Blackneck garter snake
Blackneck garter snake | |
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Eastern black-necked garter snake (Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Colubridae |
Genus: | Thamnophis |
Species: | T. cyrtopsis
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Binomial name | |
Thamnophis cyrtopsis (Kennicott, 1860)
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- Common names: blackneck garter snake, black-neck garter snake
Thamnophis cyrtopsis, the blackneck garter snake, is a
Description
There are three recognized subspecies of the blackneck garter snake, two of which, Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis and Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus, are described below.
Western blackneck garter snake
Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis (Kennicott, 1860)
The western blackneck garter snake may attain 107 cm (42 inches) in total length. The snake is colored dark olive with an orange-yellow stripe that is displayed on the middle of the body from the top while the
Eastern blackneck garter snake
Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus (Cope, 1880)
The eastern[clarification needed] blackneck garter snake is smaller than the western blackneck garter snake, with an average total length of less than 51 cm (20 inches). It is frequently found on dry land near a water source rather than in water. It displays three light stripes on a dark-colored body with uniform orange and orange-yellow spreading throughout.[5]
Geographic range
The blackneck garter snake can be found in southeastern and central Arizona, parts of the southwestern United States, Mexico and Guatemala.[1][6]
Habitat
Found near water in desertscrub, grasslands, chaparral, woodland environments.[6]
Behavior
It is active during the day and during twilight activities, and occasionally at night, hibernating from late fall to winter and mating in late spring or summer.[6]
Feeding
Hunts in rivers for small fish, amphibians, other snakes, and invertebrates, such as earthworms.
References
- ^ . Retrieved 13 January 2018.
- ^ "Blackneck Garter Snake". Colorado State University. Archived from the original on 2009-09-12. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
- ^ "Black-necked Garter Snake". Nearartica.com. Archived from the original on 2009-05-13. Retrieved 2009-06-06.
- ^ "Western Black Garter Snake ⋆ SnakeEstate".
- ^ "Black-necked Garter Snake ⋆ SnakeEstate".
- ^ a b c "BLACK-NECKED GARTERSNAKE Thamnophis cyrtopsis". Thomas C. Brennan. Retrieved 2011-08-05.