Blackbelly garter snake
| Blackbelly garter snake | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Thamnophis |
| Species: | T. melanogaster
|
| Binomial name | |
| Thamnophis melanogaster (Wiegmann, 1830)
| |
Blackbelly garter snake (Thamnophis melanogaster) is a species of snake of the family Colubridae. It is found in Mexico.
Authority
First described as Tropidonotus melanogaster by Peters in 1864, this species is now recognized as Thamnophis melanogaster. [2]
Geographic range
It is found on the Central Mexican Plateau at elevations between 1,158 and 2,545 m above sea level [3] .
Description
The dorsal color of these snakes may be brown, olive green, gray, red, orange, or pink. Ventral colors include the same as the dorsal, with the addition of yellow. Dorsal patterns may include stripes and there is typically a black stripe running down the center of the belly[4], which explains both the common and scientific names for this species. There is little or no difference in size between the sexes of Blackbelly garter snakes[3].
Habitat
This is a terrestrial species that occurs in temperate habitats. Although it lives on land, it has not been found more than 15 m from a body of water [5].
Reproduction
Blackbelly garter snakes are ovoviviparous.[6]
Diet
These snakes feed exclusively under water and they are the only known Thamnophis to prey on soft-bodied crayfish. They have a highly variable diet that also includes fish, frogs, tadpoles, leeches, and earthworms. Good underwater vision and chemical cues help the snakes find and capture their prey. [3]
Subspecies
Four subspecies are known:
- Gray blackbelly garter snake, Thamnophis melanogaster canescens Smith, 1942
- Chihuahuan blackbelly garter snake, Thamnophis melanogaster chihuahuaensis Tanner, 1959
- Lined blackbelly garter snake, Thamnophis melanogaster linearis Smith, Nixon & Smith, 1950
- Blackbelly garter snake, Thamnophis melanogaster melanogaster (Wiegmann, 1830)
The specific name, melanogaster, is composed of two Greek words, melanos which means black and gaster which means belly.[7]
Bibliography
- Manjarrez, Javier; Macias Garcia, Constantino; Drummond, Hugh (2013). "Variation in the Diet of the Mexican Black-bellied Gartersnake Thamnophis melanogaster: Importance of Prey Availablity and Snake Body Size". Journal of Herpetology 47 (3): 413–420.
- Gregory, T. G., L. A. Gregory, J. M. Macartney 1983. Color pattern variation in Thamnophis melanogaster. Copeia 1983 (2): 530-534.
- Peters, W. 1864. Über einige neue Säugethiere (Mormops, Macrotus, Vesperus, Molossus, Capromys), Amphibien (Plathydactylus, Otocryptis, Euprepes, Ungalia, Dromicus, Tropidonotus, Xenodon, Hylodes), und Fische (Sillago, Sebastes, Channa, Myctophum, Carassius, Barbus, Mber. k. preuss. Akad. Wiss. Berlin [1864]: 381-399.
- Wiegmann, A. F. A. 1830. Preisverzeichnis der Säugethiere, Vögel, Amphibien, Fische und Krebse, welche von Hrn Deppe und Schiede in Mexico gesammelt worden. Berlin, 1.Sept. 1930.
References
- ^ "Thamnophis melanogaster". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2007. IUCN. 2007. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
- ^ "Mexican Blackbelly Water Snake". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
- ^ a b c "Variation in the Diet of the Mexican Black-bellied Gartersnake Thamnophis melanogaster: Importance of Prey Availablity and Snake Body Size". Journal of Herpetology. 47 (3): 413–420. 2013.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|authors=ignored (help) - ^ "Color-pattern variation in Thamnophis melanogaster". Copeia. 2: 530–534. 1983.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|authors=ignored (help) - ^ "Population Differences in Fish-capturing Ability of the Mexican Aquatic Garter Snake (Thamnophis melanogaster)". Journal of Herpetology. 24 (4). Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles: 412–416. 1990.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|authors=ignored (help) - ^ "Thamnophis melanogaster". The Reptile Database. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|authors=ignored (help) - ^ Gotch, A. F. (1995). Latin Names Explained: A Guide to the Scientific Classification of Reptiles, Birds & Mammals. Facts On File. pp. 93, 142. ISBN 0816033773.
- Species Thamnophis melanogaster at The Reptile Database
External links
- Species Thamnophis melanogaster at The Reptile Database
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