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Pituophis ruthveni

Stull, 1929

Louisiana Pinesnake

G1Critically Imperiled (G1G2) Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G1Critically ImperiledGlobal Rank
EndangeredIUCN
Very high - mediumThreat Impact
Louisiana pinesnake (Pituophis ruthveni). Photo by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Public Domain (U.S. Government Work), via ECOS.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, https://www.usa.gov/government-works
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.102626
Element CodeARADB26030
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNEndangered
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassReptilia
OrderSquamata
FamilyColubridae
GenusPituophis
Synonyms
Pituophis catenifer ruthveniStull, 1929
Other Common Names
Louisiana pinesnake (EN) Louisiana Pine Snake (EN)
Concept Reference
Reichling, S. B. 1995. The taxonomic status of the Louisiana pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus ruthveni) and its relevance to the evolutionary species concept. Journal of Herpetology 29:186-198.
Taxonomic Comments
Reichling (1995) concluded that P. ruthveni is a distinct species. Rodriguez-Robles and de Jesús-Escobar (2000) argued for the recognition of P. ruthveni, despite lack of significant or independent differentiation from some populations of P. c. sayi using mitochondrial data (Crother 2017).

Using mitochondrial data, Rodríguez-Robles and de Jesús-Escobar (2000) corroborated the current classification of United States Pituophis into three species: melanoleucus, catenifer, and ruthveni. However, the recognition of ruthveni rendered catenifer paraphyletic, and P. catenifer and P. melanoleucus have geographic structure that does not correspond with currently recognized subspecies. Thus, given further study of this group, some species of Pituophis may undergo taxonomic revision in the near future (Crother 2017).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Excel v3.1x
Review Date2018-11-28
Change Date2018-11-28
Edition Date2018-11-28
Edition AuthorsSchuhmann, A.
Threat ImpactVery high - medium
Range Extent5000-20,000 square km (about 2000-8000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences1 - 20
Rank Reasons
Small range in Louisiana and Texas; most of the historical habitat has been degraded or lost as a result of conversion to incompatible uses; threatened by inappropriate management of habitat and by road mortality.
Range Extent Comments
The Louisiana pine snake historically occurred in portions of west-central Louisiana and extreme east-central Texas (Jennings and Fritts 1983; Dundee and Rossman 1989; Conant and Collins 1991; Rudolph, in litt., 1999; Werler and Dixon 2000). This area roughly coincides with a disjunct portion of the longleaf pine ecosystem situated west of the Mississippi River. The species is currently extant in a small portion of the historical range (Rudolph et al. 2006).
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by a small number of occurrences (subpopulations). Based on recent range-wide surveys, Rudolph et al. (2006) mapped the extant distribution as comprising 6 small patches, plus two additional locations represented by single individuals in areas lacking significant amounts of suitable habitat. The pinesnake exists in six occupied areas across its range located within 3 Texas counties and 4 Louisiana parishes (USFWS 2018)
Threat Impact Comments
The primary factors leading to degradation of P. ruthveni habitat are intensive pine silviculture and alteration of the pre-European fire regime (Rudolph et al. 2006). Intensive silviculture and reduction in fire frequency eliminate or reduce the microhabitat conditions needed by pine snakes and also may result in declines of Geomys breviceps (Baird's pocket gopher), a primary prey of P. ruthveni (Rudolph et al. 2006).

Vehicle mortality, both on state roads and off-road trails, may cause significant impacts to the Louisiana pine snake's population numbers and community structure. Roads with moderate to high traffic levels can cause significant reductions in the populations of large snake species (see Rudolph et al. 2006). Most existing pine snake habitat is within 500 meters of currently existing roads (Rudolph et al. 2006).

Take of Louisiana pine snakes for commercial, recreational, scientific, or educational purposes is not currently considered to be a threat. However, the low number of Louisiana pine snakes makes them vulnerable to unscrupulous collectors should locality data become available.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Habitat consists of longleaf pine savannah with sandy, well-drained soils and substantial herbaceous ground cover (Reichling 1990, Rudolph and Burgdorf 1997). Recent records of this snake are primarily from isolated patches of habitat where the influence of fire has been most effective in maintaining well-developed herbaceous understory conditions (Rudolph et al. 2006).

In Texas, these snakes occur in longleaf pine-oak sandhills interspersed with moist bottomlands; sometimes in adjacent blackjack oak woodlands and in sandy areas of short-leaf pine/post oak forest; the snake prefers openly wooded areas over dense forest; it is frequently found in fields, farmland, and tracts of second-growth timber (Werler and Dixon 2000). In Texas, Mitchell and Tinkle (1960) reported observing P. ruthveni foraging in a seasonally dry, acid bog, where the vegetation consisted of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) with a dense sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana) and cyrilla (Cyrilla racemiflora) understory. In Louisiana, P. ruthveni is restricted to longleaf pine forests and second growth longleaf pine-blackjack oak (Quercus marilandica) associations (Fugler 1955, Walker 1965).

Pocket gophers (Geomys breviceps) are an essential component of this habitat. They create burrow systems where the snakes are most frequently found and are a major source of food for the species (Rudolph and Conner 1996; Rudolph, in litt., 1997). Movement patterns of pine snakes are typically from one pocket gopher burrow system to another (Rudolph, in litt., 1997).

Reproduction

Lays eggs larger than those of any other U.S. snake; recorded clutch size averaged 4 (small sample); hatchlings larger than those of any other North American snake (Reichling 1990).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedSavanna
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN2
ProvinceRankNative
TexasS1Yes
LouisianaS1Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureLarge - restrictedExtreme - seriousHigh (continuing)
2.2 - Wood & pulp plantationsLarge - restrictedExtreme - seriousHigh (continuing)
4 - Transportation & service corridorsRestricted (11-30%)Serious - moderateHigh (continuing)
4.1 - Roads & railroadsRestricted (11-30%)Serious - moderateHigh (continuing)
5 - Biological resource useUnknownModerate - slightHigh (continuing)
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingUnknownModerate - slightHigh (continuing)
7 - Natural system modificationsLarge - restrictedExtreme - moderateHigh (continuing)
7.1 - Fire & fire suppressionLarge - restrictedUnknownHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesLarge - smallModerate - slightHigh (continuing)
8.2 - Problematic native species/diseasesLarge - smallModerate - slightHigh (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (2)
Louisiana (2)
AreaForestAcres
Cunningham Brake Research Natural AreaKisatchie National Forest1,797
Saline Bayou W & S River CorridorKisatchie National Forest5,355
References (53)
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