| Texas Garter Snake | |
|---|---|
| Texas Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis annectens | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Thamnophis |
| Species: | T. sirtalis |
| Subspecies: | T. s. annectens |
| Trinomial name | |
| Thamnophis sirtalis annectens Brown, 1950 |
|
The Texas Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis annectens) is a subspecies of the common garter snake (T. sirtalis) from the United States. It is found predominantly in eastern and central Texas, with a disjunct population in Kansas. They are a terrestrial species, generally found in dry, lightly wooded areas.
Completely harmless, and members of the colubrid family, they are easily mistaken for other garter snake species. They have a greenish-black back with a distinctive bright orange or red stripe down the center and yellowish stripes on either side of the body.
They are generally not aggressive, and if handled will often flail about wildly to try to escape and release a foul-smelling musk from their cloaca.
Species Thamnophis sirtalis at The Reptile Database