A Guide to the Amphibians
and Reptiles of California
A Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of California |
California Snakes |
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This is a complete llst of snakes that occur naturally in California, including non-native species with well-established populations. California's snakes are listed here by scientific name and sorted by family, genus, species, and subspecies if applicable. They are listed by common name below the scientific names list. Follow the order, family, and genus links to go to a page with information about them. Follow species and subspecies name links to see a page for each type of snake, with pictures of the snakes and their habitat, short videos if available, range maps, and a full description. The names used on this list are based mainly on lists published by the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. More Lists and Information Abouit California Snakes |
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| Common Name | Original Description | Alternate Name | CA Endemic | |
| Order Squamata | Scaled Reptiles (Snakes) | Oppel, 1811 | ||
| Boidae | Boas | Gray, 1825 | ||
| Charina | Rubber Boas | (Gray 1849) | ||
| Charina bottae | Northern Rubber Boa | (Blainville, 1835) | ||
| Charina umbratica | Southern Rubber Boa | Klauber, 1943 | Endemic | |
| Lichanura | Rosy Boas | Cope, 1861 | ||
| Lichanura orcutti | Rosy Boa | Stejneger, 1889 | Northern Three-lined Boa Lichanura trivirgata Lichanura trivirgata roseofusca - Coastal Rosy Boa Lichanura trivirgata gracia - Desert Rosy Boa |
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| Colubridae | Harmless Egg-Laying Snakes | Oppel, 1811 | Colubrids | |
| Arizona | Glossy Snakes | Kennicott, 1859 | ||
| Arizona elegans | Glossy Snake | Kennicott, 1859 | ||
| Arizona elegans candida | Mohave Glossy Snake | Klauber, 1946 | ||
| Arizona elegans eburnata | Desert Glossy Snake | Klauber, 1946 | ||
| Arizona elegans occidentalis | California Glossy Snake | Blanchard, 1924 | ||
| Bogertophis | Desert Ratsnakes | Dowling and Price, 1988 | ||
| Bogertophis rosaliae | Baja California Ratsnake | (Mocquard, 1899) | ||
| Chionactis | Shovel-nosed Snakes | Cope, 1860 | ||
| Chionactis annulata | Resplendent Desert Shovel-nosed Snake | (Baird, 1859 “1858”) | Formerly Chionactis occipitalis | |
| Chionactis annulata annulata | Colorado Desert Shovel-nosed Snake | (Baird, 1859 “1858”) | Sonora occipitalis Chonactis occipitalis annulata - Colorado Desert Shovel-nosed Snake |
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| Chionactis occipitalis | Mohave Shovel-nosed Snake | (Hallowell, 1854) | Sonora occipitalis Chionactis occipitalis occipitalis - Mohave Shovel-nosed Snake Chionactis occipitalis talpina - Nevada Shovel-nosed Snake |
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| Coluber | North American Racers, Coachwhips, Whipsnakes | Linnaeus, 1758 | Masticophis | |
| Coluber constrictor | North American Racer | Linnaeus, 1758 | ||
| Coluber constrictor mormon | Western Yellow-bellied Racer | Baird and Girard, 1852 | Columber mormon | |
| Coluber flagellum | Coachwhip | Shaw, 1802 | Masticophis flagellum | |
| Coluber flagellum piceus | Red Racer | (Cope, 1892) | Masticophis flagellum piceus Red Coachwhip |
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| Coluber flagellum ruddocki | San Joaquin Coachwhip | (Brattstrom and Warren, 1953) | Masticophis flagellum ruddocki | Endemic |
| Coluber fuliginosus | Baja California Coachwhip | (Cope, 1895) | Masticophis fuliginosus | |
| Coluber lateralis | Striped Racer | (Hallowell, 1853) | Masticophis lateralis | |
| Coluber lateralis euryxanthus | Alameda Striped Racer | (Riemer, 1954) | Masticophis lateralis euryxanthus | Endemic |
| Coluber lateralis lateralis | California Striped Racer | (Hallowell, 1853) | Masticophis lateralis lateralis | |
| Coluber taeniatus | Striped Whipsnake | (Hallowell, 1852) | Masticophis taeniatus | |
| Coluber taeniatus taeniatus | Desert Striped Whipsnake | (Hallowell, 1852) | Masticophis taeniatus taeniatus | |
| Contia | Sharp-tailed Snakes | Baird and Girard, 1853 | ||
| Contia longicauda | Forest Sharp-tailed Snake | Feldman and Hoyer, 2010 | formerly Contia tenuis | |
| Contia tenuis | Common Sharp-tailed Snake | (Baird and Girard, 1852) | ||
| Diadophis | Ring-necked Snakes | Baird and Girard, 1853 | ||
| Diadophis punctatus | Ring-necked Snake | (Linnaeus, 1766) | ||
| Diadophis punctatus amabilis | Pacific Ring-necked Snake | Baird and Girard, 1853 | Endemic | |
| Diadophis punctatus modestus | San Bernardino Ring-necked Snake | Bocourt, 1886 | Endemic | |
| Diadophis punctatus occidentalis | Northwestern Ring-necked Snake | Blanchard, 1923 | ||
| Diadophis punctatus pulchellus | Coral-bellied Ring-necked Snake | Baird and Girard, 1853 | Endemic | |
| Diadophis punctatus regalis | Regal Ring-necked Snake | Baird and Girard, 1853 | ||
| Diadophis punctatus similis | San Diego Ring-necked Snake | Blanchard, 1923 | ||
| Diadophis punctatus vandenburgii | Monterey Ring-necked Snake | Blanchard, 1923 | Endemic | |
| Hypsiglena | North American Nightsnakes | Cope, 1860 | ||
| Hypsiglena chlorophaea | Desert Nightsnake | Cope, 1860 | Hypsiglena torquata | |
| Hypsiglena chlorophaea deserticola | Northern Desert Nightsnake | (Tanner, 1944) | Hypsiglena torquata deserticola | |
| Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha | Coast Nightsnake | Cope, 1860 | ||
| Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha klauberi | San Diego Nightsnake | Tanner, 1944 | Hypsiglena torquata nuchalata / H. ochrorhynchus klauberi |
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| Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha nuchalata | California Nightsnake | (Tanner, 1943) | Hypsiglena torquata nuchalata / H. ochrorhynchus nuchalata |
Endemic |
| Lampropeltis | Kingsnakes and Milksnakes | Fitzinger, 1843 | ||
| Lampropeltis californiae | California Kingsnake | (Blainville, 1835) | Lampropeltis getula californiae | |
| Lampropeltis multifasciata | Coast Mountain Kingsnake | Bocourt (1882) | ||
| Lampropeltis zonata | California Mountain Kingsnake | (Lockington ex Blainville, 1876) | ||
| Phyllorhynchus | Leaf-nosed Snakes | Stejneger, 1890 | ||
| Phyllorhynchus decurtatus | Spotted Leaf-nosed Snake | (Cope, 1868) | ||
| Pituophis | Bullsnakes, Pinesnakes, & Gophersnakes | Holbrook, 1842 | ||
| Pituophis catenifer | Gopher Snake | (Blainville, 1835) | ||
| Pituophis catenifer affinis | Sonoran Gophersnake | (Hallowell, 1852) | ||
| Pituophis catenifer annectens | San Diego Gophersnake | Baird and Girard, 1853 | ||
| Pituophis catenifer catenifer | Pacific Gophersnake | (Blainville, 1835) | ||
| Pituophis catenifer deserticola | Great Basin Gophersnake | Stejneger, 1893 | ||
| Pituophis catenifer pumilus | Santa Cruz Island Gophersnake | Klauber, 1946 | Endemic | |
| Rhinocheilus | Long-nosed Snakes | Baird and Girard, 1853 | ||
| Rhinocheilus lecontei | Long-nosed Snake | Baird and Girard, 1853 | ||
| Salvadora | Patch-nosed Snakes | Baird and Girard, 1853 | ||
| Salvadora hexalepis | Western Patch-nosed Snake | (Cope, 1866) | ||
| Salvadora hexalepis hexalepis | Desert Patch-nosed Snake | (Cope, 1866) | ||
| Salvadora hexalepis mojavensis | Mohave Patch-nosed Snake | Bogert, 1945 | ||
| Salvadora hexalepis virgultea | Coast Patch-nosed Snake | Bogert, 1935 | ||
| Sonora | North American Groundsnakes | Baird and Girard, 1853 | ||
| Sonora semiannulata | Western Groundsnake | Baird and Girard, 1853 | ||
| Sonora semiannulata semiannulata | Variable Groundsnake | Baird and Girard, 1853 | Sonora semiannulata | |
| Tantilla | Black-headed, Crowned, & Flat-headed Snakes | Baird and Girard, 1853 | ||
| Tantilla hobartsmithi | Smith's Black-headed Snake | Taylor, 1937 | ||
| Tantilla planiceps | Western Black-headed Snake | (Blainville, 1835) | ||
| Thamnophis | North American Gartersnakes | Fitzinger, 1843 | ||
| Thamnophis atratus | Aquatic Gartersnake | (Kennicott, 1860) | ||
| Thamnophis atratus atratus | Santa Cruz Gartersnake | (Kennicott, 1860) | Endemic | |
| Thamnophis atratus hydrophilus | Oregon Gartersnake | Fitch, 1936 | ||
| Thamnophis atratus zaxanthus | Diablo Range Gartersnake | Boundy, 1999 | Endemic | |
| Thamnophis couchii | Sierra Gartersnake | (Kennicott, 1859) | ||
| Thamnophis elegans | Western Terrestrial Gartersnake | (Baird and Girard, 1853) | ||
| Thamnophis elegans elegans | Mountain Gartersnake | (Baird and Girard, 1853) | ||
| Thamnophis elegans terrestris | Coast Gartersnake | Fox, 1951 | ||
| Thamnophis elegans vagrans | Wandering Gartersnake | (Baird and Girard, 1853) | ||
| Thamnophis gigas | Giant Gartersnake | Fitch, 1940 | Endemic | |
| Thamnophis hammondii | Two-striped Gartersnake | (Kennicott, 1860 ) | ||
| Thamnophis marcianus | Checkered Gartersnake | (Baird and Girard, 1853) | ||
| Thamnophis marcianus marcianus | Marcy's Checkered Gartersnake | (Baird and Girard, 1853) | ||
| Thamnophis ordinoides | Northwestern Gartersnake | (Baird and Girard, 1852) | ||
| Thamnophis sirtalis | Common Gartersnake | (Linnaeus, 1758) | ||
| Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi | Valley Gartersnake | Fox, 1951 | ||
| Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis | California Red-sided Gartersnake | (Blainville, 1835) | South Coast Gartersnake - Thamnophis ssp | Endemic |
| Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia | San Francisco Gartersnake | (Cope, 1875) | Endemic | |
| Trimorphodon | Lyresnakes | Cope, 1861 | ||
| Trimorphodon lambda | Sonoran Lyresnake | Cope, 1886 | ||
| Trimorphodon lyrophanes | California Lyresnake | (Cope, 1860) | ||
| Hydrophiinae | Seasnakes and Allies | Fitzinger, 1843 | Sea Snakes | |
| Hydrophis | Seasnakes | Latreille ex Sonnini and Latreille, 1801 | Pelamis | |
| Hydrophis platurus | Yellow-bellied Seasnake | (Linnaeus, 1766) | Pelamis platurus | |
| Leptotyphlopidae | Threadsnakes | Stejneger, 1892 | Blind Snakes | |
| Rena | Threadsnakes | Baird & Girard, 1853 | ||
| Rena humilis | Western Threadsnake | Baird & Girard, 1853 | Western Blind Snake | |
| Rena humilis cahuilae | Desert Threadsnake | Klauber, 1931 | Desert Blind Snake | |
| Rena humilis humilis | Southwestern Threadsnake | (Baird and Girard, 1853) | Southwestern Blind Snake | |
| Viperidae | Vipers | Oppel, 1811 | Crotalidae - Pitvipers | |
| Crotalus | Rattlesnakes | Linnaeus, 1758 | ||
| Crotalus atrox | Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake | Baird and Girard, 1853 | ||
| Crotalus cerastes | Sidewinder | Hallowell, 1854 | ||
| Crotalus cerastes cerastes | Mohave Desert Sidewinder | Hallowell, 1854 | ||
| Crotalus cerastes laterorepens | Colorado Desert Sidewinder | Klauber, 1944 | ||
| Crotalus oreganus | Western Rattlesnake | Holbrook, 1840 | ||
| Crotalus oreganus helleri | Southern Pacific Rattlesnake | Meek, 1905 | Crotalus helleri | |
| Crotalus oreganus lutosus | Great Basin Rattlesnake | Klauber, 1930 | Crotalus lutosus | |
| Crotalus oreganus oreganus | Northern Pacific Rattlesnake | Holbrook, 1840 | Crotalus oreganus | |
| Crotalus pyrrhus | Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake | (Cope, 1867 “1866”) | ||
| Crotalus ruber | Red Diamond Rattlesnake | Cope, 1892 | ||
| Crotalus scutulatus | Mojave Rattlesnake | (Kennicott, 1861) | ||
| Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus | Northern Mohave Rattlesnake | (Kennicott, 1861) | ||
| Crotalus stephensi | Panamint Rattlesnake | Klauber, 1930 | ||
| Non-Native Species (More information about non-native reptiles and amphibians reported in California) | ||||
| Colubridae | Harmless Egg-Laying Snakes | Oppel, 1811 | Colubrids | |
| Nerodia | North American Watersnakes | Baird and Girard, 1853 | ||
| Nerodia fasciata | Southern Watersnake | (Linnaeus, 1766) | ||
| Nerodia fasciata pictiventris | Florida Watersnake | (Cope, 1895) | ||
| Nerodia sipedon | Common Watersnake | (Linnaeus, 1758) | ||
| Typhlopidae | Blindsnakes | Merrem, 1820 | ||
| Indotyphlops | South Asian Blindsnakes | Hedges, Marion, Lipp, Marin, and Vidal, 2014 | ||
| Indotyphlops braminus | Brahminy Blindsnake | (Daudin, 1803) | Ramphotyphlops braminus Island Blind Snake Flower Pot Snake |
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| Boas | ||||
| Rosy Boa | ||||
| Northern Rubber Boa | ||||
| Southern Rubber Boa | ||||
| Harmless Egg-Laying Snakes | ||||
| Smith's Black-headed Snake | ||||
| Western Black-headed Snake | ||||
| Blindsnakes/Threadsnakes | ||||
| Desert Threadsnake (Blindsnake) | ||||
| Southwestern Threadsnake (Blindsnake) | ||||
| Coachwhips (Racers) | ||||
| Baja California Coachwhip | ||||
| Red Coachwhip | ||||
| San Joaquin Coachwhip | ||||
| Gartersnakes (Watersnakes) | ||||
| Santa Cruz Gartersnake | ||||
| Oregon Gartersnake | ||||
| Diablo Range Gartersnake | ||||
| Sierra Gartersnake | ||||
| Mountain Gartersnake | ||||
| Coast Gartersnake | ||||
| Wandering Gartersnake | ||||
| Giant Gartersnake | ||||
| Two-striped Gartersnake | ||||
| Marcy's Checkered Gartersnake | ||||
| Northwestern Gartersnake | ||||
| Valley Gartersnake | ||||
| California Red-sided Gartersnake | ||||
| San Francisco Gartersnake | ||||
| Glossy Snakes | ||||
| Mohave Glossy Snake | ||||
| Desert Glossy Snake | ||||
| California Glossy Snake | ||||
| Gophersnakes (aka Bullsnakes) | ||||
| Sonoran Gophersnake | ||||
| San Diego Gophersnake | ||||
| Pacific Gophersnake | ||||
| Great Basin Gophersnake | ||||
| Santa Cruz Island Gophersnake | ||||
| Groundsnakes | ||||
| Variable Groundsnake | ||||
| Kingsnakes | ||||
| California Kingsnake | ||||
| California Mountain Kingsnake | ||||
| Leaf-nosed Snakes | ||||
| Spotted Leaf-nosed Snake | ||||
| Long-nosed Snakes | ||||
| Western Long-nosed Snake | ||||
| Lyresnakes | ||||
| Sonoran Lyresnake | ||||
| California Lyresnake | ||||
| Nightsnakes | ||||
| California Nightsnake | ||||
| Desert Nightsnake | ||||
| San Diego Nightsnake | ||||
| Patch-nosed Snakes | ||||
| Desert Patch-nosed Snake | ||||
| Mohave Patch-nosed Snake | ||||
| Coast Patch-nosed Snake | ||||
| Racers and Whipsnakes | ||||
| Alameda Striped Racer | ||||
| California Striped Racer | ||||
| Desert Striped Whipsnake | ||||
| Western Yellow-bellied Racer | ||||
| Ratsnakes | ||||
| Baja California Ratsnake | ||||
| Ring-necked Snakes | ||||
| Pacific Ring-necked Snake | ||||
| San Bernardino Ring-necked Snake | ||||
| Northwestern Ring-necked Snake | ||||
| Coral-bellied Ring-necked Snake | ||||
| Regal Ring-necked Snake | ||||
| San Diego Ring-necked Snake | ||||
| Monterey Ring-necked Snake | ||||
| Sharp-tailed Snakes | ||||
| Forest Sharp-tailed Snake | ||||
| Sharp-tailed Snake | ||||
| Shovel-nosed Snakes | ||||
| Colorado Desert Shovel-nosed Snake | ||||
| Mohave Shovel-nosed Snake | ||||
| Nevada Shovel-nosed Snake | ||||
| Rattlesnakes | ||||
| Colorado Desert Sidewinder | ||||
| Great Basin Rattlesnake | ||||
| Mohave Desert Sidewinder | ||||
| Northern Mohave Rattlesnake | ||||
| Northern Pacific Rattlesnake | ||||
| Panamint Rattlesnake | ||||
| Red Diamond Rattlesnake | ||||
| Southern Pacific Rattlesnake | ||||
| Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake | ||||
| Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake | ||||
| Sea Snakes | ||||
| Yellow-bellied Seasnake | ||||
| Non-native Species | (More information about alien reptiles and amphibians reported in California) | |||
| Brahminy Blindsnake | ||||
| Southern Watersnake | ||||
| Northern Watersnake | ||||
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