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Thamnophis radix (BAIRD & GIRARD, 1853)

IUCN Red List - Thamnophis radix - Least Concern, LC
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Higher TaxaColubridae (Natricinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Plains Garter Snake
G: Tiefland Strumpfbandnatter, Prärie-Strumpfbandnatter 
SynonymEutainia radix BAIRD & GIRARD 1853: 34
Eutainia haydenii KENNICOTT 1860: 298
Eutainia radix KENNICOTT 1860: 299
Eutaenia radix twiningi COUES & YARROW 1878
Eutaenia radix — COPE 1900: 1026
Thamnophis radix — BURT 1935
Thamnophis radix — STEBBINS 1985: 210
Thamnophis radix — CONANT & COLLINS 1991: 167
Thamnophis radix — CROTHER 2000
Thamnophis radix haydeni — DIXON 2000
Thamnophis radix haydeni — TENNANT & BARTLETT 2000: 106
Thamnophis radix radix — TENNANT & BARTLETT 2000: 105
Thamnophis radix — WALLACH et al. 2014: 724 
DistributionS Canada (Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan),
USA (Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, E Wyoming, E Colorado, NE New Mexico, Oklahoma, N Texas, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Arkansas)

haydeni: N Texas, adjacent Oklahoma; Type locality: "Fort Pierre, Nebraska."  
Reproductionovoviviparous 
TypesHolotype: USNM 719
Holotype: USNM 707, collected by Dr. Evan [haydenii]
Holotype: USNM 9537 [Eutaenia radix twiningi] 
DiagnosisUnfortunately we had to temporarily remove additional information as this was scraped by multiple AI companies who sell that data to their customers. These details, e.g. detailed descriptions or comparisons (about 2925 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. 
CommentSubspecies: WALLEY et al. 2003 consider haydeni as a synonym of radix.

Diet: see Heptinstall et al. 2024 
EtymologyNamed after the Latin radix for"root," a possible reference to the Root River, near Racine. Wisconsin (fide Walley 2003). 
References
  • Amerongen, J. van 1981. Kweekresultaten [Breeding results]: Thamnophis radix haydeni. Litteratura Serpentium 1 (5): 201 - get paper here
  • Anton, Thomas G., Richard B. King and Bill Kleiman. 2013. Geographic Distribution: Thamnophis radix (plains gartersnake). Herpetological Review 44 (4): 630 - get paper here
  • Baird, S. F. and C. Girard. 1853. Catalogue of North American Reptiles in the Museum of the Smithsonian Institution. Part 1.-Serpents. Smithsonian Inst., Washington, xvi + 172 pp. - get paper here
  • Bavetz, Mark J. 1993. Thamnophis radix radix (Eastern Plains Garter Snake). USA: Illinois. Herpetological Review 24 (2): 69 - get paper here
  • Baxter, G.T., & Stone, M.D. 1985. Amphibians and reptiles of Wyoming, 2.ed. Wyoming Game and Fish Dept., Cheyenne, Bull. no. 16 137 pp.
  • Becker, D. 2012. Geographic distribution: Thamnophis radix (plains gartersnake). Herpetological Review 43: 450 - get paper here
  • Blackburn, D.G. & Stewart, J.R. 2011. Viviparity and placentation in snakes. In Aldridge & Sever (eds), Reproductive biology and phylogeny in snakes. CRC Press, pp. 119-181 - get paper here
  • Blanchard, Frank N. 1923. The amphibians and reptiles of Dickinson County, Iowa. Iowa Studies in Natural History 10 (2): 19-26
  • Booth, Warren; Gordon W. Schuett 2015. The emerging phylogenetic pattern of parthenogenesis in snakes. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 118 (2): 172–186, DOI: 10.1111/bij.12744
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  • Burbrink FT, Futterman I. 2019. Female‐ biased gape and body-size dimorphism in the New World watersnakes (tribe: Thamnophiini) oppose predictions from Rensch's rule. Ecol Evol. 00:1–10 - get paper here
  • Burt, Charles E. 1935. Further records of the ecology and distribution of amphibians and reptiles in the middle west. American Midland Naturalist 16 (3): 311-336 - get paper here
  • Chiszar, David;Featherman, Donnie;Fuerst, Roy;Smith, Hobart M. 1994. Observations on the herpetofauna of the indian reservations of southwestern South Dakota. Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 29 (12): 269-270 - get paper here
  • Cole, T.R.; Geluso, K.; Fogell, D.D. 2023. Geographic distribution: Thamnophis radix (Plains Gartersnake). USA: Nebraska: Boyd Co. Herpetological Review 54 (4): 603.
  • Collins, J.T. & Collins, S.L. 2009. A pocket guide to Kansas snakes, 2nd ed. Great Plains Nature Center, Wichita, 69 pp.
  • Collins, J.T. & Collins, S.L. 2010. A pocket guide to Kansas snakes, 3rd ed. Great Plains Nature Center, Wichita, 69 pp.
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  • Conant,R. & Collins,J.T. 1991. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern/Central North America, 3rd ed. Houghton Mifflin (Boston/New York), xx + 450 p.
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  • Davis, Drew R., Farkas, Jillian K., Johannsen, Rachel E., Leonard, Kalie M. and Kerby, Jacob L. 2017. Distributional records of amphibians and reptiles from South Dakota, USA. Herpetological Review 48 (1): 133-137 - get paper here
  • Degenhardt, William G.; C. W. Painter, and A. H. Price 1996. Amphibians and reptiles of New Mexico. Univ. New Mexico Press, 431 pp.
  • Dixon, James R. 2000. Amphibians and reptiles of Texas, second edition. Texas A&M University Press, 421 pp.
  • Durso, Andrew M. 2011. Geographic Distribution: Thamnophis radix (plains gartersnake). Herpetological Review 42 (3): 396 - get paper here
  • Ernst, C.H., & Barbour, R.W. 1989. Snakes of eastern North America. George Mason Univ. Press, Fairfax, VA 282 pp.
  • Fitzpatrick, B.M. et al. 2008. Distinctiveness in the face of gene flow: hybridization between specialist and generalist gartersnakes. Molecular Ecology 17: 4107–4117 - get paper here
  • Ford, N.B. & G.W. Schofield 1984. Species Specificity of Sex Pheromone Trials in the Plains Garter Snake, Thamnophis radix Herpetologica 40 (1): 51-55. - get paper here
  • Gangloff, Eric J., David Bertolatus, Christopher Reigel, and Jennifer L. Gagliardi-Seeley. 2014. Effects of sex, environment, and condition on the musking behavior of sympatric gartersnakes (Thamnophis spp.). The Journal of North American Herpetology 2014(1):40-46 - get paper here
  • Gangloff, Eric J.; Dawn M. Reding, David Bertolatus, Christopher J. Reigel, Jennifer L. Gagliardi-Seeley, and Anne M. Bronikowski 2017. Snakes in the City: Population Structure of Sympatric Gartersnakes (Thamnophis spp.) in an Urban Landscape. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 12 (2): 509–521. - get paper here
  • GROSE, LOGAN H. & KEITH GELUSO. 2022. Geographic distribution: THAMNOPHIS RADIX (Plains Gartersnake). USA: NEBRASKA: Dixon Co. Herpetological Review 53 (1): 82–83.
  • Grübner, D. 2006. Die häufigsten Strumpfbandnattern im Terrarium. Draco 6 (25): 32-39 - get paper here
  • Grübner, D. & Sonnenberg, J. 2006. Farbformen bei Strumpfbandnattern. Draco 6 (25): 77-85 - get paper here
  • Grübner, Daniel 2014. Farbformen bei Strumpfbandnattern. Ein Blick in die Vergangenheit, das Heute und die Trends von Morgen. Draco 16 (57): 16-27 - get paper here
  • HALLAS, JOSHUA M.; THOMAS L. PARCHMAN & CHRIS R. FELDMAN. 2021. Phylogenomic analyses resolve relationships among garter snakes (Thamnophis: Natricinae: Colubridae) and elucidate biogeographic history and morphological evolution. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 107374. [2022 in print] - get paper here
  • Hallmen, M. 2004. Die Prärie-Strumpfbandnatter Thamnophis radix. Natur und Tier Verlag (Münster), 64 pp. - get paper here
  • Hallmen, M. 2005. Farb- und Zeichnungszuchten in der Terraristik. Reptilia (Münster) 10 (55): 16-22 - get paper here
  • Hallmen, M. 2005. Crashkurs Kreuzungsgenetik. [English in Reptilia (GB) (44): 19]. Reptilia (Münster) 10 (55): 23-32 - get paper here
  • Hallmen, M. 2006. Selective Breeding for color and pattern. Reptilia (GB) (44): 12-18 - get paper here
  • Hallmen, M. 2007. Strumpfbandnattern -FAQ. Reptilia (Münster) 12 (67): 90-93 - get paper here
  • Hallmen, M. 2009. 10 Jahre Freilandterrarium für Schlangen - ein Erfahrungsbericht. Reptilia (Münster) 14 (78): 52-61 - get paper here
  • Hallmen, M. & Chlebowy, J. 2001. Seltene Farbformen der Prärie-Strumpfbandnatter Thamnophis radix gezüchtet. Elaphe 9 (1): 18-20 - get paper here
  • Hallmen, M. & Chlebowy, J. 2001. Strumpfbandnattern. Natur und Tier Verlag (Münster), 192 pp. - get paper here
  • Hallmen, M. & Grübner, D. 2006. Überblick über die Gattung Thamnophis. Draco 6 (25): 6-24 - get paper here
  • Hallmen, M. & Sonnenberg, J. 2006. Hilfen zur Unterscheidung einiger Unterarten und Farbformen bei Strumpfbandnattern (1.-3. T. s. sirtalis, T. s. similis; 4. T. proximus, T. sauritus, T. radix, T. s. sirtalis). Draco 6 (25): 50-59 - get paper here
  • Hallmen, Martin 2013. Minus fünfzehn Grad, na und? Erfolgreiche Überwinterung von Amphibien und Reptilien im Freilandterrarium. Draco 14 (55): 34-41 - get paper here
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  • HITCHINGS, JAROD. 2022. Geographic distribution: THAMNOPHIS RADIX (Plains Gartersnake). USA: ILLINOIS: Sangamon Co. Herpetological Review 53 (1): 82.
  • Irwin, Kelly J. 2004. Arkansas Snake Guide. Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, Little Rock, 50 pp.
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  • Jadin, Robert C. and Richard B. King 2012. Ontogenetic Effects on Snake Hemipenial Morphology. Journal of Herpetology 46 (3): 393-395. - get paper here
  • JOHNSON, SHAYLEE M. & KEITH GELUSO. 2022. Geographic distribution: THAMNOPHIS RADIX (Plains Gartersnake). USA: NEBRASKA: Hooker Co. Herpetological Review 53 (1): 83.
  • Jong, J. de 1986. Breeding results: Thamnophis radix (2x). Litteratura Serpentium 6 (2): 74 - get paper here
  • Kennicott, R. 1860. Zoological report. No. 4. Report upon the reptiles collected on the survey. In: Stevens, I.I. (Ed.), Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, made under the direction of the Secretary of War, in 1853-5. Route ne - get paper here
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  • Pilgrim, Melissa A; Terence M Farrell, Peter G May, Marcus. R Vollman, and Richard A Seigel 2011. Secondary Sex Ratios in Six Snake Species. Copeia 2011 (4): 553-558. - get paper here
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  • Ridlon, R.W., Jr. 1985. Scanning Electron Microscopy of the Tongue of the Snake, Thamnophis radix Journal of Herpetology 19 (4): 536-538. - get paper here
  • Rossman, Douglas A.; Ford, Neil B. & Seigel, Richard A. 1996. The Garter Snakes: Evolution and Ecology. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, OK, xx + 332 + pp.
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