Texas Garter Snake

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.

References

Species Thamnophis sirtalis at The Reptile Database