Recent ordinoides pics

[ssssnakeluvr]

Wow! Your fitchi pics on your site look a lot like the fitchis up here in the Klamath region [head with black and red]! Good to know; I thought they were all predominately black-headed (thinking intergradation with infernalis here on the coast...perhaps not!)

years ago I had a male fitchi with a totally red head!!! unfortunately he passed away. He was caught up in Idaho.

[Loren]

I think ordinoides are the most variable garter.

[anji1971]

Those are some very nice snakes!!
I'm still trying to learn and remember all these different garter subspecies, and just when I think I'm figuring something out, there's another colour variation to boot!!

[andyoconnor83]

as far as one species, and one subspecies, ordinoides take the cake on variation, but if you consider ALL T. sirtalis ssp. then there is more, ubt not within any ONE subspecies of sirtalis.

I have a pictures of at least 5 variants that I have found this year in washington alone. And I know where to find a few I haven't photograph but have seen, including melanistics...

[MoJo]

What beautiful snakes!

[Steven@HumboldtHerps]

AndyOConnor has it right. There are about 11 or 12 subspecies of sirtalis (but little variation within each group). Ordinoides is just one group, and I can't claim to know all the variations. I have come across dull and cream-striped; dull tan to light brown and patternless; red stripe on brown, black, or olive; near erythristic specimens (with red stripe or patternless); melanistic (almost patternless); and a variety of belly shades as well - light to dk gray and yellow-orange (with or without red flecking).

I should mention that hte Coast Garter (T. e. terrestris) in these parts also comes in a few polygenic morphs (a variety of red specimens with variable black spotting; red, brown, black, tan, or olive background colors; absence or presence of red belly flecking....

Just to name a few...

Steven