The Garter Snake Bible

[guidofatherof5]

I would strongly recommend this book to any keeper of the Thamnophis. This is the best reference out there when it comes to these wonderful snakes. Plenty of color photos, range maps, etc. Rossman, Ford and Seigel put out a complete product here. Every time I read it I learn something new.
I've also posted a list of current recognized species and subspecies of Thamnophis. Please let me know of any changes I'm not aware of.
35 different species and 52 subspecies. AWESOME!


1. Thamnophis angustirostris (Longnose Garter Snake)

2. Thamnophis atratus (Pacific Coast Aquatic Garter Snake)
T. a. atratus (Santa Cruz garter snake)
T. a. hydrophilus (Oregon garter snake)
T. a. zaxanthus (Diablo Range garter snake)

3. Thamnophis bogerti (Bogert's Garter Snake)

4. Thamnophis brachystoma (Short-Headed Garter Snake)

5. Thamnophis butleri (Butler's Garter Snake)

6. Thamnophis chrysocephalus (Golden-Headed Garter Snake)

7. Thamnophis conanti (Conant's Garter Snake)

8. Thamnophis couchii (Sierra Garter Snake)

9. Thamnophis cyrtopsis (Black-Necked Garter Snake)
T. c. collaris (Tropical blackneck garter snake)
T. c. cyrtopsis (Western blackneck garter snake)
T. c. ocellatus (Eastern blackneck garter snake)

10. Thamnophis elegans (Western Terrestial Garter Snake)
T. e. elegans (Mountain garter snake)
T. e. terrestris (Coast garter snake)
T. e. vagrans (Wandering garter snake)

11. Thamnophis eques (Mexican Garter Snake)
T. e. eques (Mexican garter snake)
T. e. carmenensis
T. e. cuitzeoensis
T. e. diluvialis
T. e. insperatus
T. e. obscurus
T. e. patzcuaroensis
T. e. scotti
T. e. megalops (Northern Mexican garter snake)
T. e. virgatenuis

12. Thamnophis errans (Mexican Wandering Garter Snake)

13. Thamnophis exsul (Exiled Garter Snake)

14. Thamnophis fulvus (Mesoamerican Highlands Garter Snake)

15. Thamnophis gigas (Giant Garter Snake)

16. Thamnophis godmani (Godman's Garter Snake)

17. Thamnophis hammondii (Two-Striped Garter Snake)

18. Thamnophis lineri (Liner's Garter Snake)

19. Thamnophis marcianus (Checkered Garter Snake)
T. m. bovallii
T. m. marcianus
T. m. praeocularis

20. Thamnophis melanogaster (Mexican Black-Bellied Garter Snake)
T. m. canescens (Gray blackbelly garter snake)
T. m. chihuahuaensis (Chihuahuan blackbelly garter snake)
T. m. linearis (Lined blackbelly garter snake)
T. m. melanogaster (Mexican blackbelly garter snake)

21. Thamnophis mendax (Tamaulipan Montane Garter Snake)

22. Thamnophis nigronuchalis (Southern Durango Spotted Garter Snake)

23. Thamnophis ordinoides (Northwestern Garter Snake)

24. Thamnophis postremus (Tepalcatepec Valley Garter Snake)

25. Thamnophis proximus (Western Ribbon Snake)
T. p. alpinus (Chiapas Highland ribbon snake)
T. p. diabolicus (Aridland ribbon snake)
T. p. orarius (Gulf coast ribbon snake)
T. p. proximus (Western ribbon snake)
T. p. rubrilineatus (Redstripe ribbon snake)
T. p. rutiloris (Mexican ribbon snake)

26. Thamnophis pulchrilatus (Yellow-Throated Garter Snake)

27. Thamnophis radix (Great Plains Garter Snake, Plains Garter Snake)

28. Thamnophis rossmani (Rossman's Garter Snake)

29. Thamnophis rufipunctatus (Narrow-Headed Garter Snake)

30. Thamnophis sauritus (Eastern Ribbon Snake)
T. s. nitae (Bluestripe ribbon snake)
T. s. sackenii (Peninsula ribbon snake)
T. s. sauritus (Eastern ribbon snake)
T. s. septentrionalis (Northern ribbon snake)

31. Thamnophis scalaris (Mexican Alpine Blotched Garter Snake, Longtail Alpine Garter Snake)

32. Thamnophis scaliger (Mesa Central Blotched Garter Snake, Short-tail Alpine Garter Snake)

33. Thamnophis sirtalis (Common Garter Snake)
T. s. annectens (Texas garter snake)
T. s. concinnus (Red-spotted garter snake)
T. s. dorsalis (New Mexico garter snake)
T. s. fitchi (Valley garter snake)
T. s. infernalis (California red-sided garter snake)
T. s. pallidulus (Maritime garter snake)
T. s. parietalis (Red-sided garter snake)
T. s. pickeringii (Puget Sound garter snake)
T. s. semifasciatus (Chicago garter snake)
T. s. similis (Blue-striped garter snake)
T. s. sirtalis (Eastern garter snake)
T. s. tetrataenia (San Francisco garter snake)

34. Thamnophis sumichrasti (Sumichrast's Garter Snake)

35. Thamnophis validus (Mexican Pacific Lowlands Garter Snake)
T. v. celaeno
T. v. isabelleae
T. v. thamnophisoides
T. v. validus

[joeysgreen]

I've seen that book and it's on my list to get but what date was it published? The cover photo makes it look ancient.

[BUSHSNAKE]

96. Theres been a few species described after 96 so theyre not in the book

[guidofatherof5]

96. Theres been a few species described after 96 so theyre not in the book

Any taxonomy you can post?

[gazzamann]

Very good book I must say the best I've read regarding garter by far well worth the money

[joeysgreen]

Search results | The Reptile Database

I use reptile-database for my most up to date taxonomy.

From the above search: (also turned up a few snakes from Mexico I wasn't familiar with... always learning

Adelophis foxi ROSSMAN & BLANEY, 1968
Thamnophis angustirostris (KENNICOTT, 1860)
Thamnophis atratus KENNICOTT, 1860
Thamnophis bogerti ROSSMAN & BURBRINK, 2005
Thamnophis brachystoma (COPE, 1892)
Thamnophis butleri (COPE, 1889)
Thamnophis chrysocephalus (COPE, 1885)
Thamnophis conanti ROSSMAN & BURBRINK, 2005
Thamnophis couchii (KENNICOTT, 1859)
Thamnophis cyrtopsis (KENNICOTT, 1860)
Thamnophis elegans (BAIRD & GIRARD, 1853)
Thamnophis eques (REUSS, 1834)
Thamnophis exsul ROSSMAN, 1969
Thamnophis fulvus (BOCOURT, 1893)
Thamnophis gigas FITCH, 1940
Thamnophis godmani (GÜNTHER, 1894)
Thamnophis hammondii (KENNICOTT, 1860)
Thamnophis lineri ROSSMAN & BURBRINK, 2005
Thamnophis marcianus (BAIRD & GIRARD, 1853)
Thamnophis melanogaster (WIEGMANN, 1830)
Thamnophis mendax WALKER, 1955
Thamnophis nigronuchalis THOMPSON, 1957
Thamnophis ordinoides (BAIRD & GIRARD, 1852)
Thamnophis postremus SMITH, 1942
Thamnophis proximus (SAY, 1823)
Thamnophis pulchrilatus (COPE, 1885)
Thamnophis radix (BAIRD & GIRARD, 1853)
Thamnophis rossmani CONANT, 2000
Thamnophis rufipunctatus (COPE, 1875)
Thamnophis sauritus (LINNAEUS, 1766)
Thamnophis scalaris COPE, 1861
Thamnophis scaliger (JAN, 1863)
Thamnophis sirtalis (LINNAEUS, 1758)
Thamnophis sumichrasti (COPE, 1866)
Thamnophis valida (KENNICOTT, 1860)
Tropidoclonion lineatum (HALLOWELL, 1856)

[Jeff B]

It is a good book. An updated version would be nice though, and throw in a bunch of new morph pics

[Tommytradix]

Definitely a great book. I have a copy thanks to steve bringing it to my attention a couple months back

[Thamnophisbox]

Strumpfbandnattern - Martin Hallmen & Jürgen Chlebowy
also a great book, but in german :P

[guidofatherof5]

I have but can't read it. The photo are great.