A Guide to the Amphibians
and Reptiles of California

Click on a picture for a larger view

Banded California Snakes

Look for a picture that is similar to the snake you want to identify, read the brief descriptions of behavior and habitat, look at the range map to see where the snake is found, and if everything fits your snake, click on the link to continue your search.

These are native California snakes that have bands around the body. Bands on a snake are defined here as strongly dilineated markings that circle the body or stop on the sides. None of the banded snakes native to California have venom that is considered dangerous to humans. Some may have appear similar to the dangerous Coral Snakes, but Coral Snakes are not found in California. Some snakes found in California have a single band around the neck, but they are not included here.

Shovel-nosed Snakes - Genus Chionactis Nocturnal snakes of open sandy deserts and rocky washes. Found mostly at night, often on desert roads. There is a separate page about Identifying the two California Shovel-nosed Snakes.




Red and Blue: Range of Shovel-nosed Snakes in California Click on the map for a key to the different forms.
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Variable Groundsnake - Sonora semiannulata Nocturnal snakes of open sandy deserts and rocky washes. Found mostly at night, often on desert roads. Variable Groundsnakes can also be striped or patternless.

	© Ryan Sikola	© Ryan Sikola

When the black pigment is missing, groundsnakes appear blotched instead of banded. © Mardee	Sometimes the orange color is missing. © Richard Morgan II	Striped and banded ground snakes. © Adam G. Clause

Red: Range of the Variable Groundsnake in California
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California Kingsnake - Lampropeltis californiae Common large snakes, found night and day in many types of habitat, with black or brown, and white, cream, or yelllow bands. (Aberrant California Kingsnakes can also have stripes, dots, or a combination of these markings.)



Red: Range of the Calfornia Kingsnake in California
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California Mountain Kingsnake - Lampropeltis zonata Found often near rocks and water in mountains and coastal chaparral.


	"High Black" adult, © Emile Bado	Axanthic adult, lacking all red coloring. Specimen Courtesy of Tim Burkhardt © 2002 Brad Alexander

Red: Range of the California Mountain Kingsnake in California. Click on the map for a key to the different species.
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Coast Mountain Kingsnake - Lampropeltis multifasciata Found often near rocks and water in mountains and coastal chaparral.


© Benjamin German	© Ryan Sikola	© Brad Alexander

Orange: Range of the Coast Mountain Kingsnake in California. Click on the map for a key to the different species.
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Long-nosed Snake - Rhinocheilus lecontei A slender mostly-nocturnal burrowing snake with smooth scales found in arid and semi-arid deserts and grasslands. Red coloring sometimes missing.


© Aaron Wells	© Dick Bartlett

Red: Range of the Long-nosed Snake in California

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