Field Guide to Snakes of North America : Western Region

by Bartlett, Richard D.; Tennant, Alan

• ISBN13: 9780877193128
• ISBN10: 0877193126
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-11-01
• Publisher: Natl Book Network

Summary

Providing thorough descriptions of all 158 species and subspecies, this guide presents thousands of facts and figures that will help you identify, understand, and appreciate the snakes of western North America.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xiii
Preface	xv
Introduction	1	(10)
How to Use this Book	3	(2)
A Note on Taxonomy	5	(1)
About the Range Maps	6	(1)
What Is a Snake?	7	(4)
Venom and Envenomation	11	(13)
Scalation	24	(2)
Leptotyphlopidae
Blind Snakes	26	(6)
New Mexico Blind Snake, Leptotyphlops dulcis dissectus	27	(1)
Desert Blind Snake, Leptotyphlops humilis cahuilae	28	(1)
Southwestern Blind Snake, Leptotyphlops humilis humilis	29	(1)
Trans-Pecos Blind Snake, Leptotyphlops humilis segregus	30	(1)
Utah Blind Snake, Leptotyphlops humilis utahensis	30	(1)
Typhlopidae
Brahminy Blind Snake, Ramphotyphlops braminus	31	(1)
Boidae
Boas and Pythons	32	(7)
Coastal Rubber Boa, Charina bottae bottae	33	(2)
Southern Rubber Boa, Charina bottae umbraticus	35	(1)
Rocky Mountain Rubber Boa, Charina bottae utahensis	36	(1)
Desert Rosy Boa, Lichanura trivirgata gracia	36	(2)
Coastal Rosy Boa, Lichanura trivirgata roseofusca	38	(1)
Mexican Rosy Boa, Lichanura trivirgata trivirgata	38	(1)
Colubridae
Racers and Whipsnakes	39	(16)
Eastern Yellow-bellied Racer, Coluber constrictor flaviventris	40	(2)
Western Yellow-bellied Racer, Coluber constrictor mormon	42	(1)
Smooth Green Snake, Liochlorophis vernalis	43	(2)
Sonoran Mountain Whipsnake, Masticophis bilineatus bilineatus	45	(2)
Ajo Mountain Whipsnake, Masticophis bilineatus lineolatus	47	(1)
Sonoran Coachwhip, Masticophis flagellum cirgulum	47	(2)
Baja California Coachwhip, Masticophis flagellum fuliginosus	49	(1)
Lined Coachwhip, Masticophis flagellum lineatulus	49	(1)
Red Coachwhip, Masticophis flagellum piceus	50	(1)
San Joaquin Coachwhip, Masticophis flagellum ruddocki	50	(1)
Western Coachwhip, Masticophis flagellum testaceus	51	(1)
Alameda Striped Racer, Masticophis lateralis euryxanthus	51	(2)
California Striped Racer, Masticophis lateralis lateralis	53	(1)
Desert Striped Whipsnake, Masticophis taeniatus	53	(2)
Vine Snakes	55	(2)
Brown Vine Snake, Oxybelis aeneus	55	(2)
Patch-nosed Snakes	57	(7)
Big Bend Patch-nosed Snake, Salvadora deserticola	58	(2)
Mountain Patch-nosed Snake, Salvadora grahamiae	60	(2)
Desert Patch-nosed Snake, Salvadora hexalepis hexalepis	62	(1)
Mojave Patch-nosed Snake, Salvadora hexalepis mojavensis	63	(1)
Coastal Patch-nosed Snake, Salvadora hexalepis virgultea	64	(1)
Lyre Snakes	64	(3)
Sonoran Lyre Snake, Trimorphodon biscutatus lambda	65	(1)
California Lyre Snake, Trimorphodon biscutatus vandenburghi	66	(1)
Texas Lyre Snake, Trimorphodon biscutatus vilkinsonii	67	(1)
Sand Snakes	67	(2)
Banded Sand Snake, Chilomeniscus cinctus cinctus	68	(1)
Shovel-nosed Snakes	69	(4)
Colorado Desert Shovel-nosed Snake, Chionactis occipitalis annulata	69	(2)
Tucson Shovel-nosed Snake, Chionactis occipitalis klauberi	71	(1)
Mojave Desert Shovel-nosed Snake, Chionactis occipitalis occipitalis	71	(1)
Nevada Shovel-nosed Snake, Chionactis occipitalis talpina	72	(1)
Organ Pipe Shovel-nosed Snake, Chionactis palarostris organica	72	(1)
Hook-nosed Snakes	73	(4)
Western Hook-nosed Snake, Gyalopion canum	74	(1)
Desert Hook-nosed Snake, Gyalopion quadrangulare	75	(2)
Leaf-nosed Snakes	77	(4)
Pima Leaf-nosed Snake, Phyllorhynchus browni browni	78	(1)
Maricopa Leaf-nosed Snake, Phyllorhynchus browni lucidus	79	(1)
Clouded Leaf-nosed Snake, Phyllorhynchus decurtatus nubilis	80	(1)
Western Leaf-nosed Snake, Phyllorhynchus decurtatus perkinsi	81	(1)
Ground Snakes	81	(3)
Variable Ground Snake, Sonora semiannulata	82	(2)
Black-headed Snakes	84	(7)
Southwestern Black-headed Snake, Tantilla hobartsmithi	84	(2)
Plains Black-headed Snake, Tantilla nigriceps	86	(1)
Western Black-headed Snake, Tantilla planiceps	87	(2)
Huachuca Black-headed Snake, Tantilla wilcoxi wilcoxi	89	(1)
Yaqui Black-headed Snake, Tantilla yaquia	90	(1)
Night Snakes	91	(5)
Desert Night Snake, Hypsiglena torquata deserticola	92	(2)
Texas Night Snake, Hypsiglena torquata jani	94	(1)
San Diego Night Snake, Hypsiglena torquata klauberi	94	(1)
Mesa Verde Night Snake, Hypsiglena torquata loreala	95	(1)
California Night Snake, Hypsiglena torquata nuchalata	95	(1)
Spotted Night Snake, Hypsiglena torquata ochrorhyncha	95	(1)
Glossy Snakes	96	(5)
Mojave Glossy Snake, Arizona elegans candida	97	(2)
Desert Glossy Snake, Arizona elegans eburnata	99	(1)
Kansas Glossy Snake, Arizona elegans elegans	99	(1)
Arizona Glossy Snake, Arizona elegans noctivaga	99	(1)
California Glossy Snake, Arizona elegans occidentalis	100	(1)
Painted Desert Glossy Snake, Arizona elegans philipi	100	(1)
Rat Snakes	101	(8)
Baja California Rat Snake, Bogertophis rosaliae	101	(2)
Trans-Pecos Rat Snake, Bogertophis subocularis subocularis	103	(3)
Great Plains Rat Snake, Elaphe guttata emoryi	106	(3)
Kingsnakes and Milk Snakes	109	(17)
Gray-banded Kingsnake, Lampropeltis alterna	109	(2)
California Kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula californiae	111	(3)
Desert Black Kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula nigrita	114	(1)
Desert Kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula splendida	114	(1)
Utah Mountain Kingsnake, Lampropeltis pyromelana infralabialis	115	(2)
Arizona Mountain Kingsnake, Lampropeltis pyromelana pyromelana	117	(1)
Huachuca Mountain Kingsnake, Lampropeltis pyromelana woodini	117	(1)
New Mexico Milk Snake, Lampropeltis triangulum celaenops	118	(2)
Central Plains Milk Snake, Lampropeltis triangulum gentilis	120	(1)
Pale Milk Snake, Lampropeltis triangulum multistrata	121	(1)
Utah Milk Snake, Lampropeltis triangulum taylori	122	(1)
Sierra Mountain Kingsnake, Lampropeltis zonata multicincta	122	(2)
Coast Mountain Kingsnake, Lampropeltis zonata multifasciata	124	(1)
San Bernardino Mountain Kingsnake, Lampropeltis zonata parvirubra	125	(1)
San Diego Mountain Kingsnake, Lampropeltis zonata pulchra	125	(1)
St. Helena Mountain Kingsnake, Lampropeltis zonata intergrade	126	(1)
Gopher Snakes and Bullsnakes	126	(6)
Sonoran Gopher Snake, Pituophis catenifer affinis	127	(3)
San Diego Gopher Snake, Pituophis catenifer annectens	130	(1)
Pacific Gopher Snake, Pituophis catenifer catenifer	130	(1)
Great Basin Gopher Snake, Pituophis catenifer deserticola	131	(1)
Santa Cruz Gopher Snake, Pituophis catenifer pumilus	131	(1)
Bullsnake, Pituophis catenifer sayi	132	(1)
Long-nosed Snakes	132	(5)
Western Long-nosed Snake, Rhinochelius lecontei lecontei	133	(1)
Texas Long-nosed Snake, Rhinocheilus lecontei tessellatus	134	(1)
Green Rat Snake, Senticolis triaspis intermedia	135	(2)
Garter Snakes, Water Snakes, and Allies	137	(34)
Blotched Water Snake, Nerodia erythrogaster transversa	138	(2)
Northern Water Snake, Nerodia sipedon sipedon	140	(2)
Black Hills Red-bellied Snake, Storeria occipitomaculata pahasapae	142	(2)
Santa Cruz Garter Snake, Thamnophis atratus atratus	144	(2)
Oregon Garter Snake, Thamnophis atratus hydrophilis	146	(1)
Western Aquatic Garter Snake, Thamnophis couchii	146	(2)
Western Black-necked Garter Snake, Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis	148	(2)
Arizona Garter Snake, Thamnophis elegans arizonae	150	(1)
Mountain Garter Snake, Thamnophis elegans elegans	151	(1)
Coast Garter Snake, Thamnophis elegans terrestris	152	(1)
Wandering Garter Snake, Thamnophis elegans vagrans	152	(1)
Upper Basin Garter Snake, Thamnophis elegans vascotanneri	153	(1)
Northern Mexican Garter Snake, Thamnophis eques megalops	153	(2)
Giant Garter Snake, Thamnophis giga	155	(2)
Two-striped Garter Snake, Thamnophis hammondi	157	(1)
Northern Checkered Garter Snake, Thamnophis marcianus marcianus	158	(2)
Northwestern Garter Snake, Thamnophis ordinoides	160	(2)
Aridland Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis proximus diabolicus	162	(2)
Plains Garter Snake, Thamnophis radix	164	(2)
Narrow-headed Garter Snake, Thamnophis rufipunctatus	166	(1)
Red-spotted Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis concinnus	167	(2)
New Mexico Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis dorsalis	169	(1)
Valley Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi	170	(1)
California Red-sided Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis	170	(1)
Red-sided Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis	170	(1)
Puget Sound Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis pickeringii	171	(1)
San Francisco Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia	171	(1)
Lined Snakes	171	(2)
Lined Snake, Tropidoclonion lineatum	172	(1)
Problematic Colubrines---Sharp-tailed and Ring-necked Snakes	173	(88)
Sharp-tailed Snake, Contia tenuis	174	(83)
Pacific Ring-necked Snake, Diadophis punctatus amabilis	257	(1)
Prairie Ring-necked Snake, Diadophis punctatus arnyi	258	(1)
San Bernardino Ring-necked Snake, Diadophis punctatus modestus	259	(1)
Northwestern Ring-necked Snake, Diadophis punctatus occidentalis	259	(1)
Coral-bellied Ring-necked Snake, Diadophis punctatus pulchellus	259	(1)
Regal Ring-necked Snake, Diadophis punctatus regalis	260	(1)
San Diego Ring-necked Snake, Diadophis punctatus similis	260	(1)
Monterey Ring-necked Snake, Diadophis punctatus vandenburghi	261	(1)
Hog-nosed Snakes	261	(3)
Mexican Hog-nosed Snake, Heterodon nasicus kennerlyi	262	(2)
Plains Hog-nosed Snake, Heterodon nasicus nasicus	264	(1)
Elapidae
Coral Snakes	264	(3)
Arizona Coral Snake, Micruroides euryxanthus euryxanthus	265	(2)
Hydrophidae
Sea Snakes	267	(2)
Yellow-bellied Sea Snake, Pelamis platurus	267	(2)
Viperidae
Rattlesnakes	269	(32)
Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake, Crotalus atrox	271	(2)
Mojave Desert Sidewinder, Crotalus cerastes cerastes	273	(2)
Sonoran Sidewinder, Crotalus cerastes cercobombus	275	(1)
Colorado Desert Sidewinder, Crotalus cerastes laterorepens	275	(1)
Northern Red Diamond Rattlesnake, Crotalus exsul ruber	276	(1)
Banded Rock Rattlesnake, Crotalus lepidus klauberi	277	(2)
Mottled Rock Rattlesnake, Crotalus lepidus lepidus	279	(1)
Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake, Crotalus mitchellii pyrrhus	280	(2)
Panamint Rattlesnake, Crotalus mitchellii stephensi	282	(1)
Northern Black-tailed Rattlesnake, Crotalus molossus molossus	283	(2)
Twin-spotted Rattlesnake, Crotalus pricei pricei	285	(1)
Mojave Rattlesnake, Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus	286	(3)
Tiger Rattlesnake, Crotalus tigris	289	(1)
Grand Canyon Rattlesnake, Crotalus viridis abyssus	290	(2)
Arizona Black Rattlesnake, Crotalus viridis cerberus	292	(1)
Midget Faded Rattlesnake, Crotalus viridis concolor	292	(1)
Southern Pacific Rattlesnake, Crotalus viridis helleri	293	(1)
Great Basin Rattlesnake, Crotalus viridis lutosus	294	(1)
Hopi Rattlesnake, Crotalus viridis nuntius	294	(1)
Northern Pacific Rattlesnake, Crotalus viridis oreganus	295	(1)
Prairie Rattlesnake, Crotalus viridis viridis	296	(1)
New Mexico Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake, Crotalus willardi obscurus	297	(1)
Arizona Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake, Crotalus willardi willardi	298	(1)
Desert Massasauga, Sistrurus catenatus edwardsi	299	(2)
Glossary	301	(3)
Bibliography	304	(2)
Index	306	(6)
About the Authors	312