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types. Further, this appears to be genetically determined as this variation in diet is observed in newborn snakes from both populations. When hunting, the
Western Garter Snake's actions are chemically and visually mediated on land and in water. Regardless the habitat in which foraging takes place, both ecotypes utilize similar techniques. This consists of attacks that are both aerial and underwater. These include craning, cruising, and diving. However, coastal snakes are less likely to participate these activities.
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Coastal populations' food sources mainly include terrestrial prey such as earthworms, grubs, caterpillars, crickets, small snails, slugs, salamanders, baby rodents (such as small ground squirrels and other mammals) and small lizards or toads. By comparison, inland and montane populations prefer a far
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Coastal snakes are less likely to respond to chemical cues received from fish, which can be inferred by less rapid tongue-flicking when around them. They are also less likely to attack and ingest fish. This preference in diet is so strong that the snake will starve before eating non-preferred prey
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depends heavily on the prey available in the local area, and thus varies due to regional geographical differences. This makes the western terrestrial garter snake an excellent example of polyphagism—the adaptation of an organism to maintain a varied diet. There are two main variants that are most
347:
Most western terrestrial garter snakes have a yellow, light orange, or white dorsal stripe, accompanied by two stripes of the same color, one on each side. Some varieties have red or black spots between the dorsal stripe and the side stripes. It is an immensely variable species, and even the most
379:), involving disorganized, loose, and sometimes unstable coils and a longer time required to kill prey. Snakes from Colorado populations of terrestrial garter snakes appear to be more efficient at killing their prey by constriction than those from Pacific Coast populations.
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more “amphibious” diet of small frogs, newts, salamanders, toads and their larvae, as well as freshwater leeches, earthworms and small fish. Thus, aquatic food sources are a staple in the inland snake populations' diet.
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These differences in diet and foraging behavior between coastal and inland snake populations suggest that the species has undergone microevolution. Due to dietary and foraging differences between variants of
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This species is the only garter snake species with a well-documented tendency to constrict prey, although the constriction is inefficient when compared with the constriction of many other snakes (such as the
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occurs in a wide variety of habitats, including grasslands, woodlands, and coniferous forests, from sea level up to 3,962 m (12,999 ft). It is primarily terrestrial, although populations in the
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of mice. Several cases of mild human envenomation with local edema and other symptoms (but without any systemic symptoms) have occurred from the wandering garter snake subspecies, including in
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592:, it can be inferred that coastal populations have filled a niche in the environment that allows them to no longer rely on fish as a major food source.
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Gregory, Patrick T.; Macartney, J. Malcolm; Rivard, Donald H. (1980). "Small mammal predation and prey handling behavior by the wandering garter snake
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794:
de
Queiroz, Alan; Groen, Rebecca R. (2001). "The inconsistent and inefficient constricting behavior of Colorado Western Terrestrial Garter Snakes,
576:). Meanwhile, more inland or montane populations are often found adjacent to fresh water sources such as creeks, rivers, streams, ponds, or lakes.
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experienced herpetologists have trouble with its identification. They are medium-sized snakes, usually 46–104 cm (18–41 in).
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Gomez, H.F.; Davis, M.; Phillips, S.; McKinney, P.; Brent, J. (1984). "Human envenomation from a wandering garter snake".
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Arnold, Stevan J (August 12, 1977). "Polymorphism and
Geographic Variation in the Feeding Behavior of the Garter Snake
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Burghardt, Gordon M; Drummond, Hugh (1983). "Geographic
Variation in the Foraging Behavior of the Garter Snake,
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and marshes along the coast, often at sites where ocean saltwater meets an inland freshwater source (
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Jansen, David W (1987). "The
Myonecrotic Effect of Duvernoy's Gland secretion of the snake
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Six subspecies have been identified, although the validity of some of them is debated.
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produced venom with myonecrotic (muscle tissue-killing) effects when injected into the
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of the United States, they will often be seen hunting at or adjacent-to beaches,
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Vest, DK (1981). "Envenomation following the bite of a wandering garter snake (
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The western terrestrial garter snake does not lay eggs, but instead is
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snakes. Broods of eight to 12 young are born in August and
September.
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863:(3rd ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin. pp. 377–380.
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Frost, D.R.; Hammerson, G.A.; Hollingsworth, B. (2007).
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Field Book of Snakes of the United States and Canada
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861:A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians
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1023:. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
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890:. G.P. Putnam's Sons. New York. p. 246.
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1399:Taxa named by Charles Frédéric Girard
1394:Taxa named by Spencer Fullerton Baird
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351:Like many species of North American
1359:IUCN Red List least concern species
975:Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
622:IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
414:. An isolated population occurs in
556:prevalent: coastal and inland. As
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1017:Western Terrestrial Garter Snake"
35:Western terrestrial garter snake
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319:western terrestrial garter snake
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501:Thamnophis elegans vascotanneri
327:) is a western North American
1:
1384:Reptiles of the United States
731:10.1016/s0196-0644(94)70113-x
666:Reptarium.cz Reptile Database
539:, which is characteristic of
480:Thamnophis elegans terrestris
431:Thamnophis elegans terrestris
283:Thamnophis ordinoides elegans
929:10.1126/science.197.4304.676
719:Annals of Emergency Medicine
668:. Accessed 12 December 2014.
859:Stebbins, Robert C (2003).
560:is found along the Pacific
442:Thamnophis elegans arizonae
1415:
1389:Reptiles described in 1853
754:Thamnophis elegans vagrans
680:Thamnophis elegans vagrans
506:– Upper Basin garter snake
495:(Baird & Girard, 1853)
492:Thamnophis elegans vagrans
454:(Baird & Girard, 1853)
451:Thamnophis elegans elegans
770:10.3109/15563658108990284
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88:Scientific classification
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886:and D.D. Davis. (1941).
497:– wandering garter snake
460:Thamnophis elegans hueyi
1369:Snakes of North America
504:Tanner & Lowe, 1989
456:– mountain garter snake
445:Tanner & Lowe, 1989
1057:) at Wikimedia Commons
800:Journal of Herpetology
684:Journal of Herpetology
488:– coastal garter snake
447:– Arizona garter snake
434:
629:: e.T63976A12732762.
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365:gastrocnemius muscles
335:snake. At least five
50:T. elegans terrestris
1021:Animal Diversity Web
390:is found in central
921:1977Sci...197..676A
758:Clinical Toxicology
398:, and southwestern
58:Conservation status
1379:Reptiles of Mexico
1374:Reptiles of Canada
1119:Thamnophis_elegans
1105:Thamnophis elegans
1075:Thamnophis elegans
1051:Thamnophis elegans
1015:Thamnophis elegans
987:10.1007/bf00296931
905:Thamnophis elegans
835:Thamnophis elegans
796:Thamnophis elegans
661:Thamnophis elegans
615:Thamnophis elegans
553:Thamnophis elegans
527:are semi-aquatic.
516:Thamnophis elegans
435:
433:with dark coloring
412:Oklahoma Panhandle
388:Thamnophis elegans
324:Thamnophis elegans
296:Thamnophis elegans
207:Thamnophis elegans
18:Thamnophis elegans
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1267:Open Tree of Life
1067:Taxon identifiers
1049:Media related to
971:Thamophis elegans
915:(4304): 676–678.
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383:Geographic range
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551:The diet of
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1228:NatureServe
1176:iNaturalist
1099:Wikispecies
1027:October 23,
845:(1): 87–93.
642:11 November
521:Great Basin
343:Description
227:Subspecies
1364:Thamnophis
1353:Categories
1322:Q109519991
870:0395982723
596:References
590:T. elegans
562:West Coast
558:T. elegans
422:Subspecies
418:, Mexico.
394:, central
361:Washington
337:subspecies
306:H.M. Smith
176:Thamnophis
165:Colubridae
151:Suborder:
566:estuaries
541:natricine
183:Species:
155:Serpentes
111:Kingdom:
105:Eukaryota
1316:Wikidata
1233:2.102240
1194:10373433
1126:BioLib:
1084:Wikidata
1055:category
995:34175574
945:38341468
937:17776270
410:and the
408:Nebraska
400:Manitoba
369:Colorado
333:colubrid
243:Synonyms
161:Family:
145:Squamata
135:Reptilia
125:Chordata
121:Phylum:
115:Animalia
101:Domain:
78:IUCN 3.1
1295:5626869
1285:elegans
1168:2457545
1090:Q819220
917:Bibcode
909:Science
820:1565963
778:7273669
739:8185110
704:1564384
664:at the
570:lagoons
511:Habitat
396:Alberta
329:species
289:Ruthven
255:elegans
252:Eutania
221:, 1853)
171:Genus:
141:Order:
131:Class:
76: (
1336:209111
1292:uBio:
1272:681054
1259:103803
1207:174142
1155:790471
1129:164194
993:
943:
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486:, 1951
470:, 1923
468:Slevin
466:&
404:Canada
308:, 1956
304:&
291:, 1908
278:, 1900
266:, 1853
264:Girard
262:&
219:Girard
217:&
1246:35005
1220:63976
1189:IRMNG
1181:28398
1142:563KK
991:S2CID
941:S2CID
816:JSTOR
700:JSTOR
357:Idaho
260:Baird
215:Baird
1331:ITIS
1241:NCBI
1215:IUCN
1202:ITIS
1163:GBIF
1029:2014
933:PMID
865:ISBN
774:PMID
756:)".
735:PMID
644:2021
627:2007
547:Diet
523:and
359:and
317:The
276:Cope
235:text
1150:EoL
1137:CoL
1114:ADW
983:doi
973:".
925:doi
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808:doi
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484:Fox
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331:of
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