THE COMMON
GARTER SNAKE
Thamnophis sirtalis (Jackson and Mirick, 1996)
Thamnophis sirtalis
From:
Tham = pretty
ophi = snake
From:
sirtalis = like garter, in reference to the snakes similarity to men's black garters

Snakes are the most successful of all living reptiles. They range farther north and to higher altitudes and are adapted to a much wider range of environmental conditions. The common garter snake is no exception. It is the most widely distributed snake in North America. Thamnophis sirtalis is a medium sized snake with an average length of 60 cm in length and has a varied pattern.



For more information about the Hamilton Harbour ecosystem see:
The Hamilton Harbour Home Page



This site was designed by Ryan Lee as part of a research project at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.