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[jtvl5]

Hi I am a Biology student at Carroll College in Helena, MT and am working on a thesis project involving melanistic garter snakes. There is a local population here and I am trying to determine the species. I would like to know where everyone else has found melanistic individuals and their species. I sure appreciate the help. Here is a snake we found that is pretty cool.

Thanks,

J.T.

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff11/jvanleuv/IMG_0867.jpg
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff11/jvanleuv/IMG_0862.jpg

[adamanteus]

Hi James, and welcome to the forum.:)
The only naturally occurring melanistic Garter Snake I've heard of is Thamnophis sirtalis sirtlalis.
Good luck with your thesis.

[Snaky]

Have a look at this article:
http://www.thamnophis.com/caresheets/index.php?title=Genetics
I don't know about more melanistic garters than in the article.

Welcome to the forum and enjoy it here :)

[Odie]

Hi, from Oregon, James :)

[Lulu Bennett]

Hi James, welcome to the forum and i hope you find what you are looking for
Lulu xxx

[enigma200316]

Hi, and welcome to the forum.......................:)

[enigma200316]

by looking at the markings at the back of the snake I'd say it probably is
a T. s. sirtalis (Eastern) any one else care to venture a thought.......:)

[Stefan-A]

Welcome aboard, James. :)

[ssssnakeluvr]

It's probably a wandering garter, thamnophis elegans vagrans. Scott Felzer acquired one a few years ago, totally black, no white on the chin like melanistic sirtalis sirtalis.

Adamanteus: Scott Felzer got a melanistic wandering, all black from Montana a few years ago, we have hypermelanistic wanderings in Utah. I have also read about melanistic maritime garters on St George Island.....

[salzar]

welcome to the site , cool snake , never seen one like that !!!

bye
michelle

[adamanteus]

Adamanteus: Scott Felzer got a melanistic wandering, all black from Montana a few years ago, we have hypermelanistic wanderings in Utah. I have also read about melanistic maritime garters on St George Island.....

Wow! I never heard of any of those. I bet you'll be the first one on the forum to get specimens!:D

[anji1971]

Hello, and welcome to the forum! That is a very cool snake in the photos!

[tikichick]

Welcome! Very interesting variation on that snake.

[jtvl5]

so where has everyone found black ones in the wild? I have heard of them in Ohio, Nova Scotia, Oregon, California, Ontario, Utah and Montana. Thanks everyone, here is a few more pics.

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff11/jvanleuv/IMG_0432.jpg
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff11/jvanleuv/IMG_0895.jpg

jt

[GarterGuy]

Welcome to the forum James. Wow....nice bin 'o snakes you've got there. I'd have to agree with Don, your melanistic is probably a T.e.vagrans. To be sure I'd do some scale counts. T.e.vagrans has 19-21 rows of scales and has 8 upper labials with the 6th and 7th enlarged. T.s.sirtalis has 19 scale rows and 7 upper labials. Hope this helps.

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

wow that is a great bin of snakes wow, where do u find all those? isnt one of those a california red-sided but u dont live in california do u?

[drache]

there are melanistic vagrans in our classifieds, but i doubt there are any left

[Sid]

Welcome to the forum, James. Great photos of an unusual speciman.

[ssssnakeluvr]

that's definitely a wandering....looks like the hypermelanistics here in Utah....check with Brian Eager, has photos...mine is hibernating, but I might have a photo of him. the background colors and pattern are definitely vagrans. very nice snake!!!!! I don't have any photos ....drat.. theres an ad from Brian with a photo of one.