Order: Squamata
Family: Leptotyphlopidae (blind snakes)
Other common names: worm snake
Spanish names: culebra

Distinguishing Features

This small snake, which is about as thick as a pencil lead on average, reaches a maximum length of 16 inches (40 cm). It is usually pale brown, pink, purplish, or beige with a silver sheen. The hard, shiny scales on the underside are similar in appearance to those on the back, except lighter in color. The head and tail are blunt, with a spine at the tail tip. Vestigial eyes appear as spots under the head scales. Teeth are lacking from the upper jaw.

Range

In the northern part of its range, the western blind snake occurs from southern California to western Texas. Continuing south into Mexico, it is found in all of Baja California and western and north-central Mexico.

Habitat

Found from below sea level to 5000 feet (1500 m), the western blind snake prefers moist, loose soils suitable for burrowing. This may include the sandy washes or canyon bottoms of mountain brushy areas or desert grasslands.

Life History

By spending most of its life underground, the western blind snake has no need for visual acuity. While not entirely blind, it does have vestigial eyes thought to be capable of seeing light only. If disturbed, it will writhe and wiggle its tail to focus attention here instead of on the head. Preyed upon by a wide variety of animals, including birds, mammals, snakes, fish and even spiders, the western blind snake is a specialist in its culinary desires: ants and termites along with their eggs, pupae, and larvae. Millipedes and centipedes are also occasionally eaten. When searching for food, a western blind snake will hunt until it finds an ant pheromone trail and follow it back to the nest to consume the residents. The smooth, tightly overlapping scales provide protection against the bites and stings of ants. This small serpent shares a feature with the much larger boas and pythons—the remains of a pelvic girdle and femur, complete with a tiny spur! A secretive, nocturnal snake, the blind snake lays up to 7 eggs in mid summer.

Order: Squamata
Family: Boidae (boas)
Spanish names: corua del desierto

Description

This heavy-bodied, medium-sized snake reaches a length of 3¼ feet (107 cm). The eyes have cat-like vertical pupils; the long, pointed head is barely distinguishable from the neck. Shades of beige, slate blue, or rose on the back are adorned with 3 brown or gray stripes that run the length of the body. The light, creamy or gray underside has flecking of gray or black. Males have a spur on either side of the anal opening.

Range

The rosy boa is restricted to southern California, southwestern Arizona, and northwestern Mexico.

Habitat

The rosy boa inhabits desert foothills with rocks and boulders from sea level to 4500 feet (1400 m). Although this snake prefers rocky terrain where crevices make safe homes, it occasionally is spotted in shrublands or chaparral without rocky areas, although this is unusual.

Life History

Active principally at night, the rosy boa eats birds and mammals. Boas and pythons, unlike most snakes, have a vestigial pelvic girdle complete with rudimentary femur bones. These can be seen as anal spurs located on either side of the anal opening. More pronounced in the male, these shiny, almost metallic looking spurs are used in courtship to gently stroke the female. Mating takes place in spring; females give birth to as many as twelve young in late fall. The young are about 1 foot (90 cm) long at birth.

Order: Squamata
Family: Colubridae (colubrid snakes)
Spanish name: culebra de agua

Distinguishing Features

Garter snakes in the Sonoran Desert region are slender with a maximum length of 3¼ feet (106 cm). Most species have light-colored stripes on the top and sides of an otherwise olive-green or dark body. There are many different kinds of garter snakes, but only two will be discussed here. They are the black-necked garter snake (Thamnophis cyrtopsis) and the checkered garter snake (Thamnophis marcianus). They can be distinguished from each other by the position of the side stripe: this stripe is confined to the second and third scale rows on T. cyrtopsis and the third scale row on T. marcianus. Also the black-necked garter snake has 2 large black blotches behind the head, while the checkered garter snake has large, squarish, dark blotches in a checkered pattern on its body.

Checkered garter snake

Range

Both species are found throughout the Sonoran Desert. Additionally, T. cyrtopsis ranges from southeastern Utah to Guatamala and from central Texas to central and southern Arizona. Isolated populations occur in the Hualapai Mountains, Burro Creek, and Ajo mountains in western Arizona. T. marcianus is found in southwestern Kansas south to Zacatecas and northern Veracruz, Mexico, and from east-central Texas to south central Arizona and east-central Sonora, Mexico. A disjunct population occurs around the juncture of California, Arizona, northern Baja California, and Sonora, Mexico.

Habitat

Both species are semi-aquatic, generally found in or near bodies of water ranging from streams to canals, ponds, and cattle tanks. The black-necked garter snake is found from desert through mixed conifer forest, as well as tropical habitats in Mexico. The checkered garter snake usually inhabits lowland river systems, ponds, springs, streams, rivers, and irrigation ditches in arid and semiarid regions. Occasionally it is found in oak-pine woodlands.

Life History

Both species feed on aquatic or semi-aquatic prey, including fish, frogs, toads, tadpoles, worms, salamanders, and crustaceans. Lizards, small mammals, and birds may also be eaten. Garter snakes are live-bearers, generally giving birth to 6 to 18 young in the summer. If disturbed, garter snakes will bite, defecate, and emit foul-smelling musk to deter the intruder.

Comments

Garter snake habitat is disappearing throughout the Sonoran Desert due to habitat destruction and fragmentation. Garter snake numbers have also declined due to competition with and predation by introduced species such as bullfrogs and sunfish. These introduced animals eat small snakes as well as the fishes and tadpoles which are food for garter snakes.

Order: Squamata
Family: Colubridae (colubrid snakes)
Other common names: desert kingsnake, black kingsnake, California kingsnake
Spanish names: culebra

Distinguishing Features

A long, slender, harmless snake, the common kingsnake reaches lengths of approximately 3¼ feet (100 cm) in Arizona, although rare specimens reach 6 feet (180 cm). In most of the Sonoran Desert it is a dark brown or black snake with narrower bands of yellow, white, or cream going around the body, widening on the belly. However, there is considerable variation in pattern throughout the range. In some parts of the range (southern Arizona) the common kingsnake is entirely dark with no light bands, while in other areas the bands degenerate into a speckled appearance. In California, this species can have a single stripe that runs from behind the head to the tail. The scales are smooth and glossy in appearance.

Range

This is a widespread species, found coast-to-coast in the United States from southern New Jersey to Southern Florida, and west through California and southern Oregon. In Mexico this species is found through much of Baja California and mainland Mexico, south to northern Sinaloa, San Luis Potosí and northern Tamaulipas.

Habitat

A habitat generalist, the common kingsnake has been found in deserts, riparian areas, woodlands, forests, and farmland from sea level to 7000 feet (2100 m).

Life History

Active in early morning and late afternoon when the weather is mild, the common kingsnake becomes nocturnal with the onset of extreme heat in summer. An opportunistic feeder, it will eat many things including lizards, birds, mammals, frogs, bird eggs, and snakes (including rattlesnakes). When a rattlesnake encounters a kingsnake, or its odor, it will not rattle. Instead it slightly elevates the front portion of its body in a line horizontal to the ground, making itself appear large, a behavior known as body bridging. Once seen, body bridging is easily distinguished from the more frequently seen defensive coil of all rattlesnakes. Body bridging does not deter a hungry kingsnake. The kingsnake, highly tolerant of and perhaps immune to the rattlesnake’s venom, will bite the rattlesnake behind the head; coils of the kingsnake’s body are then thrown around the rattlesnake, constricting it until death results. Sometimes the kingsnake will begin consuming the rattlesnake before it is dead.

When confronted, the common kingsnake may hiss, strike, and rattle its tail or hide its head in coils of its body, releasing a foul-smelling musk. Five to 17 eggs are laid in mid summer, hatching occurs in late summer and early fall.

Order: Squamata
Family: Colubridae (colubrid snakes)
Spanish names: coralillo

Distinguishing Features

This slender snake reaches lengths of slightly over 3 feet (90 cm). While there is considerable variation in pattern and color, generally this snake is banded or blotched with black, white, and usually red; red may be entirely absent in some individuals. The belly is cream or yellowish with some dark spotting on the sides. The lower jaw is countersunk. This snake is easily confused with the venomous coral snake due to the similarity in color banding pattern. The longnose snake can be distinguished from the coral snake by its long nose, its light colored flecking on the nose (within dark fields) and by body bands that do not completely encircle the body. Additionally, color sequencing is generally different.

Range

The longnose snake is found throughout the southwestern United States, in northern Baja California, and south to San Luis Potosí and southern Taumalipas in Mexico.

Habitat

The longnose snake is found in desertscrub, grassland, chaparral, and tropical habitats below 5400 feet (1650 m). It prefers brushy, rocky areas.

Life History

When disturbed, the longnose snake writhes and twists its body, vibrates its tail, and defecates feces and blood from its anal opening. An excellent burrower if the soil is sandy, it can also retreat under rocks or into rock crevices or rodent burrows, if necessary. In warmer parts of its range, the longnose snake may lay 2 clutches of 4 to 11 eggs per year, while in cooler portions of its range only 1 egg clutch per year is laid. Active primarily at night, it feeds on many things including lizards, lizard eggs, small snakes, small mammals, and sometimes birds.

Order: Squamata
Family: Colubridae (colubrid snakes)
Other common name: red racer
Spanish names: chirrionero, alicantre

Description

This long, slender snake reaches lengths of 3 to 8¼ feet (90-260 cm) long. Quite variable in color, it can be tan, gray, pink, black, reddish-brown, or any combination of these colors. Broad crossbars may be present. The scales are smooth and the eyes large; the head is distinct from the body. Unlike the adults, young may have obvious dark brown or black blotches or bands on a light brown background. This snake receives its name from the braided appearance of its scales which resemble the whip used by stagecoach drivers in earlier days.

Range

This is a wide-ranging species occurring throughout the southwestern United States south through Baja California and Mexico (except the Sierra Madre).

Habitat

This common snake is found in deserts, prairies, grasslands, woodlands, thornscrub, and even cultivated lands. It is found from below sea level to 7700 feet (2350 m) in hilly or flat lands, rocky or sandy soils.

Life History

Active during the morning and late afternoon, the coachwhip is often seen crossing roads. A speedy snake, it has been clocked at 3.6 miles per hour. The coachwhip is a nervous snake and may retreat into rocks or rodent burrows when threatened, but it is just as likely to approach an intruder hissing, striking, and possibly shaking its tail; it will bite if handled. During summer 4 to 20 eggs are laid, hatching 44 to 88 days later. Young and adults feed on mammals, birds, bird and reptile eggs, lizards, snakes, carrion, and insects; the prey is seized and swallowed without being killed.

Order: Squamata
Family: Colubridae
Spanish names: alicantre, chirrionero

Description

The Sonoran whipsnake is a long, slender snake reaching lengths between 2 and 5 feet (60 to 150 cm). The head is broad with large eyes. It is olive or bluish-gray fading to yellow towards the tail, with 2 or 3 light-colored stripes on each side. The belly is cream fading to pale yellow towards the tail.

Range

Chiefly a Mexican species, the Sonoran whipsnake enters the United States in extreme southwestern New Mexico and southeastern to west-central Arizona. In Mexico, it is found south to Oaxaca.

Habitat

The Sonoran whipsnake is most commonly found in rocky canyons, riparian areas, foothills and mountains with dense vegetation in elevations up to 6100 feet (1800 m). However, this snake is also found in open creosote bush flats. It is equally at home on the ground or in low, shrubby vegetation. Look for the Sonoran whipsnake in areas with ocotillos, saguaros, and palo verdes, but also in chaparral, cottonwood, juniper, and pine-oak forests.

Life History

This fast-moving snake is primarily active in the early morning from March to October. When hunting, the Sonoran whipsnake may elevate its head off the ground and scan the surrounding area for possible prey. When a bird, lizard or frog is spotted, the snake will seize and swallow the prey without killing it first. Six to 13 eggs are laid in June and July.

The Sonoran whipsnake bites readily if handled.

Order: Squamata
Family: Colubridae (colubrid snakes)
Spanish names: culebra, coralillo

Distinguishing Features

The western shovelnose snake is small, reaching 10 to 17 inches (25 to 43 cm). As the name implies, the snout is flattened and shovel-shaped. The lower jaw is deeply inset. The dark brown or black bands may be saddle-like or may encircle the body. The basic ground color is cream, whitish, or yellow. Red or orange saddles may or may not be present between the dark saddles. The scales are smooth.

Range

Strictly a desert dweller, this snake is restricted to southeastern California, southern Nevada, southwestern and central Arizona, northeastern Baja California, and northwestern Sonora, Mexico.

Habitat

This snake is found in loose sandy areas such as washes, dunes, sandy flats and rocky hillsides that have sandy areas between the rocks. Vegetation is usually sparse and may include creosote bushes, grasses, cacti, and mesquite.

Life History

The underset lower jaw, muscular body, smooth scales, and shovel-shaped nose make this snake very good at “swimming” in the sand. During the heat of the day it is usually submerged beneath the surface, emerging at night to hunt for food. It feeds on numerous kinds of insects (including their larval stages) as well as spiders, scorpions, centipedes, and moths. If disturbed, the western shovelnose snake may try to bury itself in the sand, climb into low-lying vegetation or form a ball with its coils, hiding its head deep in the coils. As many as 9 eggs are laid in the summer.

Order: Squamata
Family: Colubridae (colubrid snakes)
Spanish names: culebra

Distinguishing Features

This squat, heavy-bodied snake reaches a maximum length of 3 feet (90 cm), but 2 feet (60 cm) is more typical. Most noticeable on the western hognose snake is the strongly upturned, pointed snout. Dark blotches extend down the pale brown or yellowish back from behind the head to the tail, with 2 rows of smaller, alternating blotches on the sides. The belly is heavily pigmented, with solid black pigmentation underneath the tail.

Range

The western hognose snake ranges from south- central Canada, south to southeast Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, southward into San Luis Potosí, Mexico.

Habitat

This snake prefers scrubby, flat prairie areas with loose, sandy soil suitable for burrowing.

Life History

The western hognose snake uses its upturned snout to burrow through the earth in search of toads, its principal food. Other items eaten include frogs, lizards, mice, birds, snakes and reptile eggs. Not dangerous to man, the western hognose snake uses a slightly toxic saliva to help subdue its prey. The venom flows down enlarged rear teeth. As many as 39 eggs are laid in the early summer, hatching in as little as 50 days.

Master Bluffer

The western hognose snake has one of the most elaborate bluff behaviors in the snake world. When threatened, the snake flattens the skin on its neck giving it a hooded appearance. It then takes a huge breath, inflating its body dramatically, and releases the air with a loud hissing noise. The snake may strike at the intruder, but the mouth is closed. (It is difficult to get a hognose snake to bite in self-defense.) Occasionally, if the snake is not left alone, it will go into convulsion-like motions, turning over on its back, thrashing its head from side to side, and pretending to die. During this death feign, the mouth is open and the tongue sticks limply out. The snake may even bleed from the mouth or the anal opening and expell feces, although this behavior is more common with the eastern hognose of the southeastern United States. When the snake is picked up, it is limp. If it is turned belly down, it quickly flips over. After a few minutes, the snake lifts its head and, if it perceives no threat, quickly slithers away.

Order: Squamata
Family: Colubridae (colubrid snakes)
Spanish names: culebra

Distinguishing Features

This slender, docile snake reaches 1¼ to 3¼ feet (107 cm) in length. Most noticeable is the large, patch-like rostral scale on the end of the nose. A wide yellow or beige stripe with a dark border runs down the center of the back; one dark stripe runs down each side. Occasionally the stripes are broken or obscured by crossbars. The belly is pale, sometimes faintly orange. Males have keeled scales at the base of the tail and above the anal opening.

Range

This snake is found in the southwestern United States, northwestern Mexico, and Baja California. It is also found on Isla Tiburón and Isla San José in the Gulf of Mexico.

Habitat

The patchnose snake is found in sandy soils or rocky areas in lowland desert with open creosote bush flats or desertscrub. It is also found in grasslands to the lower slopes of mountains with chaparral, and in pinyon-juniper woodlands as high as 7000 feet (2100 m).

Life History

Active in the daytime year round in warmer climates, this snake is crepuscular in the heat of the summer. In milder climates it may be active from early April to early November. The enlarged rostral scale is useful for burrowing in both loose sandy areas or rocky areas in search of its food: lizards, grasshoppers, small mammals, and reptile eggs. While the western patchnose snake does not constrict its prey, it does throw loops of its body on top of the prey to subdue it. It locates reptile eggs by scent, using its nose to unearth them. Much like the whipsnake, it moves quickly on the ground, and may climb into the lower branches of vegetation. If picked up it will thrash wildly. During the summer, it lays 4 to 10 eggs. Eleven inch long hatchlings emerge in late summer.

Order: Squamata
Family: Colubridae (colubrid snakes)
Other common names: bullsnake
Spanish names: víbora sorda

Distinguishing Features

Large and heavy-bodied, the gopher snake is reported to reach 9 feet (275 cm) in length, but 4 feet (120 cm) is more common. On its back are 33 to 66 light- to dark-brown or reddish blotches on a ground color of yellow, straw, tan or cream. Smaller blotches are located on the animal’s sides. A dark stripe runs from in front of the eye to the angle of the jaw. The underside is creamy or yellow, often with dark spots. The scales on the back are strongly keeled, becoming smoother on the sides.

Range

This is one of the most widespread snakes in North America. Its range extends from the Atlantic to Pacific oceans, as far north as southern Canada, and as far south as Veracruz and southern Sinaloa, Mexico, including Baja California.

Habitat

A habitat generalist, the gopher snake is found in deserts, prairies, woodlands, brushlands, coniferous forests, and even cultivated lands. These biomes can be rocky, sandy, sparsely or heavily vegetated, and range from below sea level to over 9000 feet (2700 m).

Life History

When disturbed, the gopher snake will rise to a striking position, flatten its head into a triangular shape, hiss loudly and shake its tail at the intruder. These defensive behaviors, along with its body markings, frequently cause the gopher snake to be mistaken for a rattlesnake. The tapered tail, the absence of a rattle, the lack of a facial pit, and the round pupils all distinguish the gopher snake from the rattlesnake. The gopher snake is active mainly during the day, except in extreme heat when it ventures out at night. It is a good climber. A constrictor, it consumes mostly mammals, although birds and their eggs are also eaten. During the summer 2 to 24 eggs are laid which hatch in the fall.

Male gopher snakes engage in ritualistic combats during the spring mating season. The combatants remain on the ground, entwined from tail to neck. Each tries to maintain its head and body position, although occasionally they will exert so much force that they roll. Hissing frequently, they rarely bite one another. Presumably the combat ritual is a means of determining the sexual fitness of a male, for usually only the victor will copulate afterward.

Order: Squamata
Family: Colubridae (colubrid snakes)
Spanish names: culebra

Distinguishing Features

This small 12 to 26 inch (30 to 66 cm) snake has a triangular-shaped head, a dark eyestripe, and elliptical pupils; it is often mistaken for a young rattlesnake. The night snake is easily distinguished from the latter by a tail that tapers to a point and the absence of a rattle. The night snake has a pair of large, dark brown or black blotches on the neck immediately behind the head. It is pale gray, light brown, or beige with dark gray, brown, or black blotches on the back and sides; the underside is white.

Range

The range of this snake extends from British Columbia through the western United States and south to Guerrero, Mexico.

Habitat

A habitat generalist, the night snake is found in rocky areas of grassland, chaparral, desertscrub, woodland, moist mountain meadows, and thornscrub from sea level to 8700 feet (2650 m).

Life History

Seldom encountered during the day, this nocturnal snake is often seen crossing roads at night. The night snake preys upon lizards, small snakes, frogs, salamanders, and small mice, which it subdues with its mild venom; this venom poses no threat to humans. Young night snakes feed upon insects. If disturbed, the night snake raises its head and weaves, hisses, and flattens its neck in threat. Two to 9 eggs are laid spring through summer.

Order: Squamata
Family: Colubridae (colubrid snakes)
Spanish names: culebra

Distinguishing Features

Named for the V-shaped “lyre” on its head, this medium-sized snake reaches a length of nearly 4 feet (1.2 m). The broad head with narrow neck gives the lyre snake a triangular-shaped head. Dark brown saddles reside on a light brown to light gray back. The underside is creamy-white or yellow with scattered brown spots. The scales are smooth; the pupil is vertical.

Range

The northern part of the lyre snake’s range is in southeastern Nevada and southwestern Utah; the range continues south through western Mexico to Costa Rica.

Habitat

The lyre snake lives mainly in the lower rocky canyons and arroyos of hills and mountains from sea level to 7400 feet (2300 m). A rock dweller, it wedges itself in the many crevices and fissures that are abundant in rocky areas. This snake is an occasional resident of flat lands.

Life History

This mildly venomous, rear-fanged snake feeds primarily on lizards, but also eats birds and bats. Constriction may be used to subdue prey since the hemorrhagic venom is not very effective on birds and mammals. Primarily nocturnal, it is seldom active during the day. Easily alarmed, the lyre snake will raise its body off the ground, shake its tail, hiss, and strike and bite the intruder if not left alone. This behavior, along with the body pattern, triangular head, and elliptical pupils, sometimes causes the lyre snake to be mistaken for a rattlesnake. As many as 20 eggs are laid during the summer.

Order: Squamata Family: Elapidae (fixed front- fang venomous snakes)
Other common names: western coral snake
Spanish name: corallilo

Distinguishing Features

The Arizona coral snake is a slender, small snake reaching only 13 to 21 inches (33-53 cm) in length. It is brightly colored with broad alternating bands of red and black separated by narrower bands of bright white or yellow. The bands completely encircle the body, but are paler on the belly. The head is black to behind the eyes. The snout is blunt.

Range

The Arizona coral snake is found in central and southern Arizona, extreme southwestern New Mexico and southward to Sinaloa in western Mexico.

Habitat

This snake occupies arid and semiarid regions in many different habitat types including thornscrub, desert-scrub, woodland, grassland and farmland. It is found in the plains and lower mountain slopes from sea level to 5800 feet (1768 m); often found in rocky areas.

Life History

Carnivorous, as are all snakes, the Arizona coral snake specializes in feeding primarily on blind and black-headed snakes. Occasionally it eats lizards or other small, smooth-scaled snakes. A secretive snake, it usually emerges after sundown, and may remain active well into the night. It is also frequently active during the day after rains or if the sky is overcast. If disturbed it will bury its head in its coils, elevate and wave its tightly coiled tail, and evert its anal lining, making a popping sound. Two to 3 eggs are laid during the summer.

Comments

The venom of this snake is similar to that of the cobra. However, due to the small size of the snake (less venom), smaller mounth, and small fangs (less effective means of delivery), the venom does not pose as much danger to humans as that of rattlesnakes. As with any venomous reptile, medical attention should be sought in the event of a bite.

Many people use a rhyme to remember the coral snake: “Red touch yellow, harmful fellow.”Unfortunately, this rhyme does not always work in our region (and many parts of the western hemisphere). We have several non-venomous snakes in our region that have red bands touching yellow bands. The best way to identify a coral snake is by: 1) a very blunt head that is black to behind the eyes, and 2) bands that completely encircle the body, along with the yellow or white bands occurring on both sides of the red bands.