I'm new - Pls help identify this snake!

[RedSidedSPR]

yeah, for some reason i always forget about that Probably because im always using an iphone.

[snakehill]

The easier way, on firefox at least, is to highlight the text, right click, and do "search Google for..."

Thank you mb90078! That is much easier!

[RedSidedSPR]

Not really, but it's faster.

[BUSHSNAKE]

Thamnophis melanogaster chihuahuaensis...

[ConcinusMan]

I told you. I'm still reading Garter Snakes for Dummies!

Then learning and using the Latin names is even more important. Common names only serve to confuse.

This might help. Read the part about Taxonomy. Garter snake - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The first part of the Latin name "Thamnophis" is the genus (family) and includes all North American garters and ribbon snakes. The second part is the species, "sirtalis" for example. That is all "common garter snakes" are sirtalis but they are part of a group of different snakes and so they have third names which indicate what subspecies. CA red sided, (T.s. infernalis) SF garter,(T.s. tetrataenia) and Oregon red spotted (T.s. concinnus)are all T. sirtalis' but the third name tells you exactly what subspecies we are talking about. ONLY T. sirtalis' are considered common garter snakes and so, not all garter snakes are "common" garter snakes like you might think.

For example if you'll look at the taxonomy on that page you will see that all Thamnophis elegans are "Western Terrestrial" garters, not common garters. Each subspecies of course has it's own third name and common name. For example, even though all T. elegans' are "western terrestrial", T. elegans elegans is called "Mountain Garter" and T. elegans vagrans is called "wandering garter"

It's a lot easier to understand if you learn the Latin names first, then learn the common names attached to each species/subspecies.

Anyway, the reason it's important to use Latin names is to avoid confusion since a single species can have more than one common name. Also, two different species can have a very similar common name. "CA red sided" and "red sided" for example, are not the same subspecies, even though both are T. sirtalis or "common garter". Confused?

You won't be if you use the Latin names. T.s infernalis, and T.s. parietalis.

Anyway, you'll get the hang of it.

[ConcinusMan]

Thamnophis melanogaster chihuahuaensis...

Seems reasonably likely.

[tonyb]

Environment wing talk established scientists prefer the common name names, that just complicates the identification of the specimens.

Thanks for your opinions, I kept looking and also looks like a validus, but I would definitely stay with their comments, I'm impressed with their knowledge of these specimens. Regards

[ConcinusMan]

Más fotografías por favor. Me gustaría esto.

[tonyb]

These photos are from when I arrived (Tuesday). If you need any particular shot, you ask and what can upload more pictures . I'm fascinated by this snake.

ConcinnusMan:
Gracias, por hablarme en español!!!! Porque mi ingles es malisimo pero hacemos el esfuerzo. Mil gracias.

[ConcinusMan]

If you need any particular shot, you ask and what can upload more pictures .

OK. fotografías de la parte inferior.

ConcinnusMan:
Gracias, por hablarme en español!!!! Porque mi ingles es malisimo pero hacemos el esfuerzo. Mil gracias.

No es ningún problema.