Arizona Snake Conservation

Kingsnake

Snakes form an important element in the flow of energy through Earth’s web of life. Normally, they help control rodent and amphibian populations while serving as food for larger carnivores. Things aren’t normal anymore. Rodent, snake, and carnivore populations are declining and becoming separated by the assault from human activities ranging from habitat destruction for roads and buildings, to direct predation by domestic cats and dogs. Thus, human activities are severing local and global connections within the web. The total effect is difficult to predict.

The kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae) in the photograph, or a sibling, has patrolled around our house from a nest under the front bridge for 15 years. Owls, hawks, gophersnakes, and various mammals depend on our rodents (and some birds). We also have cats. Our cats are growing old and hunt less, but they are also less territorial, and neighborhood cats are beginning to hunt here. Our local businesses, land owners, and real estate agents are doing all they can to encourage growth of our human population. The domestic cat population will grow too. I haven’t seen a young kingsnake for several years, and one day there will be none.

Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) lists 76 Arizona snake species and subspecies. AZGFD says 21 species are critically imperiled, and 50 are of immediate or possible long term concern. Once again, I have to point out the low conservation value of the U. S. Endangered Species Act (see the ESA portion of the numbers table).

In previous Arizona snake posts, I used species data from several sources. Species and numbers vary slightly across sources, but I’ve decided to use only the AZGFD information. The differences between sources aren’t great. Using only one source, year-to-year comparisons will be more accurate.

Arizona Snake Numbers

World: ≈3,000
U. S.: ≈300
Arizona: 76
AZGFD Species Imperiled: 50 (66%)
ESA Species Listed Endangered: 0
ESA Species Listed Threatened: 3

Arizona Snake References

Amazon Naturalist’s Bookstore has field guides (at the end of the category list) and other references. Go to: http://bit.ly/RKW2bC.
AHA (Arizona Herpetological Association).
AZGFD (Arizona Game and Fish Department).
Brennan, T.C. 2008. Online field guide to reptiles and amphibians of Arizona.
CSA (Center for Snake Conservation).
Fowlie, J.A. 1965. The Snakes of Arizona. McGraw Hill, New York. 164 p.
HerpDigest.
International Reptile Conservation Fund.
Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation.
Stebbins, R.C. 1966. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA. 279 p.

Blog post about Arizona rattlesnake conservation.

Click for list of conservation Status Symbols (AZGFD and ESA).

A R I Z O N A S N A K E S
SCIENTIFIC NAME	COMMON NAME	AZ	ESA
Arizona elegans	Glossy Snake	S5
Chilomeniscus stramineus	Variable Sandsnake	S4
Chionactis occipitalis	Western Shovel-nosed Snake	S3S4
Chionactis occipitalis klauberi	Tucson Shovel-nosed Snake	S1	C*
Chionactis palarostris	Sonoran Shovel-nosed Snake	S1
Chionactis palarostris organica	Organ Pipe Shovel-nosed Snake	S1
Coluber bilineatus	Sonoran Whipsnake	S5
Coluber constrictor	Racer	S1
Coluber constrictor flaviventris	Eastern Yellowbelly Racer	S1
Coluber flagellum	Coachwhip	S5
Coluber flagellum cingulum	Sonoran Coachwhip	S4
Coluber flagellum lineatulus	Lined Coachwhip	S2
Coluber flagellum piceus	Red Racer	S5
Coluber taeniatus	Striped Whipsnake	S4
Crotalus atrox	Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake	S5
Crotalus cerastes	Sidewinder	S5
Crotalus cerastes cerastes	Mohave Desert Sidewinder	S3S4
Crotalus cerastes cercobombus	Sonoran Sidewinder	S5
Crotalus cerastes laterorepens	Colorado Desert Sidewinder	S5
Crotalus cerberus	Arizona Black Rattlesnake	S5
Crotalus lepidus	Rock Rattlesnake	S3
Crotalus lepidus klauberi	Banded Rock Rattlesnake	S3
Crotalus mitchellii	Speckled Rattlesnake	S5
Crotalus molossus	Black-tailed Rattlesnake	S5
Crotalus oreganus abyssus	Grand Canyon Rattlesnake	S4
Crotalus oreganus lutosus	Great Basin Rattlesnake	S4
Crotalus pricei	Twin-spotted Rattlesnake	S2
Crotalus scutulatus	Mohave Rattlesnake	S5
Crotalus tigris	Tiger Rattlesnake	S5
Crotalus viridis	Prairie Rattlesnake	S1
Crotalus willardi	Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake	S2	PS
Crotalus willardi obscurus	New Mexico Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake	S1	LT
Crotalus willardi willardi	Arizona Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake	S1S2
Diadophis punctatus	Ring-necked Snake	S4
Gyalopion canum	Chihuahuan Hook-nosed Snake	S3
Gyalopion quadrangulare	Thornscrub Hook-nosed Snake	S1
Heterodon kennerlyi	Mexican Hog-nosed Snake	S3
Hypsiglena chlorophaea loreala	Mesa Verde Nightsnake	S1
Hypsiglena sp. nov.	Hooded Nightsnake	S4
Lampropeltis californiae	California Kingsnake	S5
Lampropeltis getula	Common Kingsnake	SNA
Lampropeltis getula nigrita	Western Black Kingsnake	S3
Lampropeltis pyromelana	Sonoran Mountain Kingsnake	S3
Lampropeltis pyromelana infralabialis	Utah Mountain Kingsnake	S1
Lampropeltis pyromelana pyromelana	Arizona Mountain Kingsnake	S2S3
Lampropeltis splendida	Desert Kingsnake	S4
Lampropeltis triangulum	Milksnake	S2
Lampropeltis triangulum celaenops	New Mexico Milksnake	S1
Lampropeltis triangulum taylori	Utah Milksnake	S2
Lichanura trivirgata	Rosy Boa	S1S2	SC
Micruroides euryxanthus	Sonoran Coralsnake	S5
Oxybelis aeneus	Brown Vinesnake	S1
Phyllorhynchus browni	Saddled Leaf-nosed Snake	S5
Phyllorhynchus decurtatus	Spotted Leaf-nosed Snake	S5
Pituophis catenifer	Gophersnake	S5
Rena humilis	Western Threadsnake	S5
Rhinocheilus lecontei	Long-nosed Snake	S5
Salvadora grahamiae	Eastern Patch-nosed Snake	S4
Salvadora hexalepis	Western Patch-nosed Snake	S5
Salvadora hexalepis deserticola	Big Bend Patch-nosed Snake	S3S4
Senticolis triaspis	Green Ratsnake	S3
Senticolis triaspis intermedia	Northern Green Ratsnake	S3
Sistrurus catenatus	Massasauga	S1	No
Sistrurus catenatus edwardsii	Desert Massasauga	S1
Sonora semiannulata	Western Groundsnake	S5
Tantilla hobartsmithi	Smith’s Black-headed Snake	S5
Tantilla nigriceps	Plains Black-headed Snake	S2
Tantilla wilcoxi	Chihuahuan Black-headed Snake	S1
Tantilla yaquia	Yaqui Black-headed Snake	S2
Thamnophis cyrtopsis	Black-necked Gartersnake	S5
Thamnophis elegans	Terrestrial Gartersnake	S5
Thamnophis elegans vagrans	Wandering Gartersnake	S5
Thamnophis eques	Mexican Gartersnake	S1	SC
Thamnophis eques megalops	Northern Mexican Gartersnake	S1	PT
Thamnophis marcianus	Checkered Gartersnake	S5
Thamnophis rufipunctatus	Narrow-headed Gartersnake	S1	PT