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Home/Species/ Mexican Hog-nosed Snake

Heterodon kennerlyi

Kennicott, 1860

Mexican Hog-nosed Snake

G4Apparently Secure Found in 4 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.102098
Element CodeARADB17012
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassReptilia
OrderSquamata
FamilyColubridae
GenusHeterodon
Synonyms
Heterodon nasicus kennerlyiKennicott, 1860
Concept Reference
Crother, B. I., J. Boundy, J. A. Campbell, K. de Queiroz, D. R. Frost, R. Highton, J. B. Iverson, P. A. Meylan, T. W. Reeder, M. E. Seidel, J. W. Sites, Jr., T. W. Taggart, S. G. Tilley, and D. B. Wake. 2000 [2001]. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Herpetological Circular No. 29. 82 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
Smith et al. (2003) elevated Heterodon nasicus kennerlyi to species status.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-08-27
Change Date1996-10-31
Edition Date2025-08-27
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G. (2013); rev. R. L. Gundy (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
This species has a broad range in the southwestern U.S. and northern México. Little is known about the population, but it is likely threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation.
Range Extent Comments
This species occurs in the southern United States and northern México. In the U.S., it is found in southeastern Arizona, southern New Mexico, and southern Texas (Smith et al. 2003, Powell et al. 2016). In México, it is found from northeastern Sonora east to Tamaulipas and south to Aguascalientes and western San Luis Potosí (Smith et al. 2003, Enderson et al. 2009, Valdez Lares et al. 2013, Lemos Espinal et al. 2016, Terán Juárez et al. 2016, Cruz Saén et al. 2017, Lemos-Espinal et al. 2017, Lemos-Espinal et al. 2018, Lazcano et al. 2019). Using Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) (2025) records from 2000-2025, range extent is estimated to be 843,294 km² (RARECAT 2025).
Occurrences Comments
Applying a 10 km separation distance to GBIF (2025) records from 2000-2025, 142 occurrences are estimated (RARECAT 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
No major threats have been documented for this species. However, it is likely experiencing habitat loss and fragmentation due to conversion to agriculture and livestock pasture.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Habitats include mesquite grassland, thorn scrub, sandy and gravelly prairies (often in the vicinity of floodplains, streams, and arroyos), edges of temporary rain pools, desert scrub, dry mountain canyon basins, open riparian woodland, and cultivated lands (Werler and Dixon 2000).
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceousDesertSand/duneCropland/hedgerow
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
New MexicoS4Yes
ArizonaS3Yes
TexasSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureLarge (31-70%)UnknownHigh (continuing)
2.1 - Annual & perennial non-timber cropsLarge (31-70%)UnknownHigh (continuing)
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingLarge (31-70%)UnknownHigh (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (4)
Arizona (2)
AreaForestAcres
ChiricahuaCoronado National Forest76,876
GaliuroCoronado National Forest28,333
New Mexico (2)
AreaForestAcres
Last Chance CanyonLincoln National Forest8,934
Peloncillo (NM)Coronado National Forest43,339
References (20)
  1. Collins, J. T. 1990. Standard common and current scientific names for North American amphibians and reptiles. 3rd ed. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. Herpetological Circular No. 19. 41 pp.
  2. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2008. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. Sixth edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles Herpetological Circular 37:1-84. Online with updates at: http://www.ssarherps.org/pages/comm_names/Index.php
  3. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2012. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 7th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 39:1-92.
  4. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 8th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 43:1-104. [Updates in SSAR North American Species Names Database at: https://ssarherps.org/cndb]
  5. Crother, B. I., J. Boundy, J. A. Campbell, K. de Queiroz, D. R. Frost, R. Highton, J. B. Iverson, P. A. Meylan, T. W. Reeder, M. E. Seidel, J. W. Sites, Jr., T. W. Taggart, S. G. Tilley, and D. B. Wake. 2000 [2001]. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Herpetological Circular No. 29. 82 pp.
  6. Cruz Saén, D., F. J. Muñoz Nolasco, V. Mata Silva, J. D. Johnson, E. García Padilla, and L. D. Wilson. 2017. The herpetofauna of Jalisco, Mexico: composition, distribution, and conservation status. Mesoamerican Herpetology 4(1): 23-118.
  7. Enderson, E. F., A. Quijada Mascareñas, D. S. Turner, P. C. Rosen, and R. L. Bezy. 2009. The herpetofauna of Sonora, Mexico, with comparisons to adjoining states. Check List 5(3): 632–672.
  8. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  9. Lazcano, D., M. Neva´rez-de los Reyes, E. Garci´a-Padilla, J. D. Johnson, V. Mata-Silva, D. L. DeSantis, and L. D. Wilson. 2019. The herpetofauna of Coahuila, Mexico: composition, distribution, and conservation status. Amphibian & Reptile Conservation 13(2):31-94.
  10. Lemos-Espinal, J. A., G. R. Smith, and A. Cruz. 2016. Amphibians and reptiles of the state of Nuevo León, Mexico. ZooKeys 594: 123–141. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.594.8289
  11. Lemos-Espinal, J. A., G. R. Smith, G. A. Woolrich-Piña, and A. Cruz. 2017. Amphibians and reptiles of Chihuahua, Mexico, with comparisons with adjoining states. ZooKeys 658: 105-130.
  12. Lemos-Espinal, J. A., G. R. Smith, H. Gadsden-Esparza, R. Valdez-Lares, and G. A. Woolrich-Piña. 2018. Amphibians and reptiles of the state of Durango, Mexico, with comparisons with adjoining states. ZooKeys 748: 65–87. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.748.22768
  13. Nicholson, K. E. (ed.). 2025. Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding. Ninth Edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. 87pp. Online database available at: https://cnah.org/SSARnames.aspx
  14. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  15. Powell, R., R. Conant, and J. T. Collins. 2016. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, fourth edition. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston and New York. 512 pp.
  16. Smith, H. M., D. Chiszar, C. M. Eckerman, and H. D. Walley. 2003. The taxonomic status of the Mexican hognose snake <i>Heterodon kennerlyi </i>Kennicott (1860). Journal of Kansas Herpetology (5):17-20.
  17. Terán-Juárez, S. A., E. García-Padilla, V. Mata-Silva, J. D. Johnson, and L. D. Wilson. 2016. The herpetofauna of Tamaulipas, Mexico: composition, distribution, and conservation status. Mesoamerican Herpetology 3(1): 43-113.
  18. Valdez Lares, R., R. Muñiz Martínez, H. Gadsden, G. Aguirre León, G. Castañeda Gaytán, and R. González Trápaga. 2013. Checklist of amphibians and reptiles of the state of Durango, México. Check List 9(4): 714–724.
  19. Walley, H. D., and C. M. Eckerman. 1999. <i>Heterodon nasicus</i>. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles. (698):1-10.
  20. Wilson, L. D., V. Mata-Silva, and J. D. Johnson. 2013. A conservation reassessment of the reptiles of Mexico based on the EVS measure. Amphibian & Reptile Conservation 7: 1–47.