A black rat snake

The Western ratsnake (Pantherophis obsoletus) — also called black rat snake, pilot black snake, or simply black snake[2] — is a nonvenomous colubrid species found in North America. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Elaphe obsoleta - A black rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta and Pantherophis obsoletus)

Description

Adults can become quite large and are known to reach up to eight feet, being the largest snake found in Canada. The record length is 101 inches (2.6 m), making it (officially) the longest snake in North America. Unofficially, indigo snakes (Drymarchon couperi) are known to exceed them, and one wild caught pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus) with a portion of its tail missing measured 111 inches (2.8 m).[citation needed]

Juveniles are strongly patterned with brown blotches on a gray background (like miniature fox snakes). Darkening occurs rapidly as they grow. Adults are glossy black above with white lips, chin, and throat. Sometimes traces of the "obsolete" juvenile pattern are still discernible in the skin between the scales, especially when stretched after a heavy meal.

Geographic range

The black rat snake is found throughout the Eastern and Central United States. In Canada it is found in lower Ontario. It is found in northeast United States, in particular New Jersey(northern), New York(eastern) and Vermont(southern).

Preferred habitat

It prefers heavily wooded areas and is known for having excellent climbing ability, including the ability to climb the trunk of large mature trees without the aid of branches. The black rat snake is a competent swimmer but usually (not always) uses this ability only to travel to additional hunting territory. During winter it hibernates in dens, often with copperheads and timber rattlesnakes. This association gave rise to the common name, pilot black snake, and the superstition that this nonvenomous species led the venomous ones to the den.

Behavior
When startled, they may freeze and wrinkle themselves into a series of kinks. If they feel further threatened, they may flee quickly or vibrate their tails in dead leaves (a form of mimicry, which makes them sound like rattlesnakes). They are also capable of producing a foul smelling musk which they will release onto a predator if picked up. They spread the musk with their tail in hopes of deterring the threat

Reproduction
Mating takes place in late May and early June. The male snake wraps its tail around the female with their vents nearly touching. The male then everts one of its sex organs, a hemipenis, into the female sex organ, cloaca. The mating lasts anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. After five weeks the female lays about 12 to 20 eggs, which are 36–60 mm (1.4-2 in.) long by 20-26.5 mm (0.8-1.1 in.) wide. The eggs hatch about 65 to 70 days later in late August to early October.[9] The hatchlings are 28–41 cm (11-16 in.) in total length,[10] and they look like miniature fox snakes.

Pantherophis obsoletus, Chatham County, North Carolina

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texas long-nosed snake

A Rhinocheilus lecontei tessellatus (a snake).

Description

A tricolor subspecies, its color pattern consists of a cream-colored or white body, overlaid with black blotches and red between the black. It gives them an appearance vaguely similar to that of a venomous coral snake, Micrurus tener or Micruroides euryxanthus. They have an elongated snout, which gives them their common name. They grow to approximately 30 inches (76 cm) in length; record 41 inches (104 cm).[1] In some western localities their red coloration can be greatly reduced, giving them a black and white banded appearance, and other localities the red appears more orange or even pink in color. They differ from all other harmless snakes in the United States by having undivided subcaudal plates.

Behavior

The Texas long-nosed snake is a shy, nocturnal burrowing subspecies.

Diet

It feeds on lizards and amphibians, sometimes smaller snakes and, infrequently, rodents.
 
Reproduction
Rhinocheilus lecontei tessellatus is oviparous, laying clutches of 4-9 eggs in the early summer, which hatch out in the late summer, or early fall.

Conservation status

This subspecies holds no federal conservation status and no status through most of its range, but it is considered to be vulnerable in Kansas and Oklahoma, and critically endangered in Colorado. Primary threats are from habitat destruction.

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Morelia viridis(green tree snake)

Morelia viridis, the green tree python, is a species of python found in New Guinea, islands in Indonesia, and Cape York Peninsula in Australia.

Morelia viridis

Description

Adults average 120–200 cm (3.9–6.6 ft) in length, with a maximum length (although rare) of about 7 feet. The supralabial scales have thermoreceptive pits.[2]

A mostly arboreal species with a striking green or yellow color in adults, the color pattern on this species can vary dramatically from locality to locality. For example, the Aru local is a vivid green with a broken vertebral stripe of white or dull yellow scales, the Sorong local is a bright green with blue highlights and a solid vertical stripe, and the Kofiau local is mostly yellow with varying highlights in white or blue. Cyanomorphs (blue morphs) are also known to occur but are not considered common at this time.[2] Juveniles are polymorphic, occurring in reddish, bright yellow and orange morphs.

Morelia viridis. Morph

neonate morelia viridis

Geographic range
Found in Indonesia (Misool, Salawati, Aru Islands, Schouten Islands, most of Western New Guinea), Papua New Guinea (including nearby islands from sea level to 1,800 m elevation, Normanby Island and the d'Entrecasteaux Islands) and Australia (Queensland along the east coast of the Cape York Peninsula). The type locality given is "Aroe-eilanden" (Aru Islands, Indonesia).[1]

This species is sympatric with M. spilota and the two often compete in the same ecological niche.

Habitat

Its main habitat is in rainforests, bushes, shrubs and trees.

Conservation
The largest threat to the species is habitat destruction due to logging of forests.

Behavior

Primarily arboreal, these snakes have a particular way of resting in the branches of trees; they loop a coil or two over the branches in a saddle position and place their head in the middle. This trait is shared with the emerald tree boa, Corallus caninus, of South America. This habit, along with their appearance, has caused people to confuse the two species when seen outside their natural habitat.

Reproduction

Oviparous, with 1-25 viable eggs per clutch. In the wild eggs are incubated and protected by the female, often in the hollow of a tree. Hatchlings are lemon yellow with broken stripes and spots of purple and brown, or golden or orange/red. Over time the color changes as the animal matures, color of the adult depends on the locality of the animal (some taking many years to finish color change).

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RAINFOREST SNAKES...

As rainforests are so rich in biodiversity with the presence of favourable conditions such as warmth and water, it is no surprise that snakes in general are found in their greatest numbers in the tropical areas of the Earth. (1)

GREEN SNAKE

We’ve even encountered a mention of the fact that “…most large amphibians and reptiles are today exclusively tropical in distribution”. (2)

As a significant part of the wildlife of tropical forests around the world, snakes have an impact on other animals both as predators and prey. (3)

Out of around 2,700 species of snakes in the world, only 1/5 th are venomous; the rest are not. (4)

Without trying to put an exact figure on it, we would assume that rainforests house a similar proportion of venomous and non-venomous snakes.

Learn more about some fascinating Snake Facts here.

Snakes use most types of habitats in a rainforest – most of them live on and under the ground but some of them also inhabit trees and water sources. (5)

Rainforest snakes are carnivores. They employ several ways of attacking other animals. Non-venomous snakes can either pin their prey to the ground or “constrict” them which means that they wrap their own bodies around them in a coil and squeeze them until the victim dies. Venomous snakes normally inject venom into their prey. (6)

Boas (such as anacondas, boa constrictors and pythons) are probably some of the most popular rainforest snakes.

Amazon Snakes

The Amazon forest – the largest tropical rainforest of the world – is home to a great variety of snakes.

As some authors mention: “… snakes appear to be the single most diverse reptile group in the Amazon Basin, where more than 175 snake species have been described”.
The floodplains house a large number of all the reptile species found in the Amazon Basin, and though many species of snakes inhabiting the Amazonian floodplains are aquatic the majority of them are most likely arboreal. Many Amazonian snakes, such as boas, pit vipers and some colubrids, move to live in the forest’s trees during floods. 

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CORN SNAKES

The Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus), or Red Rat Snake, is a North American species of Rat Snake that subdues its small prey by constriction.[1] The name "Corn Snake" is a holdover from the days when southern farmers stored harvested ears of corn in a wood frame or log building called a crib. Rats and mice came to the corn crib to feed on the corn, and Corn Snakes came to feed on the rodents.[2] The Oxford English Dictionary cites this usage as far back as 1676. Corn Snakes are found throughout the southeastern and central United States. Their docile nature, reluctance to bite, moderate adult size 3.9–5.9 feet (1.2–1.8 m), attractive pattern, and comparatively simple care make them popular pet snakes. In the wild, they usually live around 6–8 years, but in captivity can live to be up to 23 years old.

Natural habitat
Wild Corn Snakes prefer habitats such as overgrown fields, forest openings, trees, palmetto flatwoods and abandoned or seldom-used buildings and farms, from sea level to as high as 6,000 feet. Typically, these snakes remain on the ground, but can ascend trees, cliffs and other elevated surfaces.[8] They can be found in the southeastern United States ranging from New Jersey to the Florida keys and as far west as Texas.

In colder regions, snakes hibernate during winter. However, in the more temperate climate along the coast they shelter in rock crevices and logs during cold weather, and come out on warm days to soak up the heat of the sun, a process known as brumation.[9] During cold weather, snakes are less active and therefore hunt less.

A Corn Snake swallowing a small rat

Diet
Corn Snakes have a diet primarily consisting of rodents, mostly mice and rats. Prey is killed by constriction. They are proficient climbers and may scale trees in search of birds and bats although they prefer to be on ground level. As litters of infant mice are difficult to find in nature, many neonate Corn Snakes are known to eat small lizards as their first meals, and anoles are the preferred choice.[10] Some individuals retain these dietary tendencies well into adulthood.

Captive Corn Snakes are usually fed by their owners on a diet of commercially available rodents, predominantly mice, while younger and smaller specimens may eat live or dead rat or mouse pups of various sizes. Frozen "pinkies" (baby mice) that have been warmed in hot tap water for 10-15 minutes are ideal for baby corn snakes. As the snake grows, the size of the prey grows.

 

Baby Corn Snakes hatching from their eggs

Reproduction
Corn Snakes usually breed shortly after the winter cooling. The male courts the female primarily with tactile and chemical cues, then everts one of his hemipenes, inserts it into the female, and ejaculates his sperm. If the female is ovulating, the eggs will be fertilized, and she will begin sequestering nutrients into the eggs, then secreting a shell.

Egg-laying occurs slightly more than a month after mating, with 12–24 eggs deposited into a warm, moist, hidden location. Once laid the adult snake abandons the eggs and does not return to them. The eggs are oblong with a leathery, flexible shell. Approximately 10 weeks after laying, the young snakes use a specialized scale called an egg tooth to slice slits in the egg shell, from which they emerge at about 5 inches in length.

Anerythristic A Corn Snake

Amelanistic Stripe Corn Snake

"Opal" phase Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus)

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MILK SNEKES

The milk snake or milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum; French: Couleuvre tachetée; Spanish: Culebra-real coralillo, Lithuanian: Pieninė gyvatė)[1] is a species of king snake. There are 25 subspecies among the milk snakes, including the commonly named scarlet kingsnake (L. t. elapsoides).[1] The subspecies have strikingly different appearance, and many of them have their own common names. Some authorities suggest that this species may be split into several separate species

red milk snake Lampropeltis triangulum syspila

Description
Milk snakes grow 20 to 60 inches (51 to 150 cm) long.[1] They have smooth and shiny scales and their typical color pattern is alternating bands of red-black-yellow or white-black-red. [1] However, red blotches instead of bands are seen in some populations.[1] Some milk snakes have a striking resemblance to coral snakes and this mimicry (known as Batesian mimicry) likely scares away potential predators. While both milk snakes and coral snakes possess transverse bands of red, black and yellow, a common mnemonic can be used to properly distinguish between the deadly coral snake and the harmless milk snake:

        "Red on yellow will kill a fellow, but red on black is a friend of Jack."
        "Red on yellow, deadly fellow; Red on black, venom lack."
        " Red and yellow will kill you fellow; Red and black is friend Jack."
        "Red on yellow, kill a fellow. Red on black, you're alright Jack."
        "Red next to black is a friend of Jack; red next to yellow will kill a fellow."
        "Red to yellow, kill a fellow. Red to black, venom lack."
        "If red touches black, you're okay Jack; if red touches yellow, you're a dead fellow."
        "Red next to black, you can pat him on the back; red next to yellow, he can kill a fellow."
        "Red next to black, venom I lack; red next to yellow, run away fellow."
        "Red and black, friend of Jack; red and yellow kill a fellow."
        "Red touches yellow, Not a nice fellow; if red touches black, good friend of jack."
        "Red touch yellow, kill a fellow; red touch black, you're okay Jack."

juvenile Eastern milk snake

However, the Eastern milk snake (L. t. triangulum) does not resemble a coral snake; instead it tends to have similar markings to that of several other snakes, particularly the fox snake, scarlet snake and most importantly, the Massassauga rattlesnake. Milk, fox, and scarlet snakes are killed because of a resemblance to the venomous rattlesnake. Juvenile milk snakes, which are more reddish than adults, are often killed because they are mistaken for copperheads. There is enough distinction among the five to make the Eastern milk snake fairly easy to identify. Eastern milk snakes also have a light colored v-shaped or y-shaped patch on their neck. One subspecies is melanistic (almost all black).

juvenile Eastern milk snake

Geographic range

They are distributed from southeastern Canada, through most of the continental United States, to Central America, down to western Ecuador and northern Venezuela of northern South America.

Habitat

Across the wide range of this species, habitat varies. Typically, milk snakes live in forested regions, however, in some regions they can be located in open prairies. In various parts across its distribution, milk snakes often abide in rocky slopes.[1]


Behavior
Milk snake activity is mostly nocturnal. They are primarily terrestrial, except the scarlet kingsnake which is known to take shelter under the bark of standing dead trees. They also try to blend in with dead leaves.

Diet

Young milk snakes typically eat slugs, insects, crickets, and earthworms.[3] Adult diet frequently includes lizards (especially skinks), and small mammals.[1] They are also known to eat birds and their eggs, frogs, fish, and other snakes.[3]

Milk snakes are much more opportunistic eaters than the fox snake or corn snake. They have been known to consume a variety of animals including rodents, eggs, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. Nevertheless the diet of an adult milk snake still primarily consists of rodents. They are nocturnal eaters and are often found during the day in old barns and under wood.

An early myth about milk snakes is that they suck cow udders to get the milk. The myth is entirely false, and is discredited by the fact that the milk snake does not have the physical capabilities to suck milk out of a cow. Milk snakes are, however, frequently found in and around barns, making use of their cool and dark environments, and for the easily accessed populations of rodents to feed on. This proximity to barns, and therefore cows, probably gave rise to the myth

Mexican Milk Snake, L. t. annulata

 

 

Reproduction

Milk snakes are oviparous, laying an average of about 10 eggs per clutch, although that number may vary by region.[1] The milk snake mates from early May[3] to late June. In June and July, the female lays three to twenty-four eggs beneath logs, boards, rocks, and rotting vegetation.[3] The eggs incubate for approximately two months, and hatch around August or September.[3] Milk snakes typically live around twelve years.

Conservation status
The milk snake is not listed by the IUCN (a wildlife conservation union), but in some areas, they may face significant pressure due to pet trade collection.[1] Because this species' high value in the pet trade, many subspecies are now being bred in captivity for sale.

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Images of carpet pythons

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CARPET PYTHONS

morelia bredli :-

    Common names: Bredl's python, Centralian python, Centralian carpet python, central Australian carpet python, bredls carpet python, central Australian bredls carpet python and the central bredls carpet python.

Morelia bredli is a non-venomous python species found in Australia. No subspecies are currently recognized.

This is a heavily-built species with adults approaching or exceeding 2 metres or 6ft 5 inches in length. Many captive specimens have been recorded at 3 metres or 9ft 9 inches and slightly above. The color pattern consists of a brown-to-reddish ground color with a highly variable pattern of pale intrusions. There are normally black borders around the intrusions that become more extensive around the tail. The belly is yellowish to pale cream.

Found in Australia in the mountains of southern Northern Territory. The type locality given is "Pitchie Ritchie Park, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia (23°42', 133°51').

Habitat

Prefers very arid desert areas. Normally arboreal inhabiting ranges and rocky outcrops.

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Eastern Coral Snake

The coral snakes are a large group of elapid snakes that can be subdivided into two distinct groups, Old World coral snakes and New World coral snakes. There are 11 species of Old World coral snake in one genus (Calliophis), and over 65 recognized species of New World coral snakes in three genera (Leptomicrurus, Micruroides, and Micrurus).

Coral snake (Micrurus sp.)

North American coloration patterns

Coral snakes are most notable for their red, yellow/white, and black colored banding. (However, several nonvenomous species have similar coloration, including the scarlet snake, genus Cemophora, some of the kingsnakes and milk snakes, genus Lampropeltis, and the shovelnose snakes, genus Chionactis.) In some regions, the order of the bands distinguishes between the non-venomous mimics and the venomous coral snakes, inspiring some folk rhymes — "Red on yellow, kill a fellow; "Red on black, friend of Jack"; and "Red into black, venom lack; red into yellow, kill a fellow." However, this reliably applies only to coral snakes native to North America: Micrurus fulvius (Eastern or common coral snake), Micrurus tener (Texas coral snake), and Micruroides euryxanthus (Arizona coral snake), found in the southern and western United States. Coral snakes found in other parts of the world can have distinctly different patterns, have red bands touching black bands, have only pink and blue banding, or have no banding at all.

Most species of coral snake are small in size. North American species average around 3 feet (91 cm) in length, but specimens of up to 5 feet (150 cm) or slightly larger have been reported. Aquatic species have flattened tails acting as a fin, aiding in swimming.

Texas Coral Snake, Micrurus tener

Behavior

Coral snakes vary widely in their behavior, but most are very elusive, fossorial snakes which spend the vast majority of their time buried beneath the ground or in the leaf litter of a rainforest floor, only coming to the surface while raining or during breeding season. Some species, like Micrurus surinamensis are almost entirely aquatic and spend most of their lives in slow-moving bodies of water that have dense vegetation.

Like all elapid snakes, coral snakes use a pair of small fangs fixed in the front of their top jaw to deliver their venom. They feed on smaller snakes, lizards, frogs, and nestling birds and rodents etc. The venom takes time to fully take effect.[1]

Coral snakes have a tendency to hold on to a victim when biting, unlike vipers which have retractable fangs and tend to prefer to strike and let go immediately. Coral snakes are not aggressive or prone to biting however, and account for less than one percent of the number of snake bites each year in the United States. Most coral snake bites in the United States are legitimate occurring because of accidental contact with the snake while engaged in an outdoor activity such as gardening.

Coral snake showing typically reclusive behavior of hiding under rotting wood. This one was over 30 inches long, but less than an inch across.

Distribution

New World coral snakes exist in the southern range of many temperate U.S. states.

Coral Snakes are found in scattered localities in the southern Coastal Plain from North Carolina to Louisiana, including all of Florida. They can be found in pine and scrub oak sandhills habitats in parts of this range but sometimes inhabit hardwood areas and pine flatwoods that undergo seasonal flooding.[2]

There is controversy about the classification of the very similar Texas coral snake as a separate species. Its habitat, in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas, is separated from the eastern habitat by the Mississippi River. The coral snake population is most dense in the southeast United States, but coral snakes have been spotted as far north as Kentucky.[3]

The Arizona coral snake, clearly a separate species and genus, is found in central and southern Arizona, extreme southwestern New Mexico and southward to Sinaloa in western Mexico. It occupies arid and semiarid regions in many different habitat types including thornscrub, desert-scrub, woodland, grassland and farmland. It is found in the plains and lower mountain slopes from sea level to 5800 feet (1768 m); often found in rocky areas.


Danger to humans
New World coral snakes possess one of the most potent venoms of any North American snake. Most venomous snakes must inject between 75–100 mg of venom to be fatal.[5] However, relatively few bites are recorded due to their reclusive nature and the fact they generally inhabit sparsely populated areas. According to the American National Institutes of Health, there are an average of 15-25 coral snake bites in the United States each year.[6]

When confronted by humans, coral snakes will almost always attempt to flee, and bite only as a last resort. In addition, coral snakes have short fangs (proteroglyph dentition) that cannot penetrate thick leather clothing. Any skin penetration however, is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention. Coral snakes have a powerful neurotoxin that paralyzes the breathing muscles; mechanical or artificial respiration, along with large doses of antivenin, are often required to save a victim's life. There is usually only mild pain associated with a bite, but respiratory failure can occur within hours.

The bite of a coral snake may soon become increasingly more dangerous, ironically because of the relatively few bites each year. Production of coral snake antivenin in the United States has ceased because it is not profitable. According to Pfizer, the owner of the company that used to make Coralmyn, it would take over $5–$10 million to put toward researching a new synthetic antivenom. The cost was just too large for the small number of cases presented each year. The current antivenin stock expired in 2010, after two consecutive expiration date extensions approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Foreign pharmaceutical manufacturers have produced other coral snake antivenins, but the costs associated with licensing them in the United States have stalled availability (see above).[7] Instituto Bioclon is developing a coral snake antivenin.

Range: The Eastern Coral Snake occurs throughout Florida, south into the Upper Florida Keys. Outside of Florida, it is found north to southeastern North Carolina and west to eastern Texas and northeastern Mexico.

Habitat: This species occupies a variety of habitats, from dry, well–drained flatwoods and scrub areas to low, wet hammocks and the borders of swamps. They are quite secretive and are usually found under debris and in the ground, but occasionally they are found in the open, and have even been seen climbing the trunks of live oaks. Good numbers of them are turned up when pine flatwoods are bulldozed, particularly in southern Florida.

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Largest Spitting Cobra

A new species of spitting cobra—now the largest in the world—has been named by researchers in Kenya and the United Kingdom.

The newly anointed Ashe's spitting cobra, or large brown spitting cobra (Naja ashei), can reach lengths of more than 9 feet (274 centimeters) and is believed to deliver more venom with a single bite than any other cobra on the planet.



    Venomous Fish Far Outnumber Snakes, Other Vertebrates, Study Says (September 1, 2006)
    Photo: "Chameleon" Snake Found in Borneo Forest (June 27, 2006)
    Reptiles: Pictures, Facts, Videos, More


The aggressive reptile was previously identified as a brown-colored variant of the black-necked spitting cobra, though researchers had long suspected that it merited its own species. Now blood and tissue analysis have confirmed this theory to be true.

The snake dwells in the dry lowlands of north and east Kenya, as well as in Uganda and Ethiopia.

It is named after James "Jimmy" Ashe, a prominent herpetologist who founded the Bio-Ken snake farm and research center in Watamu, Kenya, where the snake is commonly found. Bio-Ken milks snakes for their venom and sends it to labs to develop antivenin.

The findings were first published earlier this year in the animal taxonomy magazine Zootaxa by researchers at the University of Wales and the Biodiversity Foundation for Africa in Buluwayo, Zimbabwe.

But they gained wider notice on Friday when the researchers announced the new species through the nonprofit conservation group WildlifeDirect.

Royjan Taylor, the director of Bio-Ken, said the paper's authors had asked him to wait several months to give time for other herpetologists to challenge their findings. None did.

Spitting cobras eat eggs, carrion, snakes, lizards, and birds. Their venom has two uses: to kill prey and for defense. The reptiles can spray venom several yards and usually aim for the attacker's eyes, giving the snake the best chance for escape

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Rattlesnake:-

Crotalus cerastes

Rattlesnakes are a group of venomous snakes of the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus[1] of the subfamily Crotalinae ("pit vipers"). There are 32 known species of rattlesnake, with between 65-70 subspecies.[2], all of which are native to the Americas - ranging from southern Alberta, and southern British Columbia Canada to Central Argentina.

Rattlesnakes are predators who live in a wide array of habitats, hunting small animals such as birds and rodents. They kill their prey with a venomous bite, rather than by constricting. All rattlesnakes possess a set of fangs with which they inject large quantities of hemotoxic venom. The venom travels through the bloodstream, destroying tissue and causing swelling, internal bleeding, and intense pain. Some species, such as the Mojave Rattlesnake, additionally possess a neurotoxic component in their venom that causes paralysis and other nervous symptoms.

The threat of envenomation, advertised with the shaking of the rattle, deters many predators. However, rattlesnakes fall prey to hawks, weasels, king snakes, and a variety of other species. Rattlesnakes are heavily preyed upon as neonates, while they are still weak and mentally immature. Very large numbers of rattlesnakes are killed by humans. Rattlesnake populations in many areas are severely threatened by habitat destruction, poaching, and extermination campaigns.

Rattlesnake bites are the leading cause of snakebite injuries in North America, and cause approximately 82% of fatalities. However, rattlesnakes rarely bite unless provoked or threatened; and if treated promptly, the bites are rarely fatal.

Range and habitat

Rattlesnakes are native to the Americas, living in diverse habitats from Southwestern Canada to Central Argentina. The large majority of species live in the American Southwest and Mexico. Four species may be found east of the Mississippi river, and two in South America. In the United States, the state with the most forms of rattlesnakes is Arizona, with seventeen species and subspecies.[5][6]

Rattlesnakes are found in almost every type of habitat that is capable of supporting terrestrial ectothermic vertebrates; but individual species can have extremely specific habitat requirements, only able to live within certain plant associations in a narrow range of altitudes. Most species live near open, rocky areas. Rocks offer them cover from predators, plentiful prey (e.g. rodents, lizard, insects, etc. that live amidst the rocks), and open basking areas. However, rattlesnakes can also be found in a wide variety of other habitats including prairies, marshes, deserts, and forests.[7] Rattlesnakes prefer a temperature range between 80 and 90°F (26-32°C), but can survive temperatures below freezing, recovering from brief exposure to temperatures as low as 4°F, and surviving for several days in temperatures as low as 37°F.[8]

Evidence has been collected to show the most probable ancestral area of rattlesnakes is the Sierra Madre Occidental region in Mexico. This same study found the most probable vegetation or habitat of the ancestral area to be pine-oak forests



Prey

Rattlesnakes consume mice, rats, small birds and other small animals[9], playing an important ecological role by limiting the size of rodent populations, which prevents crop damage and stabilizes ecosystems.[10]

Rattlesnakes lie in wait for their prey, or hunt for it in holes.[11] The prey are killed quickly with a venomous bite as opposed to constricting. If the bitten prey moves away before dying, the rattlesnake can follow it by its scent.[12][13] When it locates the fallen prey, it checks for signs of life by prodding with its snout, flicking its tongue, and using its sense of smell. Once the prey has become incapacitated, the rattlesnake locates its head by odors emitted from the mouth. The prey is then ingested head-first, which allows wings and limbs to fold at the joints in a manner which minimizes the girth of the meal.[14] The gastric fluids of rattlesnakes are extremely powerful, allowing for the digestion of bone as well as flesh. Optimal digestion occurs when the snake maintains a body temperature of between 80 and 85°F (25-29°C). If the prey is small, the rattlesnake will often continue hunting. If it was an adequate meal, the snake will find a warm, safe location in which to coil up and rest until the prey is digested.[15]

Rattlesnakes are believed to require at least their own body weight in water annually in order to remain hydrated. The method in which they drink depends on the water source. In larger bodies of water (streams, ponds, etc.) they will submerge their head and ingest water by opening and closing their jaw, which sucks in water. If drinking dew, or drinking from small puddles, they will sip the liquid either by capillary action or by flattening and flooding the lower jaw.

Venom

Most species of rattlesnakes have hemotoxic venom, destroying tissue, causing necrosis and coagulopathy (disrupted blood clotting).[30] In the U.S., some varieties of the Mojave rattlesnake (C. scutulatus) have a presynaptic neurotoxic venom component known as Mojave Type A toxin, which can cause severe paralysis.[30][31][32] C. scutulatus is widely regarded as producing one of the most toxic snake venoms in the Americas, based on LD50 studies in laboratory mice.[33]

Rattlesnake venom is a mixture of 5-15 enyzmes, various metal ions, biogenic amines, lipids, free amino acids, proteins, and polypeptides. It contains components designed to immobilize and disable the prey, as well as digestive enzymes which break down tissue to prepare for later ingestion.[25][29] The venom is very stable, and retains its toxicity for many years in storage.[25]

Older snakes possess more potent venom, and larger snakes are frequently capable of storing larger volumes of it.

Antivenom

Crotaline antivenom (or "antivenin") is commonly used to treat the effects of local and systemic pit viper envenomations.[72] The first step in the production of crotaline antivenom is collecting ("milking") the venom of a live rattlesnake - usually from the Western Diamondback (Crotalus atrox), Eastern Diamondback (Crotalus adamanteus), South American rattlesnake (Crotalus durissis terrificus), or fer-de-lance (Bothrops atrox). The extracted venom is then diluted and injected into horses, goats, or sheep, whose immune systems produce antibodies that protect from the toxic effects of the venom. These antibodies accumulate in the blood, which is then extracted and centrifuged to separate the red blood cells. The resulting serum is purified into a lyophilized powder, which is packaged for distribution and later use by human patients.[73][74]

Because antivenom is derived from horse animal, people generally display an allergic response during infusion, known as serum sickness.

Safety and first aid:-

 Rattlesnakes are the leading cause of snakebite injuries in North America, and are a significant cause in Central and South America.

Avoiding bites:-

 

Rattlesnakes tend to avoid wide open spaces where they cannot hide from predators, and will generally avoid humans if they are aware of their approach.[60] Rattlesnakes rarely bite unless they feel threatened or provoked. A large majority of victims (~ 72%[61]) are males, often young and intoxicated. Approximately half of bites occur in cases where the victim saw the snake, yet made no effort to move away.[25]

Hikers and campers should avoid contact with rattlesnakes by remaining observant and not approaching the animals. Hikers are advised to be particularly careful when negotiating fallen logs or boulders and when near rocky outcroppings and ledges where rattlesnakes may be hiding or sunning themselves. However, snakes will occasionally sun themselves in the middle of a trail, so such areas are not the only places where they are encountered. When encountering a rattlesnake on a trail, hikers are advised to keep their distance and allow the snake room to retreat.[citation needed]

Caution is advised even when snakes are believed to be dead; rattlesnake heads can see, flick the tongue, and inflict poisonous bites for up to an hour after being severed from the body.

Effect of bites on humans
Rattlesnake bite injury:-

Rattlesnake bites are rarely fatal to humans, if treated promptly.[30] Between 7,000 and 8,000 people are estimated to have been bitten by venomous snakes in the United States each year, and about five of those die.[64] The most important factor in determining survival following a severe envenomation is the amount of time elapsed between the bite and treatment. Most deaths occur between 6 and 48 hours after the bite. However, if antivenom treatment is given within 1–2 hours of the bite, the probability of recovery is greater than 99%.[65]

When a bite occurs, the amount of venom injected is under voluntary control by the snake. The amount released is dependent on a variety of factors including the condition of the snake (e.g. having long, healthy fangs and a full venom sack) and its temperament (an angry, hungry snake that has just been stepped on vs. a satiated snake that was merely surprised by walking near it).[66] Approximately 20% of bites result in no envenomation at all. A lack of burning pain and edema 1 cm away from the fang marks after 1 hour, suggests that either no or minimal envenomation occurred. A lack of edema or erythema in the area of the bite after 6–8 hours indicates a lack of envenomation for most rattlesnake bites.[67]

Common symptoms include swelling, severe pain, weakness, anxiety, nausea and vomiting, hemorrhaging, perspiration, and heart failure.[66][68] Local pain following envenomation is often intense, increasing with the ensuing edema.[66] In general, children experience more severe symptoms because they receive a larger amount of venom per kilogram of body mass.

Emergency response:-

Data on the effectiveness of first aid techniques for rattlesnake bites is limited.[69] However, general recommendations for first aid in the field are as follows:

    Remain calm, and retreat from the snake at least 10–15 feet. Arrange to have the victim transported to a medical facility as soon as possible.[69]
    Remove restrictive clothing items (rings, bracelets, watches, buttoned shirts, etc.) from the victim.[69][70]
    Splint or otherwise immobilize any bitten limbs, and keep them below heart level.[30][34][69][71] If (and only if) the victim is more than 1–2 hours away from a medical facility, it is recommended to place a lightly constricting band (that admits one finger beneath it) above the bitten area to prevent the systemic spread of the venom.[69]
    Keep victims calm; put them at rest; keep them warm and give them comfort and reassurance (which will lower their heart rate, slowing the spread of the venom). However, keeping a victim's heart rate down should never interfere with getting him or her to a medical facility.[69]

In no case should tourniquets be used, nor should any incisions or suction be applied to the wound

Food

Journalist Alistair Cooke claims that rattlesnake tastes "just like chicken, only tougher."^[82] Others have compared the flavor to a wide range of other meats, including veal, frog, tortoise, quail, fish, rabbit, and even canned tuna.

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venomous snakes of the world

Belcher's Sea Snake ( Hydrophis Belcheri )
Snake's Description : Hydrophis Belcheri's thin body is usually chrome yellowish in colour and is surrounded by dark greenish bands. Head is short and has same color as that of bands. Its mouth is very small but suitable for aquatic life. Its body when viewed outside water appears having fainted yellow colour.

Snake's Characteristics : Hydrophis Belcheri is a sea snake. Its scales are different from other snakes and they overlap each other. Dorsal pattern does not extend on to venter, it has scales with a central tubercle. It is highly compressed at the rear end of the body and has a short head. Abdominal board is very narrow or non-existent. Like other sea snakes it also has a paddle-like tail which make him an expert swimmer. It rarely goes on land, eats fish and shellfish. It breaths air, has valves over its nostrils that close underwater. It can hold its breath for as long as 7 to 8 hours while hunting and even sleeping but then has to come over water surface for a quick breath of air. It is a docile specie and not aggressive at all. It is usually active at night. It may deliver a provoked bite only after repeated severe treatment. It usually bites fishermen handling nets but only 1/4th of those bitten are envenomated since Hydrophis Belcheri rarely injects any venom. Few milligrams (mg) of Belcheri's myotoxic venom is enough to kill an estimate of more than 1000 people. If Belcheri injects, sure death within few minutes. Painful death may even take less time depending on victim's body size and time taken by infected blood to reach its vital organs. It is the most toxic venomous specie of snake known to date and holds a record in Guinness Book.

Snake's Length : Hydrophis Belcheri range from 0.5 to 1 metre in length.

Snake's Distribution : Its main habitat is the Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea off north-western coast of Australia. It is also found in seas of Indonesia and the South Pacific, having been recorded in the Philippines near Visayan and Panay islands, Gulf of Thailand, Sulawesi, New Guinea, Fiji, Kiribati, and the Solomon Islands.

Hydrophis Belcheri (Belcher's Sea Snake) is not ranked nor included in my top tens due to its non-terrestrial nature and limited human encounters. Even if it bites it rarely injects any venom, though being most venomous it is not most dangerous at all.

Inland Taipan ( Oxyuranus Microlepidotus )
    Western or Inland Taipan (Oxyuranus Microlepidotus) (Fierce Snake),
    Central Ranges Taipan (Oxyuranus Temporalis),
    North-West Australian Taipan (Oxyuranus Scutellatus Barringeri),
    Papuan Taipan (Oxyuranus Scutellatus Canni), and
    Costal Taipan (Oxyuranus Scutellatus Scutellatus).

Snake's Description : Generally Taipans are uniformly olive or dark brown, the head is somewhat darker brown.

Snake's Toxic Rank 1 : Inland Taipan is the world's most venomous land snake. Its bite is synonymous with death. Maximum survival time recorded after Taipan's bite is not more than few hours. Without prompt medical assistance its victim has rarest chance of recovery. Taipans are divided into following five sub-species viz; Western or Inland Taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) or (Fierce Snake), Papuan Taipan (Oxyuranus s. canni), Common or Coastal Taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus), Central Ranges Taipan (Oxyuranus temporalis) and North-West Australian Taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus barringeri). Here Inland Taipan (Fierce snake) is the most toxic specie of all. Maximum yield recorded from a single bite of Inland Taipan is 110 mg. Just few mg of Inland Taipan's venom is enough to kill over 100 people or 250,000 mice. Australia's Western or Inland Taipan or Fierce Snake is the world's most toxic terrestrial snake. (Ranked No.1)

Snake's Characteristics : It is considered as the most venomous land snake on earth. Many people believe Taipans are very aggressive but the fact is that they are docile creatures. Yes they have an aggressive disposition only when mishandled or disturbed without warning. When aroused, Taipan can display a fearsome appearance by flattening its head, raising it off the ground, waving it back and forth, and suddenly striking with such speed that the victim may receive several bites before it retreats. Its venom is a powerful neurotoxin, causing respiratory paralysis.

Snake's Habitat : At home in a variety of habitats, Inland Taipan are found from the savanna grasslands to the inland dry plains of Australia. Where as 'Oxyuranus scutellatus' are often seen in forests and open woodlands. Very less or no information; regarding newly discovered Central Ranges Taipan (Oxyuranus temporalis).

Snake's Length : Average Taipan's length is 1.8 meters and maximum of 3.7 meters.

Snake's Distribution : Taipans (Oxyuranus scutellatus) are found in Northern Australia and Southern New Guinea. Whereas Inland Taipan (world's most toxic land snake) are found in Central Australia. Papuan Taipan (Oxyuranus s. canni) are found in New Guinea.


Comman Indian Krait ( Bungarus Caeruleus )

Snake's Description : Comman Indian Krait is black or bluish-black in colour with white narrow crossbands and a narrow head.

Snake's Toxic Rank 2 : Comman Indian Krait is world's No.2 venomous snake. It is highly venomous snake after Inland Taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus).

Snake's Characteristics : Kraits are found only in Asia. This poisonous snake is of special concern to man. It is 15 times more deadly than any common cobra. It is active at night and relatively passive during the day. The native people often step on kraits while walking through their habitats. The krait has a tendency to seek shelter in sleeping bags, boots and tents. Its venom is a powerful neurotoxin that causes respiratory failure. Comman Indian Krait is most venomous snake of indian peninsula. In other words, it is the most venomous snake of India, Sri-Lanka and Pakistan.

Snake's Habitat : Comman Indian Krait's habitat include open fields, human settlements and dense jungle.

Snake's Length : Comman Indian Krait's average length is about 90 centimeters and maximum of 1.5 meters.

Snake's Distribution : Comman Indian Krait are found in India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.




Philippine Cobra ( Naja Philippinensis )

Snake's Description : Philippine Cobra is a relatively small stocky brown snake.

Snake's Toxic Rank 3: Philippine Cobra is the world's No.3 venomous snake. Extremely poisonous snake after Common Indian Krait. Please don't judge this snake on its small size, it is most deadliest snake from Philippine.

Snake's Characteristics : Philippine Cobras are recognized by the hoods that they flare when angry or disturbed. The hoods are created by the extension of the ribs behind the cobras' heads. Philippine Cobras are famous for their use by oriental snake charmers because they respond well to visual cues. Philippine Cobra is Philippines most poisonous snake.

Snake's Habitat : Philippine Cobra's habitat also include open fields, human settlements and dense jungle.

Snake's Length : Philippine Cobra's average length is usually up to 100 centimeters.

Snake's Distribution : As it name says Philippine Cobras are found in Philippine Islands.

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Big Four (Indian snakes)

The Big Four are the four venomous snake species responsible for causing the most snake bite cases in South Asia (mostly in India).

Indian cobra, Naja naja, probably the most famous of all Indian snakes :-

Common krait, Bungarus caeruleus:-

Russell's viper, Daboia russelii:-

Saw-scaled viper, Echis carinatus:-

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Garter snake

The Garter snake is a Colubrid snake genus (Thamnophis) common across North America, ranging from Alaska and Canada to Central America. It is the single most widely distributed genus of reptile in North America[citation needed]. The garter snake is also the Massachusetts state reptile.[1]

There is no real consensus on the classification of species of Thamnophis. Disagreement among taxonomists and sources, such as field guides, over whether two types of snakes are separate species or subspecies of the same species is common. They are also closely related to the snakes of the genus Nerodia, and some species have been moved back and forth between genera.

Coast garter snake

Habitat

Garter snakes are widespread throughout North America. The common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis), is the only species of snake to be found in Alaska, and is one of the northernmost species of snake in the world, possibly second only to the Crossed Viper, Vipera berus. The genus is so far ranging due to its unparticular diet and adaptability to different biomes and landforms, with varying proximity to water. However, in the western part of North America, these snakes are more water loving than in the eastern portion. Northern populations hibernate in larger groups than southern ones.

Venom

Garters were long thought to be nonvenomous, but recent discoveries have revealed that they do in fact produce a mild neurotoxic venom.[3] Garter snakes cannot kill humans with the small amounts of venom they produce, which is comparatively mild, and they also lack an effective means of delivering it. They do have enlarged teeth in the back of their mouth, but their gums are significantly larger.[4][5] Whereas most venomous snakes have anterior or forward venom glands, the Duvernoy's gland of garters are posterior (to the rear) of the snake's eyes.[6] The mild venom is spread into wounds through a chewing action. The properties of the venom are not well known, but it appears to contain 3FTx, commonly known as three-finger toxin, which is a neurotoxin commonly found in the venom of colubrids and elapids. A bite may result in mild swelling and an itching sensation. There are no known cases of serious injury and extremely few with symptoms of envenomation.

Reproduction
Garter snakes go into brumation before they mate. They stop eating for about two weeks beforehand to clear their stomach of any food that would rot there otherwise. Garter snakes begin mating as soon as they emerge from brumation. During mating season, the males mate with several females. In chillier parts of their range, male common garter snakes awaken from brumation first, giving themselves enough time to prepare to mate with females when they finally appear. Males come out of their dens and, as soon as the females begin coming out, surround them. Female garter snakes produce a sex-specific pheromone that attracts male snakes in droves, sometimes leading to intense male-male competition and the formation of mating balls of up to 25 males per female. After copulation, a female leaves the den/mating area to find food and a place to give birth. Female garter snakes are able to store the male's sperm for years before fertilization. The young are incubated in the lower abdomen, at about the midpoint of the length of the mother's body. Garter snakes are ovoviviparous meaning they give birth to live young. However, this is different than being truly viviparous, which is seen in mammals. Gestation is two to three months in most species. As few as 3 or as many as 80 snakes are born in a single litter. The young are independent upon birth. On record, the greatest number of garter snakes to be born in a single litter is 98.

Diet

A Garter snake eating a frog

Garter snakes, like all snakes, are carnivorous. Their diet consists of almost any creature that they are capable of overpowering: slugs, earthworms, leeches, lizards, amphibians, birds, fish, toads and rodents. When living near the water, they will eat other aquatic animals. The ribbon snake (Thamnophis sauritus) in particular favors frogs (including tadpoles), readily eating them despite their strong chemical defenses. Food is swallowed whole. Garter snakes often adapt to eating whatever they can find, and whenever, because food can be scarce or abundant. Although they feed mostly upon live animals, they will sometimes eat eggs.

Common Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis

A garter snake.

Common Garter Snake

The posterior tooth of a garter snake

Eastern Blackneck Garter, Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus

Taxonomy

• Eastern Blackneck Garter, Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus
•     Longnose Garter Snake, Thamnophis angustirostris (Kennicott, 1860)
•     Aquatic Garter Snake, Thamnophis atratus
•         Santa Cruz Garter Snake, Thamnophis atratus atratus (Kennicott, 1860)
•         Oregon Garter Snake, Thamnophis atratus hydrophilus (Fitch, 1936)
•         Diablo Range Garter Snake, Thamnophis atratus zaxanthus (Boundy, 1999)
•     Shorthead Garter Snake, Thamnophis brachystoma (Cope, 1892)
•     Butler's Garter Snake, Thamnophis butleri (Cope, 1889)
•     Goldenhead Garter Snake, Thamnophis chrysocephalus (Cope, 1885)
•     Western Aquatic Garter Snake, Thamnophis couchii (Kennicott, 1859)
•     Blackneck Garter Snake, Thamnophis cyrtopsis
•         Western Blackneck Garter Snake, Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis (Kennicott, 1860)
•         Eastern Blackneck Garter Snake, Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus (Cope, 1880)
•         Tropical Blackneck Garter Snake, Thamnophis cyrtopsis collaris (Jan, 1863)
•         Tepalcatepec Valley Garter Snake, Thamnophis cyrtopsis postremus (Smith, 1942)
•         Yellow-throated Garter Snake, Thamnophis cyrtopsis pulchrilatus (Cope, 1885)
• Checkered Garter Snake, Thamnophis marcianus
•     Western Terrestrial Garter Snake, Thamnophis elegans
•         Arizona Garter Snake, Thamnophis elegans arizonae (Tanner & Lowe, 1989)
•         Mountain Garter Snake, Thamnophis elegans elegans (Baird & Girard, 1853)
•         Mexican Wandering Garter Snake, Thamnophis elegans errans (Smith, 1942)
•         Coast Garter Snake, Thamnophis elegans terrestris (Fox, 1951)
•         Wandering Garter Snake, Thamnophis elegans vagrans (Baird & Girard, 1853)
•         Upper Basin Garter Snake, Thamnophis elegans vascotanneri (Tanner & Lowe, 1989)
•         Sierra San Pedro Mártir Garter Snake, Thamnophis elegans hueyi (Van Denburgh & Slevin, 1923)
•     Thamnophis eques
•         Mexican Garter Snake, Thamnophis eques eques (Reuss, 1834)
•         Laguna Totolcingo Garter Snake, Thamnophis eques carmenensis (Conant, 2003)
•         Thamnophis eques cuitzeoensis (Conant, 2003)
•         Thamnophis eques diluvialis (Conant, 2003)
•         Thamnophis eques insperatus (Conant, 2003)
•         Northern Mexican Garter Snake, Thamnophis eques megalops (Kennicott, 1860)
•         Thamnophis eques obscurus (Conant, 2003)
•         Thamnophis eques patzcuaroensis (Conant, 2003)
•         Thamnophis eques scotti (Conant, 2003)
•         Thamnophis eques virgatenuis (Conant, 1963)
• Eastern Plains Garter Snake, Thamnophis radix radix, a disputed subspecies of Thamnophis radix.
•     Montane Garter Snake, Thamnophis exsul (Rossman, 1969)
•     Highland Garter Snake, Thamnophis fulvus (Bocourt, 1893)
•     Giant Garter Snake, Thamnophis gigas (Fitch, 1940)
•     Godman's Garter Snake, Thamnophis godmani (Günther, 1894)
•     Two-striped Garter Snake, Thamnophis hammondii (Kennicott, 1860)
•     Checkered Garter Snake, Thamnophis marcianus (Baird & Girard, 1853)
•     Blackbelly Garter Snake, Thamnophis melanogaster
•         Gray Blackbelly Garter Snake, Thamnophis melanogaster canescens (Smith, 1942)
•         Chihuahuan Blackbelly Garter Snake, Thamnophis melanogaster chihuahuanensis (Tanner, 1959)
•         Lined Blackbelly Garter Snake, Thamnophis melanogaster linearis (Smith, Nixon & Smith, 1950)
•         Mexican Blackbelly Garter Snake, Thamnophis melanogaster melanogaster (Peters, 1864)
• Redstripe Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis proximus rubrilineatus
•     Tamaulipan Montane Garter Snake, Thamnophis mendax (Walker, 1955)
•     Northwestern Garter Snake, Thamnophis ordinoides (Baird & Girard, 1852)
•     Western Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis proximus
•         Chiapas Highland Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis proximus alpinus (Rossman, 1963)
•         Arid Land Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis proximus diabolicus (Rossman, 1963)
•         Gulf Coast Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis proximus orarius (Rossman, 1963)
•         Western Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis proximus proximus (Say, 1823)
•         Redstripe Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis proximus rubrilineatus (Rossman, 1963)
•         Mexican Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis proximus rutiloris (Cope, 1885)
•     Plains Garter Snake, Thamnophis radix (Baird & Girard, 1853)
•     Rossman's Garter Snake, Thamnophis rossmani (Conant, 2000)
•     Narrowhead Garter Snake, Thamnophis rufipunctatus
•         Thamnophis rufipunctatus nigronuchalis (Thompson, 1957)
•         Thamnophis rufipunctatus unilabialis (Tanner, 1985)
•         Thamnophis rufipunctatus rufipunctatus (Cope, 1875)
•     Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis sauritus
•         Bluestripe Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis sauritus nitae (Rossman, 1963)
•         Peninsula Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis sauritus sackenii (Kennicott, 1859)
•         Eastern Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis sauritus sauritus (Linnaeus, 1766)
•         Northern Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis sauritus septentrionalis (Rossman, 1963)
• Common Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis
•     Longtail Alpine Garter Snake, Thamnophis scalaris (Cope, 1861)
•     Short-tail Alpine Garter Snake, Thamnophis scaliger (Jan, 1863)
•     Common Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis
•         Texas Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis annectens (Brown, 1950)
•         Texas Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis annectens
•         Red-spotted Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis concinnus (Hallowell, 1852)
•         New Mexico Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis dorsalis (Baird & Girard, 1853)
•         Valley Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi (Fox, 1951)
•         California Red-sided Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis (Blainville, 1835)
•         Thamnophis sirtalis lowei (Tanner, 1988)
•         Maritime Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis pallidula (Allen, 1899)
•         Red-sided Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis (Say, 1823)
•         Puget Sound Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis pickeringii (Baird & Girard, 1853)
•         Bluestripe Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis similis (Rossman, 1965)
•         Eastern Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis (Linnaeus, 1758)
•         Chicago Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis semifasciatus (Cope, 1892)
•         San Francisco Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia (Cope, 1875)
•     Sumichrast's Garter Snake, Thamnophis sumichrasti (Cope, 1866)
•     West Coast Garter Snake, Thamnophis valida
•         Mexican Pacific Lowlands Garter Snake, Thamnophis valida celaeno (Cope, 1860)
•         Thamnophis valida isabellae (Conant, 1953)
•         Thamnophis valida thamnophisoides (Conant, 1961)
•         Thamnophis valida valida (Kennicott, 1860)

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