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Checkered garter snake
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Thamnophis
Species:
T. marcianus
Binomial name
Thamnophis marcianus
(Baird & Girard, 1853)
Synonyms[2]
  • Eutainia marciana
    Baird & Girard, 1853
  • Eutaenia marciana
    Bocourt, 1893
  • Thamnophis marcianus
    Ruthven, 1907

The checkered garter snake (Thamnophis marcianus) is a species of garter snake in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central America.

Etymology

The specific epithet marcianus is in honor of American Brigadier General Randolph B. Marcy, who led surveying expeditions to the frontier areas in the mid-19th century.[3]

Description

The checkered garter snake is typically greenish in color, with a distinct, black checkerboard pattern down its back. It is capable of growing to a total length (including tail) of 42 inches (107 cm), but is usually 18 to 24 inches (46 to 61 cm).[4]

Habitat

The preferred habitats of T. marcianus are desert and grassland, usually close to water.[4]

Diet

The diet of T. marcianus includes small frogs, toads, small fish, and earthworms.[citation needed] If kept as a pet, it can be trained on live or freeze-thawed mice, but even so, it is a fussy eater and can suddenly start to refuse mice at any point.[citation needed]

Defensive behavior

T. marcianus will strike and bite if provoked. It will also release a foul-smelling liquid from its cloaca onto attackers.[citation needed]

Venom

T. marcianus were long thought to be nonvenomous, but recent discoveries have revealed that they do in fact produce a mild neurotoxic venom. T. marcianus cannot kill humans with the small amounts of venom they produce, which is comparatively mild, and they also lack an effective means of delivering it. They do have enlarged teeth in the back of their mouth, but their gums are significantly larger. The Duvernoy's gland of garters are posterior (to the rear) of the snake's eyes. The mild venom is spread into wounds through a chewing action.[citation needed]

Subspecies

Three subspecies of T. marcianus are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.[2]

Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Thamnophis.

Albino checkered garter snake

In captivity

The checkered garter snake is one of the easiest garter snakes to tame. Even a wild-caught one can become tame in a few days if handled carefully.[citation needed] The checkered garter snake is frequently available in the exotic pet trade, and makes a hardy captive animal.[citation needed] It can be trained to accept mice or fish fillets as food.[citation needed] Captive breeding, while not common, is done, and albino variants are being produced.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ Chaves, G.; Lamar, W.; Porras, L.W.; Solórzano, A.; Sunyer, J.; Hammerson, G.A. (2013). "Thamnophis marcianus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T198521A2529116. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T198521A2529116.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Thamnophis marcianus". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  3. ^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Thamnophis marcianus, p. 168).
  4. ^ a b Powell R, Conant R, Collins JT (2016). Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 494 pp., 47 color plates, 207 figures. ISBN 978-0-544-12997-9. (Thamnophis marcianus, p. 428 + Plate 42).

Further reading