Black-neck garter snake
The Blackneck garter snake (Thamnophis cyrtopsis) is a species of garter snake native to North and Central America. It is nonvenomous and can be found in a wide range of different habitats, often near water sources.
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CrepuscularCrepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight (that is, the periods of dawn and dusk). This is distinguished from diurnal...
Di
DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
No
NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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OvoviviparousOvoviviparity, ovovivipary, ovivipary, or aplacental viviparity is a term used as a "bridging" form of reproduction between egg-laying oviparous an...
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Non-venomousSo
SolitaryHi
HibernatingHibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy charac...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThere are three recognized subspecies of the Blackneck garter snake which differ slightly in their appearance. The Western blackneck garter snake (Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis) may attain 107 cm (42 inches) in total length. It is colored dark olive with an orange-yellow stripe that is displayed on the middle of the body from the top; the underside is usually a cream or light shade of gray. The Eastern blackneck garter snake (Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus) is smaller than the Western blackneck garter snake, with an average total length of less than 51 cm (20 inches). It displays three light stripes on a dark-colored body with uniform orange and orange-yellow spreading throughout.
Blackneck garter snakes are found in southeastern and central Arizona, parts of the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Guatemala. They prefer to live near water in desert scrub, grasslands, chaparral, canyons, foothills or mountains, forests, and woodlands.
Blackneck garter snakes are active during the day and during twilight, and occasionally at night. Western blackneck garter snakes spend most of their time near rivers, swimming, and hunting their prey in the water. Eastern blackneck garter snakes are frequently found on dry land near a water source rather than in water. In general, Blackneck garter snakes are solitary and hibernate during cold months from late fall to winter.
Blackneck garter snakes are carnivores. They feed on small fish, amphibians, other snakes, and invertebrates, such as earthworms.
The breeding season of Blackneck garter snakes starts in late spring or summer. Females are ovoviviparous and give birth to up to 25 live young. The young are independent from the moment they were born and don’t require parental care.
Blackneck garter snakes are not threatened at present. In some areas of their native range, they suffer from habitat loss and may be collected for the pet trade.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Blackneck garter snake total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.