Butler's garter snake

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Butler's garter snake
Thamnophis butleri.jpg

Butler's garter snake ( Thamnophis butleri )

Systematics
Subordination : Snakes (serpentes)
Superfamily : Adder-like and viper-like (Colubroidea)
Family : Adders (Colubridae)
Subfamily : Water snakes (Natricinae)
Genre : Garter Snakes ( Thamnophis )
Type : Butler's garter snake
Scientific name
Thamnophis butleri
( Cope , 1889)

Butler's garter snake ( Thamnophis butleri ), with an average length of 65 cm, is one of the smallest members of the genus garter snake ( Thamnophis ). Their distribution area is in the north of the USA .

description

The size of Butler's garter snake ranges from 50 to 74 cm, with the females becoming significantly larger than the males. The basic color varies from olive to brown to black with a yellow stripe on the back, often black dots are distributed over the back. The side stripes are orange to yellow. The top of the head is uniformly black. The color of the iris ranges from beige to brown.

distribution and habitat

Butler's garter snake is found near the Great Lakes in the United States. Here it occurs in southwestern Ontario, east Michigan, east Indiana and west Ohio. Single isolated populations are believed to exist in southeastern Wisconsin. Butler's garter snake mainly inhabits water-rich areas such as swamps and wet meadows or lives near watercourses.

Way of life

Butler's garter snake is mainly crepuscular and hides during the day under leaves, woods or bushes. The main food is smaller amphibians , fish and earthworms . A hibernation of 4 to 5 months is held, after which mating takes place between the end of March and the beginning of April. The fully developed young animals are born after 2 ½ to 3 months.

literature

  • Thomas Bourguignon: Garter Snakes. Origin, care, species , DATZ terrarium books, 2002, ISBN 3-8001-3591-4 .
  • Martin Hallmen, Jürgen Chlebowy: Garter Snakes . Natur und Tier - Verlag, 2001, ISBN 3-931-58749-5 .
  • WP Mara: garter snakes in the terrarium. Paperback (63 pages), Bede Verlag, 1995, ISBN 3-927-99779-X .
  • Frank Mutschmann : The garter snakes. Biology, dissemination, attitude. Paperback (172 pages), Westarp-Verlag, 1995, ISBN 3-894-32427-9 .

References

  1. ↑ M. Hallmen, J. Chlebowy (2001): Garter Snakes . Natur und Tier Verlag, S, 137.
  2. ↑ T. Bourguignon (2002): Garter Snakes. Eugen Ulmer Verlag, p. 52.
  3. ↑ T. Bourguignon (2002): Garter Snakes. Eugen Ulmer Verlag, p. 52.
  4. ↑ M. Hallmen, J. Chlebowy (2001): Garter Snakes . Natur und Tier Verlag, p. 137.

Web links

Commons : Butler's garter snake ( Thamnophis butleri )  - Collection of images, videos and audio files