Northern Mexican gartersnake (Thamnophis eques megalops)
Taxonomy:
Listing Status:
Where Listed: WHEREVER FOUND
General Information
The northern Mexican gartersnake may occur with other native gartersnake species and can be difficult for people without herpetological expertise to identify. With a maximum known length of 44 inches (in) (112 centimeters (cm)), it ranges in background color from olive to olive-brown to olive-gray with three stripes that run the length of the body. The middle dorsal stripe is yellow and darkens toward the tail. The pale yellow to light-tan lateral stripes distinguish the Mexican gartersnake from other sympatric (co-occurring) gartersnake species because a portion of the lateral stripe is found on the fourth scale row, while it is confined to lower scale rows for other species. Throughout its rangewide distribution, the northern Mexican gartersnake occurs at elevations from 130 to 8,497 feet (ft) (40 to 2,590 meters (m)) (Rossman et al. 1996, p. 172). The northern Mexican gartersnake is considered a riparian obligate (restricted to riparian areas when not engaged in dispersal behavior) and occurs chiefly in the following general habitat types: (1) Source-area wetlands [e.g., cienegas (mid-elevation wetlands with highly organic, reducing (basic, or alkaline) soils), stock tanks (small earthen impoundment), etc.]; (2) large river riparian woodlands and forests; and (3) streamside gallery forests (as defined by well-developed broadleaf deciduous riparian forests with limited, if any, herbaceous ground cover or dense grass).
- States/US Territories in which the Northern Mexican gartersnake, Wherever found is known to or is believed to occur: Arizona , New Mexico
- US Counties in which the Northern Mexican gartersnake, Wherever found is known to or is believed to occur: View All
- USFWS Refuges in which the Northern Mexican gartersnake, Wherever found is known to occur:
Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge, San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge
- Countries in which the the Northern Mexican gartersnake, Wherever found is known to occur: Mexico
| Status | Date Listed | Lead Region | Where Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-07-08 | Southwest Region (Region 2) | Wherever found |
» Federal Register Documents
| Date | Citation Page | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-07-08 00:00:00.0 | 79 FR 38677 38746 | Threatened Status for the Northern Mexican Gartersnake and Narrow-Headed Gartersnake; Final Rule |
» Recovery
No recovery information is available for the Northern Mexican gartersnake.
» Critical Habitat
| Date | Citation Page | Title | Document Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-07-10 | 78 FR 41549 41608 | Designation of Critical Habitat for the Northern Mexican Gartersnake and Narrow-Headed Gartersnake: Proposed Rule | Proposed Rule | Proposed |
To learn more about critical habitat please see http://ecos.fws.gov/crithab
» Conservation Plans
No conservation plans have been created for Northern Mexican gartersnake.
» Petitions
» Life History
No Life History information has been entered into this system for this species.
» Other Resources
NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.
ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.
FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video.
