Blackneck Garter Snake (Thamnophis cyrtopsis)

Blackneck Garter Snake (Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus)
Photograph by LA Dawson. Some rights reserved. (view image details)

BLACKNECK GARTER SNAKE FACTS

Description
The Blackneck Garter Snake is dark olive brown or olive gray with a yellow or orange stripe on the back and whitish stripes on sides. The side stripe is confined to the second and third rows of scale. Some snakes have a dark checkered pattern on the back between the stripes. The top of the head is black and it has large black blotches on the neck. The body is fairly slender with keeled scales.

Size
length to 110cm

Environment
semi-aquatic, found around and in streams, canals, ponds. Found in desert, mixed conifer forest, also more tropical forest habitats in Mexico.

Food
etas amphibians, mainly frogs, salamanders and tadpoles. Also eats some fish, worms, crustaceans.

Breeding
Live bearer. Female gives birth to six to eighteen young in summer.

Range
Found in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Utah in the United States. Also found in much of Mexico, and into Guatemala.

Notes
Garter Snakes have toxins in their saliva and the bite can produce mild reaction in humans. They are not dangerous to humans, but they sometimes excrete a foul smelling musk when handled. The Blackneck Garter Snake is available in the pet trade and does well in captivity.

Classification

Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata (Serpentes)
Family:	Colubridae
Genus:	Thamnophis
Species:	cyrtopsis
Common Name:	Blackneck Garter Snake

Relatives in same Genus
  Butler's Garter Snake (T. butleri)
  Western Terrestrial Garter Snake (T. elegans)
  Coast Garter Snake (T. elegans terrestris)
  Two-Striped Garter Snake (T. hammondii)
  Checkered Garter Snake (T. marcianus marcianus)
  Redstripe Ribbon Snake (T. proximus rubrilineatus)
  Eastern Ribbon Snake (T. sauritus sauritus)
  Northern Ribbon Snake (T. sauritus septentrionalis)
  Texas Garter Snake (T. sirtalis annectens)
  California Red-Sided Garter Snake (T. sirtalis infernalis)
  Common Garter Snake (T. sirtalis sirtalis)

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