Exiled Garter Snake
Thamnophis exsul Rossman, 1969
| Alternate Name | Montane Garter Snake |
|---|---|
| Spanish Name | Culebra de Agua Nómada de Montaña |
| Subspecies | None |
| Max. Recorded Length | 46.3 cm; 18.2 inches |
Range
Mexico: Coahuila, Nuevo León.
Description
The Exiled Garter Snake is both the smallest garter snake known (the largest specimen found was only 18 inches long) and the rarest (10 collected specimens from just three localities in northeastern Mexico). It has been found in montane meadows at high elevations.
Like North American rat snakes, the Exiled Garter Snake exhibits ontogenetic change: juveniles start out spotted; in adults the spotting becomes obscured.
Captive Care
For general information on keeping garter snakes in captivity, please go to the Care section.
Sources
Rossman, D. A., N. B. Ford and R. A. Seigel. 1996. The Garter Snakes: Evolution and Ecology. Norman OK: University of Oklahoma Press.
Garter and Ribbon Snakes
Snakes of the United States and Canada