Pituophis catenifer affinis
Pituophis catenifer affinis | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Colubridae |
Genus: | Pituophis |
Species: | |
Subspecies: | P. c. affinis
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Trinomial name | |
Pituophis catenifer affinis (Hallowell, 1852)
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Synonyms | |
Pituophis catenifer affinis, commonly known as the Sonoran gopher snake, is a nonvenomous subspecies of colubrid snake that is endemic to the southwestern United States. It is one of six recognized subspecies of the gopher snake, Pituophis catenifer.[5]
Geographic range
It is found from central Texas across the Southwestern United States to southeastern California, Arizona, and south into the northern states of Mexico.
Description
Adults average 127–183 cm (4.17–6.00 ft) in total length. The maximum recorded total length is 234 cm (7.68 ft).[3]
The saddle-shaped
The rostral is about as long as it is broad, not elongated as in other Pituophis subspecies.[6]
Habitat
It primarily inhabits the Sonoran Desert ecosystem of the Southwest USA, and into northern Mexico.
Diet
They feed on small rodents, hence the common name gopher snake.
Behavior
They are moderately defensive but can be tamed, and become very gentle. They have hard tough skin on their noses used to burrow into
. They invade gopher holes and holes of other burrowing rodents and eat what they need to stay alive in the invaded burrow.Reproduction
P. c. affinis is
References
- ^ a b Schmidt, K.P., and D.D. Davis. 1941. Field Book of Snakes of the United States and Canada. G.P. Putnam's Sons. New York. 365 pp. (Pituophis sayi affinis, pp. 163-164 + Figure 46. on p. 161.)
- ^ a b Wright, A.H., and A.A. Wright. 1957. Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada. Comstock. Ithaca and London. 1,105 pp. (in 2 volumes) (Pituophis catenifer affinis, pp. 593-597, Figure 172. + Map 46. on p. 589.)
- ^ ISBN 0-395-19977-8(paperback). (Pituophis melanoleucus affinis, p. 201 + Map 147.)
- ^ The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
- ^ Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). www.itis.gov.
- ISBN 0-307-13666-3(paperback). (Pituophis melanoleucus affinis, p. 186.)
Further reading
- Hallowell, E. 1852. Descriptions of new Species of Reptiles inhabiting North America. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 6: 177–182. (Pityophis affinis, p. 181.)
External links