[Daniel]

Why don´t you simply use the scientific name for snakes. It´s much easier and everybody knows what we´re talking about, without having seen the snake.

This one would be Thamnophis fulvus.

In German we also have trivial names for some snakes. There is one garter snake, that is named "Mexikanische Strumpfbandnatter" or freely translated "mexican garter snake". The scientific name for this snake is Thamnophis eques eques.

So we do have the trivial name "mexican garter snake" for Thamnophis fulvus as well as for T. e. eques. A little bit confusing, don´t you think? When using only the scientifc names you won´t have such problems.

Just my two cents.

Best wishes,

Daniel