Orange-Striped Ribbonsnake Missouri Department of Conservation

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The orange-striped ribbonsnake is a long, slender, colorful type of gartersnake. There are normally two wide, black stripes along the back and a narrow black stripe on each side. The stripe running along the middle of the back is orange or yellow. Along each side is a narrow yellow stripe. The head is black and usually has an orange, yellow, or white spot on the top. The belly is cream colored or light green and is unmarked. As with other gartersnakes, this species will secrete a foul-smelling musk from glands at the base of the tail when first captured. Similar species: Missouri has two other gartersnakes, the eastern and red-sided gartersnakes (both subspecies of the common gartersnake, Thamnophis sirtalis) and the plains gartersnake (Thamnophis radix). In addition to the description above, another key character that distinguishes the orange-striped ribbonsnake is its unmarked scales along the upper jaw (supralabial scales): they are plain white or pale green, lacking black bars; the light coloration of this "upper lip" contrasts against the ribbonsnake's dark head.