Wildlifenorthamerica.com: Fact Sheet for the Sonoran Gopher Snake (, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pituophis_catenifer_affinis&oldid=981436973, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 2 October 2020, at 09:19.

Pituophis catenifer affinis, commonly known as the Sonoran gopher snake, is a nonvenomous subspecies of colubrid that is endemic to the southwestern United States.

Because of their venomous bites, their presence in any specific area usually gets well documented.

Find the perfect Gopher Snake stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Of late there is debate about whether to place these snakes in the genus Masticophis or genus Coluber, the racers. Prey ranges from rats, rabbits, and other snakes to birds and eggs. Males sometimes engage in ritualistic wrestling for the female, according to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Adults average 127–183 cm (4.17–6.00 ft) in total length.

Gopher snakes are constrictors, meaning that they kill prey by wrapping their muscular body around the prey animal and squeezing to prevent blood flow. Pituophis catenifer affinis, commonly known as the Sonoran gopher snake, ... A baby Sonoran gopher snake in Sahuarita, Arizona. Between the 2 sub-species, gopher snakes can be found in every part of Arizona except for the peaks of the San Francisco mountains, south of the Grand Canyon. P. c. affinis is oviparous. The Reptile Database. The scale across the nose resembles a patch on the nose, therefore the common name. They can grow large and bulky. Pituophis is a genus of nonvenomous colubrid snakes commonly referred to as gopher snakes, pine snakes, and bullsnakes, which are endemic to North America Geographic range. They have a base color that is tan, cream, yellow, or orange-brown. Sixteen Rattlesnake species in the genus Crotalus inhabit most areas of North America. It’s home to six species and two subspecies. The Sonoran and Great Basin gopher snakes are subspecies of the Pacific gopher snake, which is found throughout the western United States and Canada. [3], The saddle-shaped dorsal blotches are reddish brown,[1] except for near and on the tail, where they are dark brown or blackish. Tourists engaging in hiking, camping and river rafting down in the canyon ought to be ready to experience Grand Canyon snake encounters. The eggs average 51 mm × 35 mm (2.0 in × 1.4 in). It’s found in the Grand Canyon, along with the following five species. The picture shows a regional specialty, the Sonoran Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis pyromelana). The dual color body, dark on the top and a bright shade of orange or yellow on the bottom serve as the best field identification clues.

The stripes running down the body might give is a similar look with the gartersnake. They feed on small rodents, hence the common name gopher snake.

Because they somewhat resemble rattlesnakes and they tend to do a lot of basking in the sun, they tend to scare people. Here’s a quick list of another half dozen Grand Canyon snakes. They have a series of black bands on their tail that mimic the rattle found on rattlesnakes.

They can secrete a foul smelling chemical.

They are fairly aggressive but can be domesticated, and become very gentle. Kingsnakes are one example. It is found from central Texas across the Southwestern United States to southeastern California, Arizona, and south into the northern states of Mexico, especially in the Sonoran Desert. www.reptile-database.org. Most, but not all of the diversity is a result of the Arizona rattlesnakes. Arizona is definitely rattlesnake country. He was attracted to her in the first place because of chemicals emitted through her skin to attract males. When threatened, a gopher snake will rapidly vibrate its tail, making attackers think it is a highly venomous rattlesnake. It’s also the only member of the genus. The white nose differentiates it from the Common Milksnake. Gopher snakes are the longest snake in the Grand Canyon, reaching up to 92 inches (2.3m). Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). The Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus) is a common Colubrid species, found in most areas of the United States, including the Grand Canyon. They will often share the den with rattlesnakes or other snake species. The Great Basin gopher snake is primarily found on the North Rim. It actually has a pink hue to the body, making it easy to identify. They are entirely harmless, but like many nonvenomous snakes, people sometimes misidentify them as other species. Approach the snake with caution and look for a rattle. Red Racers or Whipsnakes (Masticophis flagellum) can probably be found in and around the Grand Canyon. There are six different subspecies across the gopher snake’s range: the Sonoran gopher, the San Diego gopher, the Pacific gopher, the Great Basin gopher, the Santa Cruz gopher, and the bullsnake.

Gopher snakes are aggressive breeders, and much like the African lion, you may see your male gopher biting the female’s neck to subdue her. If no rattle, think Bullsnake. They invade gopher holes and holes of other burrowing rodents and eat what they need to stay alive in the invaded burrow.

Only the Western Terrestrial Garter Snake (Thamnophis elegans) inhabits the Grand Canyon. It’s a colorful red, black and white banded snake. The maximum recorded total length is 234 cm (7.68 ft). Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii), Black-tailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus), Grand Canyon rattlesnake, Pink rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus abyssus), Great Basin Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus lutosus, Prairie Rattlesnake, Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis), Hopi Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis nuntius, Bullsnake, Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer), Sonoran Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer affinis), Great Basin Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer deserticola), Ground Snake, Groundsnake (Sonora semiannulata), Southwestern Black-headed Snake, Smith’s Black-headed Snake (Tantilla hobartsmithi), Western Lyre Snake, Sonoran Lyre Snake (Trimorphodon biscutatus). Five Gartersnake species have been documented in Arizona. Sonoran Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer affinis) Great Basin Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer deserticola) Five Gartersnake species have been documented in Arizona. Tourists might cross paths with one of two species, the Common Kingsnake or the black and white subspecies that goes by the name California Kingsnake.

They have hard tough skin on their noses used to burrow into gopher holes and the burrows of other rodents. Sonoran Gopher Snake: Pituophis catenifer affinis, Great Basin Gopher Snake: Pituophis catenifer deserticola. Gopher snakes can be found in every landscape in the Grand Canyon, including the wooded forests of the Rims, the dry scrub inside the Canyon, and the desert environments of western Grand Canyon. Here’s a close up of the face of a Striped Whipsnake. Arizona, Churchilla, Coluber, Elaphis, Epiglottophis, Pityophis, Rhinechis, Spilotes.

Twelve of the sixteen Crotalus species live in the state. Adults average 127–183 cm (4.17–6.00 ft) in total length. The hatchlings are about 40 cm (15.5 in) in total length.[2]. Description. Between the 2 sub-species, gopher snakes can be found in every part of Arizona except for the peaks of the San Francisco mountains, south of the Grand Canyon.

Western Patch-nosed Snakes (Salvadora hexalepis) are fairly common in Arizona. All snakes, including rattlesnakes, tend to stay away from most of the high traffic trails. Due to location there are three subspecies of Gopher Snakes found in the Grand Canyon. The Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox), pictured, has a fairly broad range in the Southwest, through Texas and up to Oklahoma and parts of Arkansas. The mating season is usually July and August. On Sonoran gopher snakes, the splotches on the back are the same color across the length of the body. In the winter in the Grand Canyon, gopher snakes hibernate in burrows abandoned by other animals. Select from premium Gopher Snake of the highest quality. It is one of six recognized subspecies of the gopher snake, Pituophis catenifer.[5]. The picture highlights the snake’s characteristic ring neck mark. These snakes earned their name because pocket gophers make up a large portion of their diet. A series of large brown, red, black, or olive blotches cover the back of the snake. The Sonoran and Great Basin gopher snakes are subspecies of the Pacific gopher snake, which is found throughout the western United States and Canada.

It is found from central Texas across the Southwestern United States to southeastern California, Arizona, and south into the northern states of Mexico, especially in the Sonoran Desert. www.itis.gov. Most if not all species tend to be comparatively thin and very fast movers.

Growing up to eight feet long, the Masticophis genus of snakes called Coachwhip snakes, or whip snakes, get their name from their long, whip like appearance.