Narrow-headed garter snake

Narrow-headed garter snake
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Genus:	Thamnophis
Species:	T. rufipunctatus
Binomial name
Thamnophis rufipunctatus (Cope, 1875)[2]
Synonyms
Chilopoma rufipunctatum Cope, 1875 Atomarchus multimaculatus Cope, 1883 Eutaenia multimaculata – Cope, 1886 Thamnophis rufipunctatus – Stebbins, 1985 Nerodia rufipunctatus – Chiasson & Lowe, 1989 Thamnophis rufipunctatus – Rossman et al., 1996[3]

The narrow-headed garter snake, Thamnophis rufipunctatus, is a

Geographic range

It is found in Arizona and New Mexico, and in the Mexican states of Sonora, Chihuahua and Durango.^[3]

Habitat and behavior

It is found near

The snake is blue-grey to olive-grey, or greenish to brown, and it has brown, orange, or black spots on the back. The total length of adults is 81–112 cm (32–44 in) (about 81–112 cm). It has eight or 9 upper labial scales, one of which enters the eye, two or three preocular scales, two to four postoculars, and one anterior temporal scale. The keeled dorsal scales are arranged in 21 rows at midbody. Ventrals number 152–177; the anal plate is entire; the subcaudals number 65–87, and are divided.[4]

Diet

These snakes are piscivorous, meaning they primarily eat fish. Their diet includes dace, chubs, and both native and introduced trout. They might occasionally prey on salamanders.^[5]

Threatened species

The snake has declined in parts of its range, but the

• T. r. nigronuchalis Thompson, 1957
• T. r. rufipunctatus (Cope, 1875)
• T. r. unilabialis W. Tanner, 1985^[6]

However, T. r. nigronuchalis is now commonly held as a full species, i.e., Thamnophis nigronuchalis,^[7][8] whereas the status of T. r. unilabialis is more ambiguous; most recent molecular evidence suggests it is a full species as well (Thamnophis unilabialis).^[9]

References