A Guide to the Amphibians
and Reptiles of California
California Snakes - World Range Maps
These maps are an approximate illustration of the worldwide distribution of established native and non-native species of snakes that inhabit California. They are designed to give a general idea of where each snake might be found. Snakes are expected to be found within the colored area in places where suitable habitat and conditions occur. In some cases, the current range may be fragmented or considerably diminished from the range illustrated here. This page has more detailed maps of the distribution of snakes in California only. Click on the name link for pictures and information about snakes that are found in California. On the top left side of those pages you can find links to more pictures of the snakes from other areas besides California, if available. Related snakes that do not occur in California are listed below the California snakes. If pictures are available for them their name will also have a blue link. More Lists and Information About California Snakes |
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Rubber Boas - Charina |
Rosy Boas - Lichanura |
Glossy Snake - Arizona elegans |
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| Red: Charina bottae - Northern Rubber Boa Follow link for California endemic Charina umbratica - Southern Rubber Boa |
Red: Lichanura orcutti - Rosy Boa - Not found in California Green: Lichinura trivirgata - Three-lined Boa |
Dark Blue: Arizona elegans eburnata - Desert Glossy Snake Yellow: Arizona elegans occidentalis - California Glossy Snake Dark Green: Arizona elegans candida - Mojave Glossy Snake - Not found in California Bright Blue: Arizona elegans arenicola - Texas Glossy Snake Red: Arizona elegans elegans - Kansas Glossy Snake Purple: Arizona elegans expolita - Chihuahua Glossy Snake Orange: Arizona elegans noctivaga - Arizona Glossy Snake Bright Green: Arizona elegans phillipi - Painted Desert Glossy Snake |
Baja California Ratsnake - Bogertophis rosaliae |
Shovel-nosed Snakes - Chionactis |
North American Racer - Coluber constrictor |
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| Red: Bogertophis rosaliae - Baja California Ratsnake |
Yellow: Chionactis annulata annulata - Colorado Desert Shovel-nosed Snake Red: Chionactis occipitalis - Mojave Shovel-nosed Snake - Not found in California Green: Chionactis annulata klauberi - Tucson Shovel-nosed Snake Orange: Chionactis palarostris - Sonoran Shovel-nosed Snake |
Yellow: Coluber constrictor mormon - Western Yellow-bellied Racer - Not found in California Purple: Coluber constrictor anthicus - Buttermilk Racer Red: Coluber constrictor constrictor - Northern Black Racer Bright Blue: Coluber constrictor etheridgei - Tan Racer Dark Blue: Coluber constrictor flaviventris - Eastern Yellow-bellied Racer Dark Gray: Coluber constrictor helvigularis - Brown-chinned Racer Orange: Coluber constrictor latrunculus - Black-masked Racer Pink: Coluber constrictor oaxaca - Mexican Racer Dark Purple: Coluber constrictor paludicola - Everglades Racer Bright Green: Coluber constrictor priapus - Southern Black Racer |
Coachwhip - Masticophis flagellum |
Baja California Coachwhip - Masticophis fuliginosus |
Striped Racer - Masticophis lateralis |
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| Blue: Masticophis flagellum piceus - Red Coachwhip (Red Racer) Yellow: Masticophis flagellum ruddocki - San Joaquin Coachwhip - Not in California Orange: Masticophis flagellum cingulum - Sonoran Coachwhip Red: Masticophis flagellum flagellum - Eastern Coachwhip Green: Masticophis flagellum lineatulus - Lined Coachwhip Purple: Masticophis flagellum testaceus - Western Coachwhip |
Red: Masticophis fuliginosus - Baja California Coachwhip |
Red: Masticophis lateralis lateralis - California Striped Racer Yellow: Masticophis lateralis euryxanthus - Alameda Striped Racer |
Striped Whipsnake - Masticophis taeniatus |
Sharp-tailed Snakes - Contia |
Ring-necked Snake - Diadophis punctatus |
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Red: Masticophis taeniatus taeniatus - Desert Striped Whipsnake |
Yellow: Contia longicauda - Forest Sharp-tailed Snake |
Orange: Diadophis punctatus amabilis - Pacific Ring-necked Snake |
Desert Nightsnake - Hypsiglena chlorophaea |
Coast Nightsnake - Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha | California Kingsnake - Lampropeltis californiae |
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| Yellow: Hypsiglena chlorophaea deserticola - Northern Desert Nightsnake - Not found in California Bright Green: Hypsiglena chlorophaea catalinae - Isla Santa Catalina Nightsnake Red: Hypsiglena chlorophea chlorophea - Sonoran Nightsnake Purple: Hypsiglena chlorophea loreala - Mesa Verde Nightsnake Bright Blue: Hypsiglena chlorophaea tiburonensis - Isla Tiburon Nightsnake |
Dark Blue: Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha klauberi - San Diego Nightsnake Yellow: Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha nuchalata - California Nightsnake - Not found in California Orange: Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha martinensis - Isla San Martin Nightsnake Bight Green: Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha baueri - Isla Cedros Nightsnake Bright Blue: Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha gularis - Isla Partida Norte Nightsnake Red: Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha ochrorhyncha - Cape Nightsnake Pink: Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha unaocularis - Islas Revillagigedo Nightsnake Green: Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha venusta - Magdalena Nightsnake |
Red: Lampropeltis californiae - California Kingsnake |
California Mountain Kingsnake - Lampropeltis zonata |
Spotted Leaf-nosed Snake - Phyllorhynchus decurtatus |
Gophersnakes - Pituophis |
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| Red: Lampropeltis zonata - California Mountain Kingsnake |
Red: Phyllorhynchus decurtatus - Spotted Leaf-nosed Snake | Yellow: Pituophis catenifer affinis - Sonoran Gophersnake Orange: Pituophis catenifer annectens - San Diego Gophersnake Red: Pituophis catenifer catenifer - Pacific Gophersnake Dark Blue: Pituophis catenifer deserticola - Great Basin Gophersnake Dark Green: Pituophis catenifer pumilus - Santa Cruz Island Gophersnake - Not found in California Purple: Pituophis catenifer sayi - Bullsnake Light Green: Pituophis vertebralis bimaris - Baja California Gophersnake Brown: Pituophis vertebralis vertebralis - Cape Gophersnake |
Long-nosed Snake - Reinocheilus lecontei |
Patch-nosed Snake - Salvadora hexalepis |
Western Groundsnake - Sonora semiannulata |
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| Red: Rheinocheilus lecontei - Long-nosed Snake (Southern end of range not known) |
Red: Salvadora hexalepis hexalepis - Desert Patch-nosed Snake Blue: Salvadora hexalepis mojavensis - Mojave Patch-nosed Snake Yellow: Salvadora hexalepis virgultea - Coast Patch-nosed Snake - Not found in California Purple: Salvadora hexalepis deserticola - Big Bend Patch-nosed Snake Green: Salvadora hexalepis klauberi - Baja California Patch-nosed Snake |
Red: Sonora semiannulata - Western Groundsnake Several subspecies are sometimes recognized, but their ranges are unclear and only one is found in California. |
Southwestern Black-headed Snake - Tantilla hobartsmithi |
California Black-headed Snake - Tantilla planiceps |
Aquatic Gartersnake - Thamnophis atratus |
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| Red: Tantilla hobartsmithi - Southwestern Black-headed Snake |
Red: Tantilla planiceps - California Black-headed Snake | Red: Thamnophis atratus atratus - Santa Cruz Gartersnake Green: Thamnophis atratus hydrophilus - Oregon Gartersnake Dark Blue: Thamnophis atratus zaxanthus - Diablo Range Gartersnake Gray: Intergrades |
Sierra Gartersnake - Thamnophis couchii |
Terrestrial Gartersnake - Thamnophis elegans |
Giant Gartersnake - Thamnophis gigas |
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Red: Thamnophis elegans elegans - Mountain Gartersnake |
Red: Current and historic range of Thamnophis gigas - Giant Gartersnake |
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Two-striped Gartersnake - Thamnophis hammondii |
Checkered Gartersnake - Thamnophis marcianus |
Northwestern Gartersnake - Thamnophis ordinoides |
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| Red: Thamnophis hammondii - Two-striped Gartersnake |
Red: Thamnophis marcianus marcianus - Marcy's Checkered Gartersnake Two other subspecies have been described, ranging in to southern Mexico and Central America, but I don't know their common names or ranges: Thamnophis marcianus bovalli Thamnophis marcianus praeocularis |
Red: Thamnophis ordinoides - Northwestern Gartersnake |
Common Gartersnake - Thamnophis sirtalis |
Sonoran Lyresnake - Trimorpnhodon lambda |
California Lyresnake - Trimorphodon lyrophanes |
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| Orange: Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi - Valley Gartersnake Fuchsia: Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis - California Red-sided Gartersnake (+ South Coast Gartersnake along Southern California coast) Bright Green: Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia - San Francisco Gartersnake - Not found in California Dark Green: Thamnophis sirtalis annectens - Texas Gartersnake Green: Thamnophis sirtalis concinnus - Red-spotted Gartersnake Purple: Thamnophis sirtalis dorsalis - New Mexico Gartersnake Brown: Thamnophis sirtalis pallidulus - Maritime Gertersnake Yellow: Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis - Red-sided Gartersnake Bright Green: Thamnophis sirtalis semifasciatus - Chicago Gartersnake Pink: Thamnophis sirtalis similis - Blue-striped Gartersnake Dark Blue: Thamnophis sirtalis pickeringii - Puget Sound Gartersnake Red: Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis - Eastern Gartersnake |
Fed: Trimorphodon lambda - Sonoran Lyresnake | Red: Trimorphodon lyrophanes - California Lyresnake |
Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake - Crotalus atrox |
Sidewinder - Crotalus cerastes |
(Speckled Rattlesnakes - Crotalus species) |
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| Red: Crotalus atrox - Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake |
Red: Crotalus cerastes cerastes - Mojave Desert Sidewinder Yellow: Crotalus cerastes laterorepens - Colorado Desert Sidewinder - Not found in California Green: Crotalus cerasets cercobombus - Sonoran Sidewinder |
Yellow: Crotalus pyrrhus - Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake Green: Crotalus stephensi - Panamint Rattlesnake - Not found in California Bright Green: Crotalus angelensis - Isla Angel de la Guarda Speckled Rattlesnake Red: Crotalus mitchelli mitchelli - San Lucan Speckled Rattlesnakes Bright Green: Crotalus mitchellii muertensis - El Muerto Island Speckled Rattlesnake |
Western Rattlesnake - Crotalus oreganus |
Red Diamond Rattlesnake - Crotalus ruber |
Mojave Rattlesnake - Crotalus scutulatus |
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| Dark Blue: Crotalus oreganus helleri - Southern Pacific Rattlesnake Orange: Crotalus oreganus lutosus - Great Basin Rattlesnake Red: Crotalus oreganus oreganus - Northern Pacific Rattlesnake - Not found in California Green: Crotalus oreganus abyssus - Grand Canyon Rattlesnake Purple: Crotalus oreganus concolor - Midget Faded Rattlesnake |
Red: Crotalus ruber - Red Diamond Rattlesnake | Red: Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus - Northern Mojave Rattlesnake Blue: Crotalus scutulatus salvini - Huamantlan Rattlesnake |
Western Threadsnake - Rena humilis |
Yellow-bellied Seasnake - Hydrophis platurus |
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| Several subspecies are recognized, but their ranges outside of California are not clear. Red: Ranges of both California subspecies: Rena humilis cahuilae - Desert Threadsnake Rena humilis humilis - Southwestern Threadsnake |
Red: Hydrophis platurus - Yellow-bellied Seasnake |
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Non-Native Snake Species Established in California |
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Brahminy Blindsnake - Indotyphlops braminus |
Southern Watersnake - Nerodia fasciata |
Common Watersnake - Nerodia sipedon |
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| Red: Approximate probable natural range of Indotyphlops braminus - Brahminy Blindsnake Purple: Approximate areas where this snake has been introduced. |
Red: Nerodia fasciata - Southern Watersnake |
Red: Nerodia sipedon - Northern Watersnake |