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Home/Species/ California Mountain Kingsnake

Lampropeltis zonata

(Lockington, 1876 ex Blainville, 1835)

California Mountain Kingsnake

G4Apparently Secure (G4G5) Found in 61 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Medium - lowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.103484
Element CodeARADB19060
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassReptilia
OrderSquamata
FamilyColubridae
GenusLampropeltis
Other Common Names
California mountain kingsnake (EN)
Concept Reference
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.
Taxonomic Comments
This species was investigated using a multi-locus nuclear dataset (Myers et al. 2013), finding multiple species-level taxa. This species comprises the formerly recognized subspecies L. z. zonata, L. z. multicincta, and L. z. multifasciata (part), including populations from the Sierra Nevada north (Crother 2017).

The population on the southern island of Isla Todos Santos, Baja California, was treated as a distinct species, L. herrerae, by Grismer (2002).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-09-30
Change Date2001-05-21
Edition Date2025-09-30
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G. (2005); rev. R. L. Gundy (2025)
Threat ImpactMedium - low
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 U.S. from Washington south to central California. Much of the range is protected on conservation lands. It is threatened by illegal collection and destruction of microhabitat by collectors.
Range Extent Comments
This species is endemic to the western United States. The range wraps around the Central Valley of California along the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the east and the Northern Coast Ranges north of Monterey Bay to the west, extends north into the Klamath Mountains in Oregon, plus an additional disjunct population along the Columbia Gorge in Washington (Myers et al. 2013). Elevational range is from near sea level to about 2,750 meters (9,000 feet) (Stebbins 2003). Using Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) (2025) records, range extent is estimated to be 324,590 km² (RARECAT 2025).

The populations in the Southern Coast Ranges south of Monterrey Bay, and the Transverse Range and Peninsular Range into northern Baja California, México were treated as a distinct species, L. multifasciata (Myers et al. 2013). The population on the southern island of Isla Todos Santos, Baja California, was treated as a distinct species, L. herrerae, by Grismer (2002).
Occurrences Comments
There are many occurrences throughout the range.
Threat Impact Comments
Some local populations probably have been reduced or eliminated as a result of habitat destruction associated with urbanization. Some accessible populations along roads probably have been detrimentally affected as a result of snake collection by reptile hobbyists and commercial collectors and by the damage collectors do to the microhabitats used by this snake (Grismer 2002, Ernst and Ernst 2003).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Typical habitat of this species consists of moist open coniferous forests, oak woodlands, riparian woodland, chaparral, coastal sage scrub, and openly wooded areas where there are rocks or rotting logs (Grismer 2002, Stebbins 2003). During periods of inactivity, individuals seek shelter under rocks, logs, bark, or underground.

Reproduction

Limited data indicate that mating occurs in April-May, clutch size is 2-9 (usually 4-6?), egg laying occurs in June-July (captives may lay as late as August), incubation in captivity may last 53-63 days, and hatching occurs in August-September; apparently, not all mature females breed each year (Goldberg 1995).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparral
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaSNRYes
WashingtonS2Yes
OregonS3Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentSmall (1-10%)Serious - moderateHigh (continuing)
1.1 - Housing & urban areasSmall (1-10%)Serious - moderateHigh (continuing)
1.2 - Commercial & industrial areasSmall (1-10%)Serious - moderateHigh (continuing)
5 - Biological resource usePervasive (71-100%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
5.1 - Hunting & collecting terrestrial animalsPervasive (71-100%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)
5.1.1 - Intentional use (species being assessed is the target)Pervasive (71-100%)Moderate - slightHigh (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (61)
California (57)
AreaForestAcres
AgnewSequoia National Forest9,561
Bell MeadowStanislaus National Forest7,968
Black Mtn.Sequoia National Forest15,102
Blue Creek Rare ISix Rivers National Forest12,134
Bucks LakePlumas National Forest680
ChannellSequoia National Forest45,429
ChicoSequoia National Forest39,836
China Springs BShasta-Trinity National Forest568
ChinquapinShasta-Trinity National Forest22,040
Chips CreekLassen National Forest29,089
Chips CreekPlumas National Forest12,940
CrapoKlamath National Forest1,487
Devil GulchSierra National Forest30,490
Dinkey LakesSierra National Forest34,171
DomeStanislaus National Forest11,085
Domeland Add.Sequoia National Forest3,046
EagleStanislaus National Forest16,116
EagleShasta-Trinity National Forest6,553
East GirardShasta-Trinity National Forest27,894
Greenhorn CreekSequoia National Forest28,226
GriderKlamath National Forest10,647
Grouse LakesTahoe National Forest19,085
Jennie LakeSequoia National Forest2,388
Kettle Mtn.Shasta-Trinity National Forest4,589
Kings RiverSierra National Forest52,999
Lake EleanorShasta-Trinity National Forest397
Little French CShasta-Trinity National Forest11,529
Middle ForkPlumas National Forest29,278
Middle YubaTahoe National Forest7,379
Mill CreekSequoia National Forest27,643
MonarchSierra National Forest697
MosesSequoia National Forest22,077
Mt. RebaStanislaus National Forest3,869
North Fork American RiverTahoe National Forest38,495
North Fork Middle Fork American RiverTahoe National Forest11,245
North MountainStanislaus National Forest7,856
Orleans Mtn.Klamath National Forest49,090
Orleans Mtn. CSix Rivers National Forest15,589
Pilot CreekSix Rivers National Forest9,192
PortugueseKlamath National Forest18,915
RinconSequoia National Forest54,610
RussianKlamath National Forest21,771
San JoaquinSierra National Forest22,474
ShuteyeSierra National Forest7,313
SiskiyouKlamath National Forest54,039
Siskiyou BSix Rivers National Forest18,871
SnoozerKlamath National Forest23,414
SoliderSix Rivers National Forest14,918
South ForkShasta-Trinity National Forest16,786
South SierraSequoia National Forest8,008
South SierraInyo National Forest41,853
TinemahaInyo National Forest27,060
Tragedy - Elephants BackEldorado National Forest20,866
Weaver BallyShasta-Trinity National Forest829
West GirardShasta-Trinity National Forest37,516
West YubaTahoe National Forest16,059
WoodpeckerSequoia National Forest11,936
Oregon (4)
AreaForestAcres
DoneganUmpqua National Forest5,914
North KalmiopsisSiskiyou National Forests91,560
Shasta CostaSiskiyou National Forests14,420
South KalmiopsisSiskiyou National Forests104,477
References (20)
  1. Behler, J. L., and F. W. King. 1979. The Audubon Society field guide to North American reptiles and amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. 719 pp.
  2. 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.
  3. Collins, J. T. 1991. Viewpoint: a new taxonomic arrangement for some North American amphibians and reptiles. SSAR Herpetol. Review 22:42-43.
  4. 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
  5. 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.
  6. 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]
  7. Crother, B. I., J. Boundy, J. A. Campbell, K. de Quieroz, D. Frost, D. M. Green, R. Highton, J. B. Iverson, R. W. McDiarmid, P. A. Meylan, T. W. Reeder, M. E. Seidel, J. W. Sites, Jr., S. G. Tilley, and D. B. Wake. 2003. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico: update. Herpetological Review 34:198-203.
  8. Dowling, H. G. 1993. Viewpoint: a reply to Collins (1991, 1992). Herpetol. Rev. 24:11-13.
  9. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  10. Goldberg, S. R. 1995. Reproduction in the California mountain kingsnake, <i>Lampropeltis zonata</i> (Colubridae), in southern California. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences 94(3):218-221.
  11. Greene, H. W., and J. A. Rodriguez-Robles. 2003. Feeding ecology of the California mountain kingsnake, <i>Lampropeltis zonata</i> (Colubridae). Copeia 2003:308-314.
  12. 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.
  13. Myers, E. A., J. A. Rodríguez-Robles, D. F. Denardo, R. E. Staub, A. Stropoli, Sara Ruane, and F. T. Burbrink. 2013. Multilocus phylogeographic assessment of the California Mountain Kingsnake (<i>Lampropeltis zonata</i>) suggests alternative patterns of diversification for the California Floristic Province. Molecular Ecology 22(21):5418-5429.
  14. Nussbaum, R.A., E.D. Brodie, Jr., and R.M. Storm. 1983. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Pacific Northwest. University Press of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho. 332 pp.
  15. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  16. Rodriguez-Robles, J. A., D. F. Denardo, and R. E. Staub. 1999. Phylogeography of the California mountain kingsnake, <i>Lampropeltis zonata</i> (Colubridae). Molecular Ecology 8:1923-1934.
  17. Stebbins, R. C. 1985a. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Second edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. xiv + 336 pp.
  18. Stebbins, R. C. 2003. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Third edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.
  19. Washington Herp Atlas. 2009 (map products updated March 2017). A cooperative effort of Washington Natural Heritage Program, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S.D.I. Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service. 250 pp.
  20. Zweiffel, R.G. 1974. <i>Lampropeltis zonata</i>. Cat. Am. Amph. Rep. 174.1-174.4.