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Masticophis fuliginosus

(Cope, 1895)

Baja California Coachwhip

G5Secure Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.857787
Element CodeARADB21026
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassReptilia
OrderSquamata
FamilyColubridae
GenusMasticophis
Synonyms
Coluber fuliginosus(Cope, 1895)Masticophis flagellum fuliginosus(Cope, 1895)
Concept Reference
Collins, J. T., and T. W. Taggart. 2002. Standard common and current scientific names for North American amphibians, turtles, reptiles, & crocodilians. Fifth edition. Publication of The Center for North American Herpetology, Lawrence, Kansas. iv + 44 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
Nicholson (2025) is following Myers et al. (2017) in recognizing Masticophis as a genus. O’Connell and Smith (2018) support recognizing M. fuliginosus as a species.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2013-07-12
Change Date2013-07-12
Edition Date2016-02-05
Range Extent Comments
Range extends from southwestern California to southernmost Baja California (Grismer 2002).
Ecology & Habitat
Other Nations (1)
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaS1Yes
Roadless Areas (1)
California (1)
AreaForestAcres
Pine CreekCleveland National Forest503
References (10)
  1. Collins, J. T., and T. W. Taggart. 2002. Standard common and current scientific names for North American amphibians, turtles, reptiles, & crocodilians. Fifth edition. Publication of The Center for North American Herpetology, Lawrence, Kansas. iv + 44 pp.
  2. 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.
  3. 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]
  4. Grismer, L. L. 2002. Amphibians and reptiles of Baja California including its Pacific islands and islands in the Sea of Cortes. University of California Press, Berkeley. xiii + 399 pp.
  5. Myers, E. A., J. L. Burgoon, J. M. Ray, J. E. Martínez-Gómez, N. Matías-Ferrer, D. G. Mulcahy, F. T. Burbrink. 2017. Coalescent Species Tree Inference of <i>Coluber </i>and <i>Masticophis</i>. Copeia 105(4):640-648.
  6. Nagy, Z. T., R. Lawson, U. Joger, and M. Wink. 2004. Molecular systematics of racers, whipsnakes and relatives (Reptilia: Colubridae) using mitochondrial and nuclear markers. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 42(3):223-233.
  7. 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
  8. O'Connell, K. A., and E. N. Smith. 2018. The effect of missing data on coalescent species delimitation and a taxonomic revision of whipsnakes (Colubridae: <i>Masticophis</i>). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 127(2018):356-366.
  9. Pyron, R. A., F. T. Burbrink, and J. J. Wiens. 2013. A phylogeny and revised classification of Squamata, including 4161 species of lizards and snakes. BMC Evolutionary Biology 29:131.
  10. Utiger, U., B. Schätti, and N. Helfenberger. 2005. The Oriental colubrine genus <i>Coelognathus </i>Fitzinger, 1843, and classification of old and new world racers and ratsnakes (Reptilia, Squamata, Colubridae, Colubrinae). Russian Journal of Herpetology 12(1):39-60.