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Home/Species/ Western Patch-nosed Snake

Salvadora hexalepis

(Cope, 1866)

Western Patch-nosed Snake

G5Secure Found in 48 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.104762
Element CodeARADB30030
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassReptilia
OrderSquamata
FamilyColubridae
GenusSalvadora
Other Common Names
western patch-nosed snake (EN) Western Patchnose Snake (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
Recognition of the species S. deserticola was made without justification by Bogert and Degenhardt (1961). Bogert (1985) explained that the usage was based on characters discovered previously (Bogert 1945) and on the absence of any intergrades. Although Bogert may be correct, Crother (2017) await a study to demonstrate it and retain S. h. deserticola as a subspecies of S. hexalepis.
Conservation Status
Review Date2005-12-14
Change Date1996-10-30
Edition Date2005-12-14
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Range Extent Comments
The range extends from southern and eastern California, western and southern Nevada, and extreme southwestern Utah south through Arizona, southern New Mexico, and southwestern Texas to the tip of Baja California, southern Sinaloa, and Chihuahua, Mexico, at elevations ranging from below sea level in desert sinks to 2,135 meters (7,000 feet) (Stebbins 2003).
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by a large number of occurrences or subpopulations.
Threat Impact Comments
No major threats are known.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Habitat consists of sandy and rocky areas of plains and lower mountain slopes; creosote bush desert, ocotillo-yucca-agave flats, mesquite dominated washes, tobosa-grama grassland, broken upland terrain, succulent desert, partially dry streambeds of foothills and mesas, sagebrush semidesert, chaparral, pinyon-juniper woodland; this snake is mainly terrestrial but sometimes climbs into vegetation (Behler and King 1979, Degenhardt et al. 1996, Stebbins 2003).

Reproduction

Reproductive ecology not well known. Apparently mates April to June. Lays a clutch of 4-10 eggs during the summer. Incubation lasts 2-3 months (Behler and King 1979). Hatchlings emerge in late summer (Tennant 1984).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - ConiferShrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceousDesert
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaSNRYes
NevadaS5Yes
UtahS3Yes
ArizonaS5Yes
TexasSNRYes
New MexicoS4Yes
Roadless Areas (48)
Arizona (11)
AreaForestAcres
Black CanyonPrescott National Forest10,683
BoulderTonto National Forest40,359
Catalina St. Pk. Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest951
Cdo WsaCoronado National Forest1,955
GaliuroCoronado National Forest28,333
GoldfieldTonto National Forest15,257
HackberryCoconino National Forest17,885
MazatzalTonto National Forest16,942
Sierra Ancha Wilderness ContiguousTonto National Forest7,787
Upper Rincon RoadlessCoronado National Forest2,991
WhetstoneCoronado National Forest20,728
California (29)
AreaForestAcres
Black CanyonInyo National Forest32,421
Cactus Springs BSan Bernardino National Forest3,106
CalienteCleveland National Forest5,953
Circle MountainSan Bernardino National Forest6,375
ColdwaterCleveland National Forest8,402
Crystal CreekSan Bernardino National Forest6,783
Cucamonga BSan Bernardino National Forest11,933
De La GuerraLos Padres National Forest5,418
Deep CreekSan Bernardino National Forest23,869
Eagle PeakCleveland National Forest6,481
Hixon FlatSan Bernardino National Forest8,095
Little PineLos Padres National Forest1,315
Lpoor CanyonLos Padres National Forest13,762
Magic MountainAngeles National Forest15,542
Mill PeakSan Bernardino National Forest7,884
No NameCleveland National Forest4,897
Pine CreekCleveland National Forest503
Pleasant ViewAngeles National Forest26,395
Pyramid Peak BSan Bernardino National Forest7,194
Red MountainAngeles National Forest8,034
Rouse HillSan Bernardino National Forest13,745
San SevaineSan Bernardino National Forest6,866
Soldier CanyonInyo National Forest40,589
Stanley MountainLos Padres National Forest14,674
Strawberry PeakAngeles National Forest7,245
TuleAngeles National Forest9,861
West ForkAngeles National Forest1,169
WestforkAngeles National Forest4,407
White LedgeLos Padres National Forest18,632
Nevada (4)
AreaForestAcres
Charleston - Macks CynHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest11,378
Lovell Summit SouthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest28,455
Pine Grove SouthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest88,945
PotosiHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,145
New Mexico (1)
AreaForestAcres
Gila BoxGila National Forest23,759
Utah (3)
AreaForestAcres
MogotsuDixie National Forest16,762
Pine Valley MountainsDixie National Forest57,673
Stoddard MountainDixie National Forest13,165
References (17)
  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. Bogert, C. M. 1945. Two additional races of the patch-nosed snake, <i>Salvadora hexalepis</i>. American Museum Novitates (1285):1-14.
  3. Bogert, C. M. 1985. Report on sibling species now recognizable in the genus <i>Salvadora</i>. Snake Systematics Newsletter 3:1.
  4. Bogert, C. M., and W. G. Degenhardt. 1961. An addition to the fauna of the United States, the Chihuahua Ridge-nosed rattlesnake in New Mexico. American Museum Novitates (2064):1-15.
  5. 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.
  6. 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
  7. 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.
  8. 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]
  9. 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.
  10. Degenhardt, W. G., C. W. Painter, and A. H. Price. 1996. Amphibians and reptiles of New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque. xix + 431 pp.
  11. Ernst, C. H., and E. M. Ernst. 2003. Snakes of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Books, Washington, D.C.
  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. Jennings, M. R., and M. P. Hayes. 1994. Amphibian and reptile species of special concern in California. Final Report submitted to the California Department of Fish and Game, Inland Fisheries Division. Contract No. 8023. 255 pp.
  14. Stebbins, R. C. 1985a. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Second edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. xiv + 336 pp.
  15. Stebbins, R. C. 2003. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Third edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.
  16. Tennant, A. 1984. The Snakes of Texas. Texas Monthly Press, Austin, Texas. 561 pp.
  17. Tennant, A. 1998. A field guide to Texas snakes. Second edition. Gulf Publishing Company, Houston, Texas.