The Mexican garter snake (Thamnophis eques) is a species of snake of the family Colubridae. It is found in Mexico and in the United States (Arizona and New Mexico). This harmless snake is semi-aquatic and most of the 10 recognized subspecies are restricted to lake basins in Mexico.
| Mexican garter snake | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Thamnophis |
| Species: | T. eques
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| Binomial name | |
| Thamnophis eques (Reuss, 1834)
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This snake ranges in habitat from deserts and sky island forests of Arizona and New Mexico to thornscrub and rainforests of Mexico. One subspecies, the Lake Chapala garter snake (T. e. obscurus), is Endemic to Lake Chapala.
This snake is a generalist carnivore, feeding on a wide variety of prey, such as lizards, frogs, toads, tadpoles, fish, and even from time to time earthworms, snails, insects, and small mammals.[2]
Subspecies
editTen subspecies are known:
- Mexican garter snake, T. e. eques (Reuss, 1834)
- Laguna Totolcingo garter snake, T. e. carmenensis (Conant, 2003)
- T. e. cuitzeoensis Conant, 2003
- T. e. diluvialis Conant, 2003
- T. e. insperatus Conant, 2003
- Northern Mexican garter snake, T. e. megalops (Kennicott, 1860)
- Lake Chapala garter snake, T. e. obscurus (Conant, 2003)
- T. e. patzcuaroensis Conant, 2003
- T. e. scotti Conant, 2003
- T. e. virgatenuis Conant, 1963
References
edit- ^ Hammerson, G.A.; Vazquez Díaz, J. & Quintero Díaz, G.E. (2007). "Thamnophis eques". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2007: e.T63977A12732882. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T63977A12732882.en. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
- ^ Conant, R. (2003). "Observations on garter snakes of the Thamnophis eques complex in the lakes of Mexico's transvolcanic belt, with descriptions of new taxa". American Museum Novitates (3406): 1–64. doi:10.1206/0003-0082(2003)406<0001:OOGSOT>2.0.CO;2. hdl:2246/2832. S2CID 86078121.
- Species Thamnophis eques at The Reptile Database
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