Checkered Garter Snake
(Thamnophis marcianus)
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Checkered Garter Snake (Thamnophis marcianus) |
Color Photograph: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Mexican Distribution Not Shown |
Thamnophis cyrtopsis Lateral stripe occupies both 2nd and 3rd scale rows. Spots on both, if present, small. Dorsal line usually stronger and yellower.
Thamnophis radix Lateral stripe on 3rd and 4th scale rows, not confined to the 3rd scale row. Pattern spotted, without the square blotches of the Checkered Garter Snake.
Thamnophis elegans Light lateral lines occupying 2nd and 3rd scale rows, not just the 3rd row. Spots between lateral and dorsal lines small, not large, square blotches.
Thamnophis eques Lateral light stripe on scales rows 3 and 4, not just on 3. Body without large, square black blotches. Checkered Garter Snake (Thamnophis marcianus) Identification: Snake 18 to 42 inches in length. Overall coloration pale brown. Dorsum with a thin white to yellow midline stripe stretching from the head to near the tip of the tail. Sides light with a contrasting pattern of large, square black blotches. Lateral stripe present, but confined to the third scale row. Neck with large, black blotches at the base of the neck. Top of head gray-green, yellow below, usually with black streaks under the eye. Underside usually white, but sometimes tinged with yellow, green, or gray. Dorsal scales keeled and anal plate single. Geographical Variation: None in the United States. Range (see map on left): The Checkered Garter Snake is a denizen of Mexico and the central United States. In the U.S. the species occupies central and western Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, reaching westward into eastern New Mexico, southwestern New Mexcio, and into southern Arizona. The species extends southward in Mexico to Zacatecas and Vera Cruz. Habitat: This species is found primarily in lowland aquatic habitats in dry and semi-arid regions such as short-grass prairie. These areas include rivers, streams, ponds, springs, and irrigation canals. Food: Small fish, frogs, lizards, and a variety of invertebrates. Behavior: The Checkered Garter Snake is diurnal in the northern parts of its range, but can turn nocturnal in hot climates. Reproduction: Offspring are born alive between June and August.
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Similar Species: Black-necked Garter Snake (Thamnophis cyrtopsis) Plains Garter Snake (Thamnophis radix)
Mexican Garter Snake (Thamnophis eques) |
Similar Species |
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