Blackneck Garter Snake

Blackneck Garter Snake

Black-neck garter snake

Kingdom
Phylum
Subphylum
Class
Order
Suborder
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Thamnophis cyrtopsis
Population size
Unknown
Life Span
10-15 years
Length
51-107
20.1-42.1
cminch
cm inch 

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.

Cr

Crepuscular

Di

Diurnal

No

Nocturnal

Ca

Carnivore

Te

Terrestrial

Pr

Precocial

Pr

Predator

Ov

Ovoviviparous

No

Non-venomous

So

Solitary

Hi

Hibernating

No

Not a migrant

B

starts with

Appearance

There 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.

Distribution

Geography

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.

Climate zones

Habits and Lifestyle

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.

Seasonal behavior

Diet and Nutrition

Blackneck garter snakes are carnivores. They feed on small fish, amphibians, other snakes, and invertebrates, such as earthworms.

Mating Habits

REPRODUCTION SEASON
late spring/summer
BABY CARRYING
1-25 young
INDEPENDENT AGE
at birth
FEMALE NAME
female
MALE NAME
male
BABY NAME
snakelet

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.

Population

Population threats

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.

Population number

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.

References

1. Blackneck garter snake Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackneck_garter_snake
2. Blackneck garter snake on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/63975/3132338

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