Mexican garter snake

Mexican garter snake
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Genus:	Thamnophis
Species:	T. eques
Binomial name
Thamnophis eques (Reuss, 1834)

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.

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]

Ten 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

• Species Thamnophis eques at The Reptile Database

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