Pacific Gopher Snake

Taxobox
name = Pacific Gopher Snake
status =

---

regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Reptilia
ordo = Squamata
subordo = Serpentes
familia = Colubridae
genus = "Pituophis"
species = "P. catenifer"
subspecies = "P. c. catenifer"
trinomial = "Pituophis catenifer catenifer"
trinomial_authority = Blainville, 1835

The Pacific Gopher Snake ("Pituophis catenifer catenifer") is a species of small colubrid snake native to the western coast of the United States.

Description

s averaging about 8-12 inches.cite web |url=http://www.kingsnake.com/pituophis/p_c_catenifer.html |title=The Pituophis Page |accessdate= 2008-05-10] Some hatchlings may exceed 20 in.cite web |url=http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/p.c.catenifer.html |title="Pituophis catenifer catenifer" - Pacific Gopher Snake |accessdate= 2008-05-10]

A snake with keeled scales, and a narrow head that is wider than the neck, the Pacific Gopher Snake also displays a protruding rostral scale on the tip of the snout. The two most common base colors are straw and straw grey, though the species' color varies widely. The dorsal blotches, or saddles, are well-defined and generally dark to chocolate brown, though some specimens have had black blotches. The side blotches are often brown or grey. The back of the neck is dark brown. In Solano County, California, the snake can be found in a striped morph.

The ventral side may be cream-colored to yellowish with dark spots. On the dorsal side, especially near the tail, there is often a reddish coloration.

Behavior

A diurnal snake, though sometimes active at dusk and nocturnal during warm weather. They prefer drier habitats such as meadows, fields and agricultural farmland, and are seldom found in dense forests.

Like other gopher snakes, the Pacific gopher can produce a [http://www.californiaherps.com/sounds/pituophishissing406.mp3 loud hiss] when agitated or fearful. When threatened, this species will inflate its body, flatten its head, and vigorously shake its tail, which may produce a rattling sound if done in dry vegetation.

Their diet consists of small mammals, notably pocket gophers; birds and their eggs; the occasional lizard and insect, and even bats. It is reputed to sometimes consume rattlesnakes.

Reproduction

They are an oviparous species in which eggs are laid from June to August and hatch in 2 to 2.5 months.

In captive breeding, the snake goes through a winter brumation period to improve breeding success. The clutches average 12-14 eggs and hatch in the same time period as in the wild.

Geographic range

The Pacific Gopher Snake ranges up and down the West Coast of the United States, its range ending in the southern coast of California.

References

*EMBL species|genus=Pituophis|species=catenifer

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