Post by Ceratodromeus on Mar 21, 2016 0:49:57 GMT 5
Checkered garter snake - Thamnophis marcianus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phyum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Subfamily: Natricinae
Genus: Thamnophis
Species: T.marcianus
Subspecies
This is a readily distinguishable, beautifully colored species of Thamnophis. Adult animals are a olive green or light brown in color, with black checkerboard running down the back and both sides of the animal -- these markings give the animal its common name. a bold yellow or white stripe can be found running along the snake's back; approximately from the nape of the neck to the tip of the tail; a black collar marking can also be found at the nape of the neck, vertically dissected by the dorsal stripe. The eyes are large and amber brown in coloration; black markings can be found on the postocular and subocular scales. They are reportedly one of the heavier bodied garter snakes{1}, The size variation of this species as adults is pretty immense, with a range of 400-1068mm(15.7-42.8in) in total length{1,3}. Females are longer then males, but males have longer tales than the females do{2}.
Geographic range & habitat
This species can be found throughout the southeastern united states, from the extreme southern portion of California, to southern Kansas. Subspecies are also known from localities in Mexico. These animals are known to inhabit arid grassland areas, and are prevalent in Arizona; Regardless of this, the preferred habitat of these garter snakes is around the banks of bodies of water, which they will spend most of their time, and are rarely found very far from these. Unlike other animal species, T.marcianus is thought to have widely profited by man's irrigation of its natural habitat, and can be commonly found on irrigated land{3}. They are active throughout most months of the year, but in colder climates they hibernate around three to four months. They are active during both the night and day can be found foraging on the surface of the water most of the time{2}.
Dietary habits
Due to their aquatic tendencies, this species of garter snake is a prolific predator of fish, salamaders, frogs, and toads. An Arizona population showed a heavy preference for small bullfrogs, bullfrog tadpoles, and earthworms -- an assessment evidenced by these prey items being the only food contents in checkered garter snake stomachs. the juveniles of this Arizona population seemed to take predominately earthworms{2}Checkered garters have also been reported to eat small lizards and even other snakes.
In captivity, it is occasionally reported that these snakes will cannibalize cage mates, and therefore it is cautioned that more then one animal per enclosure is monitored closely. This aside, captive animals readily take earthworms and fish, which when offered live, they will quickly and efficiently seize, sometimes swallowing their prey alive. Some keepers ween their animals onto a more rodent oriented diet, as it is thought to reduce the risk of ectoparasitic transmission. This is accomplished via "scenting" -- a process of rubbing a pre-killed rodent(generally young mice) with earthworms or fish. This process may take some days for the snake in question to accept the rodents as food, but it is generally successful.
Behaviors & predators
The checkered garter is generally a placid animal in nature, but like all garter snakes it will defend itself viciously when grabbed by a person or predator. They will squirm erratically, bite, and/or musk over the animal that has grasped then in a bid to free itself. Not much data on the predators of these snakes is known, but it is likely hawks, other raptorial birds, large fish, adult bullfrogs, and other snakes(Specifically Micrurus or Masticophis when there's sympatry) prey upon various life stages of this species.
Reproduction
Size variation in this species is pretty significant, and the size at which they attain sexual maturity is no different; females in Arizona, for example, are figured to mature at a snout ventral length of approximately 515mm(20.2in), where as in Texas they attain sexual maturity at 345mm(13.5in) in snout-ventral length{4}. Males attain sexual maturity at shorter lengths then the females do. Interestingly, the time of reproduction and partiation(as these animals are viviparous) seems to vary significantly as well, with the Arizona population breeding and giving birth earlier then other Checkered garter populations{4}. A typical litter size is influenced by the size of the female, and the dietary intake prior to partuation -- for example, females with longer snout-ventral measurements, and those that fed more frequently, have been shown to give birth to larger broods, according to a study published in 1989{5}. The size of the offspring can also vary greatly, with observations of Arizona and Texas populations showing the former populations' young were as much as 56% heavier than those of the latter population(2.8g v 1.6g respectively){4}.
Due to their easy going temperament, and their hardy nature, the checkered garter is a very popular species to keep in captivity, and breeders have successfully bred out albino variants. The distinctive dorsal stripe found on normal variants is extremely pronounced against a white background, and the checkerboard markings are a light purple in these animals. As soon as they are adjusted to their environment, they readily eat small earthworms and appropriately sized fish.
References
{1} Perlowin, David. general care and maintenance of garter snakes & water snakes. Advanced Vivarium Systems, 1994.
{2}Seigel, Richard A., Neil B. Ford, and Laura A. Mahrt. "Ecology of an aquatic snake (Thamnophis marcianus) in a desert environment: Implications of early timing of birth and geographic variation in reproduction." The American Midland Naturalist 143.2 (2000): 453-462.
{3}Degenhardt, William G., Charles W. Painter, and Andrew H. Price. Amphibians and reptiles of New Mexico. UNM Press, 2005.
{4}Rossman, Douglas Athon. The garter snakes: evolution and ecology. University of Oklahoma Press, 1996.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phyum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Subfamily: Natricinae
Genus: Thamnophis
Species: T.marcianus
Subspecies
- T.m.marcianus
- T.m.bovallii
- T.m.praeocularis
This is a readily distinguishable, beautifully colored species of Thamnophis. Adult animals are a olive green or light brown in color, with black checkerboard running down the back and both sides of the animal -- these markings give the animal its common name. a bold yellow or white stripe can be found running along the snake's back; approximately from the nape of the neck to the tip of the tail; a black collar marking can also be found at the nape of the neck, vertically dissected by the dorsal stripe. The eyes are large and amber brown in coloration; black markings can be found on the postocular and subocular scales. They are reportedly one of the heavier bodied garter snakes{1}, The size variation of this species as adults is pretty immense, with a range of 400-1068mm(15.7-42.8in) in total length{1,3}. Females are longer then males, but males have longer tales than the females do{2}.
Geographic range & habitat
This species can be found throughout the southeastern united states, from the extreme southern portion of California, to southern Kansas. Subspecies are also known from localities in Mexico. These animals are known to inhabit arid grassland areas, and are prevalent in Arizona; Regardless of this, the preferred habitat of these garter snakes is around the banks of bodies of water, which they will spend most of their time, and are rarely found very far from these. Unlike other animal species, T.marcianus is thought to have widely profited by man's irrigation of its natural habitat, and can be commonly found on irrigated land{3}. They are active throughout most months of the year, but in colder climates they hibernate around three to four months. They are active during both the night and day can be found foraging on the surface of the water most of the time{2}.
Dietary habits
Due to their aquatic tendencies, this species of garter snake is a prolific predator of fish, salamaders, frogs, and toads. An Arizona population showed a heavy preference for small bullfrogs, bullfrog tadpoles, and earthworms -- an assessment evidenced by these prey items being the only food contents in checkered garter snake stomachs. the juveniles of this Arizona population seemed to take predominately earthworms{2}Checkered garters have also been reported to eat small lizards and even other snakes.
In captivity, it is occasionally reported that these snakes will cannibalize cage mates, and therefore it is cautioned that more then one animal per enclosure is monitored closely. This aside, captive animals readily take earthworms and fish, which when offered live, they will quickly and efficiently seize, sometimes swallowing their prey alive. Some keepers ween their animals onto a more rodent oriented diet, as it is thought to reduce the risk of ectoparasitic transmission. This is accomplished via "scenting" -- a process of rubbing a pre-killed rodent(generally young mice) with earthworms or fish. This process may take some days for the snake in question to accept the rodents as food, but it is generally successful.
Behaviors & predators
The checkered garter is generally a placid animal in nature, but like all garter snakes it will defend itself viciously when grabbed by a person or predator. They will squirm erratically, bite, and/or musk over the animal that has grasped then in a bid to free itself. Not much data on the predators of these snakes is known, but it is likely hawks, other raptorial birds, large fish, adult bullfrogs, and other snakes(Specifically Micrurus or Masticophis when there's sympatry) prey upon various life stages of this species.
Reproduction
Size variation in this species is pretty significant, and the size at which they attain sexual maturity is no different; females in Arizona, for example, are figured to mature at a snout ventral length of approximately 515mm(20.2in), where as in Texas they attain sexual maturity at 345mm(13.5in) in snout-ventral length{4}. Males attain sexual maturity at shorter lengths then the females do. Interestingly, the time of reproduction and partiation(as these animals are viviparous) seems to vary significantly as well, with the Arizona population breeding and giving birth earlier then other Checkered garter populations{4}. A typical litter size is influenced by the size of the female, and the dietary intake prior to partuation -- for example, females with longer snout-ventral measurements, and those that fed more frequently, have been shown to give birth to larger broods, according to a study published in 1989{5}. The size of the offspring can also vary greatly, with observations of Arizona and Texas populations showing the former populations' young were as much as 56% heavier than those of the latter population(2.8g v 1.6g respectively){4}.
Due to their easy going temperament, and their hardy nature, the checkered garter is a very popular species to keep in captivity, and breeders have successfully bred out albino variants. The distinctive dorsal stripe found on normal variants is extremely pronounced against a white background, and the checkerboard markings are a light purple in these animals. As soon as they are adjusted to their environment, they readily eat small earthworms and appropriately sized fish.
References
{1} Perlowin, David. general care and maintenance of garter snakes & water snakes. Advanced Vivarium Systems, 1994.
{2}Seigel, Richard A., Neil B. Ford, and Laura A. Mahrt. "Ecology of an aquatic snake (Thamnophis marcianus) in a desert environment: Implications of early timing of birth and geographic variation in reproduction." The American Midland Naturalist 143.2 (2000): 453-462.
{3}Degenhardt, William G., Charles W. Painter, and Andrew H. Price. Amphibians and reptiles of New Mexico. UNM Press, 2005.
{4}Rossman, Douglas Athon. The garter snakes: evolution and ecology. University of Oklahoma Press, 1996.