California Snakes

Below is a complete llst of snakes occuring naturally in California, including introduced species with well-established populations.
The list is organized by families and ordered by scientific name and also by common name.
Follow the links for information and pictures illustrating each animal and its habitat.

This list is based on the lists published by the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. This taxonomy is not universally accepted. For comparison, the names used by two other authorities - Robert Stebbins' Western Field Guide, and the Center for North American Herpetology - are listed to the right.

Listed by Scientific Names
Following the SSAR list	Following Robert Stebbins' 2003 Western Field Guide	Following the CNAH online list (updated 11/07)

Squamata - Snakes

Boidae - Boas and Pythons
Charina - Rubber Boas	Charina - Rubber and Rosy Boas	Charina - Rubber and Rosy Boas
C. bottae - Northern Rubber Boa	C. bottae - Rubber Boa	C. bottae - Northern Rubber Boa
C. umbratica - Southern Rubber Boa	C. bottae - Rubber Boa	C. umbratica - Southern Rubber Boa
Lichanura - Rosy Boas
L. trivirgata - Rosy Boa	Charina trivirgata -Rosy Boa (Three-lined Boa)	Charina trivirgata -Rosy Boa
L. t. gracia - Desert Rosy Boa	C. t. gracia - Desert Rosy Boa	C. t. gracia - Desert Rosy Boa
L. t. roseofusca - Coastal Rosy Boa	C. t. roseofusca - Coastal Rosy Boa	C. t. roseofusca - Coastal Rosy Boa

Colubridae - Colubrids
Arizona - Glossy Snakes
A. elegans - Western Glossy Snake		A. occidentalis - Western Glossy Snake
A. e. candida - Mohave Glossy Snake	A. e. candida - Mojave Glossy Snake	A. occidentalis candida - Mojave Glossy Snake
A. e. eburnata - Desert Glossy Snake	A. e. eburnata - Desert Glossy Snake	A. occidentalis eburnata - Desert Glossy Snake
A. e. occidentalis - California Glossy Snake	A. e. occidentalis - California Glossy Snake	A. occidentalis occidentalis - California Glossy Snake
Bogertophis - Desert Ratsnakes
B. rosaliae - Baja California Ratsnake	B. rosaliae - Baja California Ratsnake	B. rosaliae - Baja California Rat Snake
Chionactis - Shovel-nosed Snakes
C. occipitalis - Western Shovel-nosed Snake
C. o. annulata - Colorado Desert Shovel-nosed Snake	C. o. annulata - Colorado Desert Shovel-nosed Snake	C. o. annulata - Colorado Desert Shovelnose Snake
C. o. occipitalis - Mohave Shovel-nosed Snake	C. o. occipitalis - Mojave Shovel-nosed Snake	C. o. occipitalis - Mojave Shovelnose Snake
C. o. talpina - Nevada Shovel-nosed Snake	C. o. talpina - Nevada Shovel-nosed Snake	C. o. talpina - Nevada Shovelnose Snake
Coluber - North American Racers
C. constrictor - Eastern Racer
C. constrictor mormon - Western Yellow-bellied Racer	C. constrictor mormon - Western Yellow-bellied Racer	C. mormon - Western Racer
Contia - Sharp-tailed Snakes
C. tenuis - Sharp-tailed Snake	C. tenuis - Sharp-tailed Snake	C. tenuis - Sharptail Snake
Diadophis - Ring-necked Snakes
D. punctatus - Ring-necked Snake	(No subspecies recognized)
D. p. amabilis - Pacific Ring-necked Snake	D. punctatus - Ring-necked Snake	D. p. amabilis - Pacific Ringneck Snake
D. p. modestus - San Bernardino Ring-necked Snake	D. punctatus - Ring-necked Snake	D. p. modestus - San Bernardino (??)
D. p. occidentalis - Northwestern Ring-necked Snake	D. punctatus - Ring-necked Snake	D. p. occidentalis - Northwestern Ringneck Snake
D. p. pulchellus - Coral-bellied Ring-necked Snake	D. punctatus - Ring-necked Snake	D. p. pulchellus - Coralbelly Ringneck Snake
D. p. regalis - Regal Ring-necked Snake	D. punctatus - Ring-necked Snake	D. p. regalis - Regal Ringneck Snake
D. p. similis - San Diego Ring-necked Snake	D. punctatus - Ring-necked Snake	D. p. similis - San Diego Ringneck Snake
D. p. vandenburgii - Monterey Ring-necked Snake	D. punctatus - Ring-necked Snake	D. p. vandenburgii - Monterey Ringneck Snake
Hypsiglena - North American Nightsnakes
H. chlorophaea - Desert Nightsnake (=H. torquata)	(No subspecies recognized)
H. c. deserticola - Northern Desert Nightsnake (=H. t. deserticola)	H. torquata - Night Snake	H. t. ochrorynchus - Spotted Night Snake
H. ochrorhyncha - Coast Nightsnake
H. o. klauberi - San Diego Nightsnake	H. torquata - Night Snake	H. t. ochrorynchus - Spotted Night Snake
H. o. nuchalata - California Nightsnake (=H. t. nuchalata)	H. torquata - Night Snake	H. t. nuchalata - California Night Snake
Lampropeltis - Kingsnakes and Milksnakes
L. getula - Common Kingsnake
L. g. californiae - California Kingsnake	L. g. californiae - California Kingsnake	L. g. californiae - California Kingsnake
L. zonata - California Mountain Kingsnake	5 Subspecies Recognized:	L. zonata - California Mountain Kingsnake
	L. z. multicincta - Sierra Mountain Kingsnake
	L. z. multifasciata - Coast Mountain Kingsnake
	L. z. parvirubra - San Bernardino Mountain Kingsnake
	L. z. pulchra - San Diego Mountain Kingsnake
	L. z. zonata - St. Helena Mountain Kingsnake
Masticophis (=Coluber) - Whipsnakes, Striped Racers, & Coachwhips
M. flagellum - Coachwhip (=Coluber flagellum)
M. f. piceus - Red Coachwhip (=C. f. piceus)	M. f. piceus - Red Racer	M. f. piceus - Red Coachwhip
M. f. ruddocki - San Joaquin Coachwhip (=C. f. ruddocki)	M. f. ruddocki - San Joaquin Coachwhip	M. f. ruddocki - San Joaquin Coachwhip
M. fuliginosus - Baja California Coachwhip (=C. fuliginosus)	M. flagellum fuliginosus - Baja California Coachwhip	M. flagellum fuliginosus - Baja California Coachwhip
M. lateralis - Striped Racer (=Coluber lateralis)
M. l. euryxanthus - Alameda Striped Racer (=C. l. euryxanthus)	M. l. euryxanthus - Alameda Whipsnake	M. l. euryxanthus - Alameda Striped Racer
M. l. lateralis - California Striped Racer (=C. l. euryxanthus)	M. l. lateralis - Chaparral Whipsnake	M. l. lateralis - California Striped Racer
M. taeniatus - Striped Whipsnake (=Coluber taeniatus)
M. t. taeniatus - Desert Striped Whipsnake (=Coluber taeniatus)	M. t. taeniatus - Desert Striped Whipsnake	M. t. taeniatus - Desert Striped Whipsnake
Nerodia - American Watersnakes
N. fasciata - Southern Watersnake I	(Not in the range of this book.)	N. fasciata - Southern Water Snake
Phyllorhynchus - Leaf-nosed Snakes
P. decurtatus - Spotted Leaf-nosed Snake	P. decurtatus - Spotted Leaf-nosed Snake	P. decurtatus - Spotted Leafnose Snake
Pituophis - Bullsnakes, Gopher Snakes, & Pinesnakes
P. catenifer - Gopher Snake
P. c. affinis - Sonoran Gopher Snake	P. c. affinis - Sonoran Gopher Snake	P. c. affinis - Sonoran Gopher Snake
P. c. annectens - San Diego Gopher Snake	P. c. annectens - San Diego Gopher Snake	P. c. annectens - San Diego Gopher Snake
P. c. catenifer - Pacific Gopher Snake	P. c. catenifer - Pacific Gopher Snake	P. c. catenifer - Pacific Gopher Snake
P. c. deserticola - Great Basin Gopher Snake	P. c. deserticola - Great Basin Gopher Snake	P. c. deserticola - Great Basin Gopher Snake
P. c. pumilis - Santa Cruz Island Gopher Snake	P. c. pumilis - Santa Cruz Island Gopher Snake	P. c. pumilis - Santa Cruz Gopher Snake
Rhinocheilus - Long-nosed Snakes
R. lecontei - Long-nosed Snake	R. l. lecontei - Western Long-nosed Snake	R. l. lecontei - Western Longnose Snake
Salvadora - Patch-nosed Snakes
S. hexalepis - Western Patch-nosed Snake
S. h. hexalepis - Desert Patch-nosed Snake	S. h. hexalepis - Desert Patch-nosed Snake	S. h. hexalepis - Desert Patchnose Snake
S. h. mojavensis - Mohave Patch-nosed Snake	S. h. mojavensis - Mojave Patch-nosed Snake	S. h. mojavensis - Mojave Patchnose Snake
S. h. virgultea - Coast Patch-nosed Snake	S. h. virgultea - Coast Patch-nosed Snake	S. h. virgultea - Coast Patchnose Snake
Sonora - North American Groundsnakes
S. semiannulata - Western Groundsnake
S. s. semiannulata - Variable Groundsnake	S. semiannulata - Western Ground Snake	S. semiannulata - Ground Snake
Tantilla - Black-headed Snakes
T. hobartsmithi - Smith's Black-headed Snake	T. hobartsmithi - Southwestern Black-headed Snake	T. hobartsmithi - Southwestern Blackhead Snake
	(Smith's Black-headed Snake)
T. planiceps - Western Black-headed Snake	T. planiceps - California Black-headed Snake	T. planiceps - Western Blackhead Snake
	(Western Black-headed Snake)
Thamnophis - North American Gartersnakes
T. atratus - Aquatic Gartersnake
T. a. atratus - Santa Cruz Gartersnake	T. a. atratus - Santa Cruz Aquatic Garter Snake	T. a. atratus - Santa Cruz Garter Snake
T. a. hydrophilus - Oregon Gartersnake	T. a. hydrophilus - Oregon Aquatic Garter Snake	T. a. hydrophilus - Oregon Garter Snake
T. a. zaxanthus - Diablo Range Gartersnake	T. a. atratus - Santa Cruz Aquatic Garter Snake	T. a. zaxanthus - Diablo Garter Snake
T. couchii - Sierra Gartersnake	T. couchii - Sierra Garter Snake	T. couchii - Western Aquatic Garter Snake
T. elegans - Western Terrestrial Gartersnake
T. e. elegans - Mountain Gartersnake	T. e. elegans - Mountain Garter Snake	T. e. elegans - Mountain Garter Snake
T. e. terrestris - Coast Gartersnake	T. e. terrestris - Coast Garter Snake	(Subspecies not recognized)
T. e. vagrans - Wandering Gartersnake	T. e. vagrans - Wandering Garter Snake	T. e. vagrans - Wandering Garter Snake
T. gigas - Giant Gartersnake	T. gigas - Giant Garter Snake	T. gigas - Giant Garter Snake
T. hammondii - Two-striped Gartersnake	T. hammondii - Two-striped Garter Snake	T. hammondii - Two-striped Garter Snake
T. marcianus - Checkered Gartersnake	(No subspecies recognized)
T. m. marcianus - Marcy's Checkered Gartersnake	T. marcianus - Checkered Garter Snake	T. m. marcianus - Checkered Garter Snake
T. ordinoides - Northwestern Gartersnake	T. ordinoides - Northwestern Garter Snake	T. ordinoides - Northwestern Garter Snake
T. sirtalis - Common Gartersnake
T. s. fitchi - Valley Gartersnake	T. s. fitchi - Valley Garter Snake	T. s. fitchi - Valley Garter Snake
T. s. infernalis - California Red-sided Gartersnake	T. s. infernalis - California Red-sided Garter Snake	T. s. infernalis - California Red-sided Garter Snake
T. s. tetrataenia - San Francisco Gartersnake	T. s. tetrataenia - San Francisco Garter Snake	T. s. tetrataenia - San Francisco Garter Snake
Trimorphodon - Lyresnakes
T. biscutatus - Lyresnake	(No subspecies recognized)
T. b. lambda - Sonoran Lyresnake	T. biscutatus - Western Lyre Snake	T. b. lambda - Sonoran Lyre Snake
T. b. lyrophanes - Baja California Lyresnake	T. biscutatus - Western Lyre Snake	T. b. lyrophanes - Baja California Lyre Snake

Hydrophiidae - Sea Snakes
Pelamis - Yellow-bellied Seas Snakes
P. platurus - Yellow-bellied Sea Snake	P. platurus - Yellow-bellied Sea Snake	P. platurus - Yellowbelly Sea Snake

Leptotyphlopidae - Blind Snakes (Threadsnakes)
Leptotyphlops - Threadsnakes
L. humilis - Western Threadsnake	(No subspecies recognized)
L. h. cahuilae - Desert Threadsnake	L. humilis - Western Blind Snake	L. h. cahuilae - Desert Blind Snake
L. h. humilis - Southwestern Threadsnake	L. humilis - Western Blind Snake	L. h. humilis - SouthWestern Blind Snake

Viperidae - Vipers
Crotalus - Rattlesnakes
C. atrox - Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake	C. atrox - Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake	C. atrox - Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
C. cerastes - Sidewinder
C. c. cerastes - Mohave Desert Sidewinder	C. c. cerastes - Mojave Desert Sidewinder	C. c. cerastes - Mojave Desert Sidewinder
C. c. laterorepens - Colorado Desert Sidewinder	C. c. laterorepens - Colorado Desert Sidewinder	C. c. laterorepens - Colorado Desert Sidewinder
C. ruber - Red Diamond Rattlesnake	C. ruber - Red Diamond Rattlesnake	C. ruber - Red Diamond Rattlesnake
C. mitchellii - Speckled Rattlesnake
C. m. pyrrhus - Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake	C. m. pyrrhus - Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake	C. m. pyrrhus - Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake
C. scutulatus - Mojave Rattlesnake
C. s. scutulatus - Northern Mohave Rattlesnake	C. s. scutulatus - Northern Mohave Rattlesnake	C. s. scutulatus - Mohave Rattlesnake
C. oreganus - Western Rattlesnake	C. viridis - Western Rattlesnake
C. o. helleri - Southern Pacific Rattlesnake	C. viridis helleri - Southern Pacific Rattlesnake	C. o. helleri - Southern Pacific Rattlesnake
C. o. lutosus - Great Basin Rattlesnake	C. viridis lutosus - Great Basin Rattlesnake	C. o. lutosus - Great Basin Rattlesnake
C. o. oreganus - Northern Pacific Rattlesnake	C. viridus oreganus - Northern Pacific Rattlesnake	C. o. oreganus - Northern Pacific Rattlesnake
C. stephensi - Panamint Rattlesnake	C. m. stephensi - Panamint Rattlesnake	C. m. stephensi - Panamint Rattlesnake


I = Introduced - not native to California

Listed by Common Names
Following the SSAR list	Following Robert Stebbins' 2003 Western Field Guide	Following the CNAH online list (updated 11/07)

Black-headed Snakes
Smith's Black-headed Snake	Southwestern Black-headed Snake	Southwestern Blackhead Snake
	(Smith's Black-headed Snake)
Western Black-headed Snake	California Black-headed Snake	Western Blackhead Snake
	(Western Black-headed Snake)
Blindsnakes/Threadsnakes
Desert Threadsnake (Blindsnake)	Western Blind Snake	Desert Blind Snake
Southwestern Threadsnake (Blindsnake)	Western Blind Snake	Southwestern Blind Snake

Coachwhips (sometimes called racers)
Baja California Coachwhip	Baja California Coachwhip	Baja California Coachwhip
Red Coachwhip	Red Racer	Red Coachwhip
San Joaquin Coachwhip	San Joaquin Coachwhip	San Joaquin Coachwhip

Gartersnakes (sometimes called water snakes)
Santa Cruz Gartersnake	Santa Cruz Aquatic Garter Snake	Santa Cruz Garter Snake
Oregon Gartersnake	Oregon Aquatic Garter Snake	Oregon Garter Snake
Diablo Range Gartersnake	Santa Cruz Aquatic Garter Snake	Diablo Garter Snake
Sierra Garter Snake	Sierra Garter Snake	Western Aquatic Garter Snake
Mountain Gartersnake	Mountain Garter Snake	Mountain Garter Snake
Coast Gartersnake	Coast Garter Snake	Subspecies not recognized
Wandering Gartersnake	Wandering Garter Snake	Wandering Garter Snake
Giant Gartersnake	Giant Garter Snake	Giant Garter Snake
Two-striped Gartersnake	Two-striped Garter Snake	Two-striped Garter Snake
Marcy's Checkered Gartersnake	Checkered Garter Snake	Checkered Garter Snake
NorthWestern Gartersnake	Northwestern Garter Snake	Northwestern Garter Snake
Valley Gartersnake	Valley Garter Snake	Valley Garter Snake
California Red-sided Gartersnake	California Red-sided Garter Snake	California Red-sided Garter Snake
San Francisco Gartersnake	San Francisco Garter Snake	San Francisco Garter Snake

Glossy Snakes
Mohave Glossy Snake	Mojave Glossy Snake	Mojave Glossy Snake
Desert Glossy Snake	Desert Glossy Snake	Desert Glossy Snake
California Glossy Snake	California Glossy Snake	California Glossy Snake

Gopher Snakes (sometimes called Bull Snakes)
Sonoran Gopher Snake	Sonoran Gopher Snake	Sonoran Gopher Snake
San Diego Gopher Snake	San Diego Gopher Snake	San Diego Gopher Snake
Pacific Gopher Snake	Pacific Gopher Snake	Pacific Gopher Snake
Great Basin Gopher Snake	Great Basin Gopher Snake	Great Basin Gopher Snake
Santa Cruz Island Gopher Snake	Santa Cruz Island Gopher Snake	Santa Cruz Gopher Snake

Groundsnakes
Variable Groundsnake	Western Ground Snake	Ground Snake

Kingsnakes
California Kingsnake	California Kingsnake	California Kingsnake
California Mountain Kingsnake	5 subspecies: Sierra Mountain Kingsnake	California Mountain Kingsnake
	Coast Mountain Kingsnake
	San Bernardino Mountain Kingsnake
	San Diego Mountain Kingsnake
	St. Helena Mountain Kingsnake
Leaf-nosed Snakes
Spotted Leaf-nosed Snake	Spotted Leaf-nosed Snake	Spotted Leafnose Snake

Long-nosed Snakes
Western Long-nosed Snake	Western Long-nosed Snake	Western Longnose Snake

Lyresnakes
Sonoran Lyresnake	Western Lyre Snake	Sonoran Lyre Snake
Baja California Lyresnake	Western Lyre Snake	Baja California Lyre Snake

Nightsnakes
California Nightsnake	Night Snake	California Night Snake
Desert Nightsnake	Night Snake	Spotted Night Snake
San Diego Nightsnake	Night Snake	Spotted Night Snake

Patch-nosed Snakes
Desert Patch-nosed Snake	Desert Patch-nosed Snake	Desert Patchnose Snake
Mohave Patch-nosed Snake	Mojave Patch-nosed Snake	Mojave Patchnose Snake
Coast Patch-nosed Snake	Coast Patch-nosed Snake	Coast Patchnose Snake

Racers (also see Whipsnakes below)
Western Yellow-bellied Racer	Western Yellow-bellied Racer	Western Racer

Ratsnakes
Baja California Ratsnake	Baja California Ratsnake	Baja California Rat Snake

Rattlesnakes
Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake	Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake	Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
Mohave Desert Sidewinder	Mojave Desert Sidewinder	Mojave Desert Sidewinder
Colorado Desert Sidewinder	Colorado Desert Sidewinder	Colorado Desert Sidewinder
Red Diamond Rattlesnake	Red Diamond Rattlesnake	Red Diamond Rattlesnake
Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake	Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake	Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake
Panamint Rattlesnake	Panamint Rattlesnake	Panamint Rattlesnake
Northern Mohave Rattlesnake	Mojave Green Rattlesnake	Mohave Rattlesnake
Southern Pacific Rattlesnake	Southern Pacific Rattlesnake	Southern Pacific Rattlesnake
Great Basin Rattlesnake	Great Basin Rattlesnake	Great Basin Rattlesnake
Northern Pacific Rattlesnake	Northern Pacific Rattlesnake	Northern Pacific Rattlesnake

Ring-necked Snakes
Pacific Ring-necked Snake	Ring-necked Snake	Pacific Ringneck Snake
San Bernardino Ring-necked Snake	Ring-necked Snake	San Bernardino Ringneck Snake
Northwestern Ring-necked Snake	Ring-necked Snake	Northwestern Ringneck Snake
Coral-bellied Ring-necked Snake	Ring-necked Snake	Coralbelly Ringneck Snake
Regal Ring-necked Snake	Ring-necked Snake	Regal Ringneck Snake
San Diego Ring-necked Snake	Ring-necked Snake	San Diego Ringneck Snake
Monterey Ring-necked Snake	Ring-necked Snake	Monterey Ringneck Snake

Rosy Boas
Desert Rosy Boa	Desert Rosy Boa	Desert Rosy Boa
Coastal Rosy Boa	Coastal Rosy Boa	Coastal Rosy Boa

Rubber Boas
Northern Rubber Boa	Coastal Rubber Boa	Northern Rubber Boa
Southern Rubber Boa	Southern Rubber Boa	Southern Rubber Boa


Sea Snakes
Yellow-bellied Sea Snake	Yellow-bellied Sea Snake	Yellowbelly Sea Snake

Sharp-tailed Snakes
Sharp-tailed Snake	Sharp-tailed Snake	Sharptail Snake

Shovel-nosed Snakes
Colorado Desert Shovel-nosed Snake	Colorado Desert Shovel-nosed Snake	Colorado Desert Shovelnose Snake
Mohave Shovel-nosed Snake	Mojave Shovel-nosed Snake	Mojave Shovelnose Snake
Nevada Shovel-nosed Snake	Nevada Shovel-nosed Snake	Nevada Shovelnose Snake

Sidewinders
Mohave Desert Sidewinder	Mojave Desert Sidewinder	Mojave Desert Sidewinder
Colorado Desert Sidewinder	Colorado Desert Sidewinder	Colorado Desert Sidewinder

Watersnakes (also see Gartersnakes above)
Southern Watersnake I	Southern Watersnake	Southern Water Snake

Whipsnakes/Racers
Alameda Striped Racer	Alameda Whipsnake	Alameda Striped Racer
California Striped Racer	Chaparral Whipsnake	California Striped Racer
Desert Striped Whipsnake	Desert Striped Whipsnake	Desert Striped Whipsnake


I = Introduced

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