fish are held by the snake’s rough scales, making escape difficult. This feeding strategy is quite effective in the murky waters they inhabit.

File snakes are known for their sluggish nature. They are not aggressive and tend to be slow movers, both in and out of water. This sluggishness extends to their reproductive rate as well; file snakes have one of the lowest reproductive rates among snakes, which, coupled with habitat loss, makes them vulnerable in the wild.