The Chicago garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis semifasciatus), is a subspecies of the common garter snake native to the Chicago, United States, region. It was described by Edward Drinker Cope in 1892, and can be found in the vicinity of rural waterways in northeastern Illinois, such as Piscasaw Creek in Boone County and McHenry County, Illinois.[2]
| Chicago garter snake | |
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| Adult Thamnophis sirtalis ssp. semifasciatus in Illinois Beach State Park | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Thamnophis |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | T. s. semifasciatus
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| Trinomial name | |
| Thamnophis sirtalis semifasciatus (Cope, 1892)
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| Synonyms | |
Description
editIdentification
editThe Illinois Natural History Survey describes the Chicago garter snake as a medium-sized, up to 100 cm (39 in) in total length, including the tail), dark brown or black snake with a yellow or gray mid-back stripe, a yellow stripe on each side, and a gray-green belly with dark spots on the edges of most of the belly scales. The snake's head is usually without parietal light spots. Some specimens have red coloring between the side scales.[2]
One feature that distinguishes the Chicago garter snake from other garter snake subspecies, especially the eastern garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis), is, in Thamnophis sirtalis semifasciatus, the snake's side stripe is broken, near the snake's head, into a dashed line by black crossbars.[2]
Habitat
editThe snake prefers forest and edge habitats near a body of water. It is a cold-tolerant snake that occasionally emerges from hibernation to bask on warm winter days. The snake emerges from hibernation upon the spring thaw (March or April), and typically mates immediately after. The females, like other garter snakes, give birth to a clutch of 15–80 live young; parturition is typically in July through early October. The newborn snakes are 15–20 cm (6–8 in) in total length.[2]
Its diet includes fish, amphibians, young birds, and invertebrates such as earthworms, slugs, and snails. The snake is often killed by human beings and by predatory vertebrates, especially hawks and owls.[2]
References
edit- ^ Boulenger, G.A. 1893. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume I., Containing the Families...Colubridæ Aglyphæ, part. Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). London. xiii + 448 pp. + Plates I. - XXVIII. (Tropidonotus ordinatus Var. sirtalis, pp. 206-207.)
- ^ a b c d e "Thamnophis sirtalis - Common Garter Snake". Illinois Natural History Survey. Archived from the original on 2010-10-24. Retrieved 2011-02-08.
Further reading
edit- Cope, E.D. 1892. A critical review of the characters and variations of the snakes of North America. Proc. U.S. Natl. Mus. 14: 589-694. (Eutænia sirtalis semifasciata, p. 662.)