Plains garter snake

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Plains garter snake
Plains gartersnake.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Thamnophis
Species:
T. radix
Binomial name
Thamnophis radix
(Baird & Girard, 1853)
Synonyms
  • Eutainia radix
    Baird & Girard, 1853
  • Tropidonotus sirtalis var. radix
    — Jan, 1865
  • Tropidonotus ordinatus var. radix
    — Boulenger, 1893
  • Eutaenia radix
    — Cope, 1900
  • Thamnophis radix
    — Stejneger & Barbour, 1917

The plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix) is a species of garter snake native to most of the central United States as far north as Canada and as far south as Texas. It has a distinctive orange or yellow stripe from its head to tail, and the rest of its body is mainly a gray-green color. The snake is commonly found living near water sources such as streams and ponds, but can also be found in urban areas and vacant lots. Although the IUCN lists the species as "Least Concern", some states have given it their own special status. This species is mildly venomous, although the venom is not toxic to humans. [1]

Contents

Description

Physical

Thamnophis radix Poledancer.jpg
Thamnophis radix

The plains garter snake has either an orange or yellow stripe down its back and distinctive black bars on its lip. [2] The stripe normally starts at the head and continues all the way to the tail tip. [3] [4] Lateral stripes are located on the third and fourth scale rows and are normally a greenish-yellow color. [3] [4] Its belly is gray-green with small dark spots along the edges. [4] Most have distinctive light yellow spots on the top of the head. [3] [4] The snake is described as medium-sized and is on average around 3 ft (0.91 m). [3]

Behavior

Described as "one of the most cold-tolerant snakes", on warmer winter days, it often comes out of hibernation to bask in the sun. [4] It is most active between April and late October depending on location. [5] Mating normally takes place in April or May and birth takes place between August and October. [4] Courtship usually occurs near the communal hibernation site, and polygynous mating systems have been observed. [5] The snake's typical diet consists of earthworms, slugs, and small amphibians, [4] [6] including the larvae of salamanders. [5] It has also been observed eating small mammals and birds, such as bank swallows and eastern meadowlarks. [6]

Habitat

The plains garter snake is commonly found in meadows and prairies adjacent to water sources, such as marshes, streams, and ponds. [5] In built-up areas of the Chicago area, it has been observed in abandoned buildings, trash heaps, and vacant lots. [5] Populations in urban and suburban areas have been greatly reduced due to building activities and pesticide use. [7] Its habitat range overlaps with that of the common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) in many areas, and it is thought the two species may hybridize. [5] [7]

Geographic range

The snake ranges across a broad area of North America from as far north as central Alberta to as far south as Northern Texas and New Mexico. In the United States, it is also found in Iowa, eastern Wyoming, northern Kentucky, eastern Colorado, Minnesota, southern Wisconsin, Illinois, northwestern Indiana, Oklahoma, Nebraska and the northern half of Missouri. A small population is also in Ohio. [5] [8] In Canada, the species is also found in Manitoba. [8] It can be found at elevations from 400 to 7,500 feet, but prefers to stay under 6,000 feet. [8]

Subspecies

Formerly, two subspecies of the plains garter snake were widely recognized, but most authorities have since dropped recognition of them. The first, T. r. radix, was commonly referred to as the eastern plains garter snake, while T. r. haydeni (Kennicott, 1860) was commonly referred to as the western plains garter snake. However, the distinction between the two of them is weak, partly based on the number of scales and partly on slight coloration differences, with T. r. haydeni said to have cleaner markings and more ventral and neck scales. As the two subspecies share the same habitat in many regions of the United States, further complicated by their strikingly similar appearance, many authorities now do not recognize them.

The subspecific name haydeni was in honor of American geologist Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden. [9]

Conservation

The plains garter snake is listed as Least Concern (IUCN 3.1) by the IUCN Red List due to the snake's ability to modify its habitat, its wide distribution and its presumed large population. [8] However, the species is considered to be endangered in Ohio and it is on a state list of endangered species. [5] [10] In Wisconsin, it is a species of special concern. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garter snake</span> Common name for North American snakes of the genus Thamnophis

Garter snake is the common name for small to medium-sized snakes belonging to the genus Thamnophis in the family Colubridae. Native to North and Central America, species in the genus Thamnophis can be found in all of the lower 48 United States, and nearly all of the Canadian provinces south of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut—with the exception of Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. They are found from the subarctic plains of west-central Canada east through Ontario and Quebec; from the Maritime Provinces and south to Florida, across the southern and central U.S. into the arid regions of the southwest and México, Guatemala and south to the neotropics and Costa Rica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common garter snake</span> Species of snake

The common garter snake is a species of snake in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The species is indigenous to North America and found widely across the continent. There are several recognized subspecies. Most common garter snakes have a pattern of yellow stripes on a black, brown or green background, and their average total length is about 55 cm (22 in), with a maximum total length of about 137 cm (54 in). The average body mass is 150 g (5.3 oz). The common garter snake is the state reptile of Massachusetts.

<i>Thamnophis saurita</i> Species of snake

Thamnophis saurita, also known as the eastern ribbon snake, common ribbon snake, or simply ribbon snake, is a common species of garter snake native to Eastern North America. It is a non-venomous species of snake in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The ribbon snake averages 16 to 35 inches in total length. It is dark brown with bright yellow stripes. The ribbon snake is not sexually dimorphic; however, females are normally thicker than their male counterparts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas garter snake</span> Subspecies of snake

The Texas garter snake is a subspecies of the common garter snake. The subspecies, which belongs to the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae, is native to the western United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Plains toad</span> Species of amphibian

The Great Plains toad is a relatively large species of true toad native to central North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Checkered garter snake</span> Species of snake

The checkered garter snake is a species of garter snake in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giant garter snake</span> Species of snake

The giant garter snake is the largest species of garter snake. Relatively rare, it is a semi-aquatic snake with a limited distribution in the wetlands of central California.

<i>Thamnophis saurita saurita</i> Subspecies of snake

Thamnophis saurita saurita, the eastern ribbon snake or common ribbon snake, is one of four subspecies of the ribbon snake found in the southeastern United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Butler's garter snake</span> Species of snake

Butler's garter snake is a species of garter snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Two-striped garter snake</span> Species of snake

The two-striped garter snake is a species of aquatic garter snake, which is endemic to western North America.

The narrow-headed garter snake, Thamnophis rufipunctatus, is a species of garter snake, endemic to the southwestern United States and adjacent northwestern Mexico. Its common names also include narrowhead garter snake and narrowhead watersnake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackneck garter snake</span> Species of snake

Thamnophis cyrtopsis, the blackneck garter snake, is a species of garter snake of the genus Thamnophis. It is native to the southwestern United States, Mexico and Guatemala, and can be found in a wide range of different habitats, often near water sources.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackbelly garter snake</span> Species of snake

The blackbelly garter snake is a species of snake of the family Colubridae. It is found in Mexico.

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References

  1. ↑ Plains Garter Snake. (Arkive.org). Retrieved March 25, 2017, http://www.arkive.org/plains-gartersnake/thamnophis-radix/image-G143060.html Archived 2017-03-26 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ↑ Conant, Roger; Robert C. Stebbins; Joseph T. Collins (1999). Roger Tory Peterson (ed.). Peterson First Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN   978-0-395-97195-6.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Breckenridge, John (1944). Reptiles and Amphibians of Minnesota. University of Minnesota Press. ISBN   0-8166-0573-4.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Thamnophis radix – Plains Gartersnake". Illinois Natural History Survey. University of Illinois. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Rossman, Douglas; Neil Ford; Richard Seigel (1996). The garter snakes: evolution and ecology. University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 235–241url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n2rW7E8_uJoC&pg=PA235&dq=Thamnophis+radix&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&as_brr=3&client=firefox–a&cd=5#v=onepage&q=Thamnophis%20radix&f=false. ISBN   0-8061-2820-8.
  6. 1 2 Dewey, Tanya. "Thamnophis radix (plains garter snake)". University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. University of Michigan. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  7. 1 2 Degenhardt, William; Charles Painter; Andrew Price (2005). Amphibians and Reptiles of New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press. pp. 324–325. ISBN   0-8263-3811-9.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Hammerson, G.A. (2007). "Thamnophis radix ". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  9. ↑ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN   978-1-4214-0135-5. (Thamnophis radix haydeni, p. 118).
  10. ↑ "Ohio's Endangered Species". Ohio DNR. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  11. ↑ "Plains Gartersnake (Thamnophis radix) Endangered Resources Program Species Information". Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original on 9 June 2011. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
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