[2] It is found on the Central Mexican Plateau at elevations between 1,158 and 2,545 m above sea level.

[3] The dorsal color of these snakes may be brown, olive green, gray, red, orange, or pink.

[6] These snakes feed exclusively under water and they are the only known Thamnophis to prey on soft-bodied crayfish.

They have a highly variable diet that also includes fish, frogs, tadpoles, leeches, and earthworms.

Good underwater vision and chemical cues help the snakes find and capture their prey.