Eastern ribbon snake | |
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Photo of an eastern ribbon snake | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Colubridae |
Genus: | Thamnophis |
Species: | |
Subspecies: | T. s. saurita |
Trinomial name | |
Thamnophis saurita saurita |
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.
Some similar species are the western ribbon snake, common garter snake, plains garter snake, and Butler's garter snake. [2]
The other three subspecies are the northern (T. s. septentrionalis), southern (T. s. sackenii), and bluestripe (T. s. nitae) ribbon snakes.
The eastern ribbon snake gets its name from its very thin body. At maturity, it grows to between 18 and 86 centimetres (7.1 and 33.9 in) in length. [3] It is a slender, black snake with a yellow mid-back stripe and one on each side. A brown stripe of one or two rows of scales extends onto the sides of the belly. The rest of the belly is a greenish-white color. It also has two rows of black spots between the back and side stripes. It also has a long tail that is about one-third of the length of its body. The labial scales around the mouth of the snake are unmarked and uniformly bright yellow or white. A white or light yellow bar borders the front of the eyes. [4] Juveniles are colored like adults. [5] Some aspects of the eastern ribbon snake make it different from a close relative, the common garter snake. The eastern ribbon snake has a much thinner body than a common garter snake, its tail makes up about one-third of its body length, it has stripes on the third and fourth scale rows and it has pure white lips, and a mark of white color in front of its eyes. It is not venomous.
The common ribbon snake is typically found in the southeastern United States, usually in wetlands and near the edges of ponds and streams. [6] They are found both in and out of water; they are adapted to both environments. When they are frightened, they take to the water or bushes. They do not dive like water snakes; they glide across the surface of the water instead.[ citation needed ]
The ribbon snake generally eats small fish, tadpoles, salamanders, small frogs and toads, and occasionally insects. In some cases, the female has been observed eating her young. The typical time for snakes to hunt is in the morning or early evening. Once the snake has spotted its prey, it will quickly slither to catch its prey and swallow it whole. [7] [ failed verification ]
Reproduction in eastern ribbon snakes takes place after they emerge from hibernation in the spring, in April or May. Mating occasionally takes place in the fall, but the female will delay fertilization and development until the next spring. The average gestation period is three months. The average number of young is around 12 but can range four to 27. Females give birth in late summer or the early fall. After birth, no parental care is involved; the young are left to fend for themselves. Most young reach sexual maturity after two years, but most usually wait until the third year. [8]
Thamnophis saurita saurita stays active year around. However, in colder months, the snake may be forced to hibernate, typically in ant mounds, mole tunnels, crayfish burrows, muskrat lodges, and bank burrows. Ribbon snakes rarely bite when handled, but they do produce a foul musk from their anal glands when they feel threatened. [9]
The slender glass lizard is a legless lizard in the glass lizard subfamily (Anguinae). The species is endemic to the United States. Two subspecies are recognized. The lizard was originally believed to be a subspecies of the eastern glass lizard. Their name comes from their easily broken tail which they can break off themselves without ever being touched. It is difficult to find a specimen with an undamaged tail. The lizard eats a variety of insects and small animals, including smaller lizards. Snakes and other animals are known to prey on the species. Humans have a part in destroying their environment and killing their food supply with insecticides. The lizard is considered to be a least-concern species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), though it is vulnerable in Iowa and endangered in Wisconsin. It is important to note that the streamlined, legless species is often confused with snakes. Glass Lizards, however, differ from snakes as they possess a moveable eyelid, which is absent in snakes. Another way to distinguish glass lizards from snakes is the presence of an external ear opening, which are absent in snakes.
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 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 Mexico, Guatemala and south to the neotropics and Costa Rica.
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.
The queen snake is a species of nonvenomous semiaquatic snake, a member of the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to North America.
Thamnophis saurita septentrionalis, the northern ribbon snake, is a subspecies of garter snake. It is one of four subspecies of the ribbon snake and occurs in the United States and Canada in southern Maine, southern Ontario, Michigan, New York, Nova Scotia, northern Minnesota, Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana. It is listed as a state endangered species in Wisconsin. It is a slender black or brown snake with three bright-yellow or white stripes on its back and sides. The head is black, with the scales alongside the mouth being white. The underside is also white or light yellow, but it is mostly white on juveniles and adults. Adult ribbon snakes are 45–65 cm (18–26 in) in length.
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.
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.
Thamnophis proximus rubrilineatus, the redstripe ribbon snake, is a subspecies of the western ribbon snake, a garter snake endemic to the southern United States.
The plains garter snake 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.
Butler's garter snake is a species of garter snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to North America.
The aquatic garter snake is a species of colubrid snake. Three subspecies are currently recognized.
The southern ribbon snake(Thamnophis saurita sackenii), also known commonly as the peninsula ribbon snake and the Florida ribbon snake, is a subspecies of garter snake in the family Colubridae. It is one of four subspecies of the ribbon 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.
Thamnophis sirtalis semifasciatus, the Chicago garter snake, is a subspecies of the common garter snake native to the Chicago, United States, region. It was described by Edward Drinker Cope in 1892, and can be found in the vicinity of rural waterways in northeastern Illinois, such as Piscasaw Creek in Boone County and McHenry County, Illinois.
Wyoming is home to 12 amphibian species and 22 species of reptiles.
The bluestripe ribbon snake, which belongs in the same family as the garter snakes, is a subspecies of the ribbon snake that occurs along the Gulf Coast in Florida. Adults are thin and are black with a mid-dorsal stripe that is a lighter shade of black and two blue stripes, hence the name "bluestripe ribbon snake". They are semi-aquatic and are active during the day. They can be found by lakes, rivers, and slow-moving streams.
The blackbelly garter snake is a species of snake of the family Colubridae. It is found in Mexico.