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Are these blue-stripped garter snakes?

cyricc Nov 15, 2005 05:24 PM

I was hiking in St. Marks NWR in the Florida panhandle and found these guys

I initially thought they were blue-stripped garter snakes but the bigger one has no dorsal stripe, so I don't know anymore. Could it be a blue-stripped ribbon snake instead?

This one has the stripe but it is yellowish, so is this just the florida blue form of the eastern?

Thanks

Replies (2)

PiersonH Nov 16, 2005 03:06 PM

Similis from the northwestern part of their range generally lack the vertebral stripe. About 80% of the adults I've found in Wakulla, Jefferson, and Taylor Counties are like that.

I actually started working at SMNWR about 3 weeks ago and have only found one 'pure' Bluestripe here, sadly a fresh DOR. I'd be interested in knowing where on the refuge you saw those individuals if you're comfortable with sharing. You can send me a private message off the boards if you'd prefer.

Gorgeous photos!
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Pierson Hill

PiersonH Nov 16, 2005 03:10 PM

Should have waited for all the pics to load! The juvenile in the last two photos is what I'd call an intergrade Eastern (sirtalis sirtalis) X Bluestripe. Pure similis from farther East rarely have a background color other than black or charcoal grey. I've caught two nearly identical to that in the past week.
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Pierson Hill

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