Taxonomic discussion

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I personally think that florida blue easterns should be their own subspecies... or something. They are simply way too different from all other easterns to be just typical easterns in my book. You look at any other eastern garter and you would have no clue where it came from. You look at the FL blues and you can identify them in a heartbeat, EVEN when they have no blue. They have a different head and body shape than other sirtalis, especially as babies. And I noticed on my female that she has VERY large rear teeth (fangs) the likes of which I have never seen on other easterns. Their scales are even more keeled than my other easterns and there is just so much about them tht I notice that is so different from ALL other sirtalis.

[Zephyr]

I personally think that florida blue easterns should be their own subspecies... or something. They are simply way too different from all other easterns to be just typical easterns in my book. You look at any other eastern garter and you would have no clue where it came from. You look at the FL blues and you can identify them in a heartbeat, EVEN when they have no blue. They have a different head and body shape than other sirtalis, especially as babies. And I noticed on my female that she has VERY large rear teeth (fangs) the likes of which I have never seen on other easterns. Their scales are even more keeled than my other easterns and there is just so much about them tht I notice that is so different from ALL other sirtalis.

I agree.
They have a more pronounced dorsal stripe as well.
There's definitely more of a difference between them and other easterns than there is between sirtalis sirtalis and sirtalis pallidulus.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

yes... a LOT. haha. In fact.... I don't really see anything alike between the FL blue sirtalis and other sirtalis... everything about their patterns, body shapes... enlarged rear teeth (can someone check out their fl blues and see if they notice this too?)