Black-necked Gartersnake
Thamnophis cyrtopsis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyColubridae (Colubrid Snakes)
- GenusThamnophis (Garter Snakes)
- SpeciesThamnophis cyrtopsis (Black-necked Gartersnake)
About the Black-necked Gartersnake
Common names: blackneck garter snake, black-neck garter snake Thamnophis cyrtopsis, the blackneck garter snake, is a species of garter snake of the genus Thamnophis. It is native to the southwestern United States, Mexico and Guatemala, and can be found in a wide range of different habitats, often near water sources.
There are three recognized subspecies of the blackneck garter snake, two of which, Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis and Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus, are described below. Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis (Kennicott, 1860) The western blackneck garter snake may attain 107 cm (42 inches) in total length. The snake is colored dark olive with an orange-yellow stripe that is displayed on the middle of the body from the top while the underside is usually a cream or light shade of gray. The western blackneck is a water snake that lives near rivers, swims, and eats small fish and tadpoles.
Thamnophis cyrtopsis ocellatus (Cope, 1880) The eastern blackneck garter snake is smaller than the western blackneck garter snake, with an average total length of less than 51 cm (20 inches). It is frequently... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Saguaro National Park
Checkered Garter Snake
Thamnophis marcianus
Gopher Snake
Pituophis catenifer
Long-nosed Snake
Rhinocheilus lecontei
Coachwhip
Masticophis flagellum
Desert Kingsnake
Lampropeltis splendida
Desert Nightsnake
Hypsiglena chlorophaea
Sonoran Whipsnake
Masticophis bilineatus
California King Snake
Lampropeltis californiae
Banded Sand Snake
Sonora cincta
Western Patch-nosed Snake
Salvadora hexalepis
Sonoran Lyre Snake
Trimorphodon lambda
Ringneck Snake
Diadophis punctatus
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Guadalupe Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Black-necked Gartersnake in Saguaro National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Black-necked Gartersnake sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 234 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Black-necked Gartersnake in Saguaro National Park?
July has the highest sighting rate for Black-necked Gartersnake in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.