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Trimorphodon lyrophanes

(Cope, 1861)

California Lyresnake

G5Secure Found in 16 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.831601
Element CodeARADB37030
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassReptilia
OrderSquamata
FamilyColubridae
GenusTrimorphodon
Synonyms
Trimorphodon biscutatus lyrophanesCope, 1860
Concept Reference
Devitt, T. J., T. J. LaDuc, and J. A. McGuire. 2008. The Trimorphodon biscutatus (Squamata: Colubridae) species complex revisited: a multivariate statistical analysis of geographic variation. Copeia 2008:370-387.
Taxonomic Comments
Based on mtDNA data (Devitt 2006) and patterns of morphological variation, Devitt et al. (2008) recognized 6 species in the Trimorphodon biscutatus species complex: T. lyrophanes, T. lambda, and T. vilkinsonii in the United States and Mexico, and T. biscutatus, T. paucimaculatus, and T. quadruplex occurring to the south in Mexico/Central America.
Conservation Status
Review Date2009-09-03
Change Date2009-09-03
Edition Date2009-09-03
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Range Extent Comments
Range extends from southern California (generally west of the Salton Trough region, north to the vicinity of Los Angeles on the coast, and inland in the Mohave Desert north to the Argus and Amargosa mountains in Inyo County) south through most of the Baja California Peninsula, and on Cerralvo, Danzante, San José, San Marcos, and Tiburón islands (Devitt et al. 2008).
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by a large number of occurrences (subpopulations). Secretive habits and occurrence in rough terrain make it likely that this snake occurs in substantially more locations than are presently known.
Threat Impact Comments
No major threats have been identified. Locally, in a few places where roads pass through optimal habitat, excessive collection for the pet trade likely has caused a reduction in abundance.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Habitat is chiefly rocky areas of lowlands, canyons, mesas, and lower mountain slopes, including desert grassland, desert scrub, chaparral, pinyon-juniper and oak woodland, open coniferous forest, thornscrub, and thornforest; this snake is usually found in rocky upland situations, much less often in lowland desert lacking rocks (Grismer 2002, Ernst and Ernst 2003, Stebbins 2003). In daytime, individuals are in crevices or similar refuges.
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceousDesertBare rock/talus/screeCliff
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaSNRYes
Roadless Areas (16)
California (16)
AreaForestAcres
Cactus Springs BSan Bernardino National Forest3,106
ColdwaterCleveland National Forest8,402
Cucamonga AAngeles National Forest1,249
Fish CanyonAngeles National Forest29,886
Granite PeakSan Bernardino National Forest450
Hixon FlatSan Bernardino National Forest8,095
LaddCleveland National Forest5,300
Pine CreekCleveland National Forest503
Pleasant ViewAngeles National Forest26,395
Red MountainAngeles National Forest8,034
Salt CreekAngeles National Forest11,022
San Gabriel AddAngeles National Forest2,527
Strawberry PeakAngeles National Forest7,245
TuleAngeles National Forest9,861
WestforkAngeles National Forest4,407
White LedgeLos Padres National Forest18,632
References (8)
  1. 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.
  2. 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]
  3. Devitt, T. J. 2006. Phylogeography of the western lyresnake (<i>Trimorphodon biscutatus</i>): testing aridland biogeographical hypotheses across the Nearctic-Neotropical transition. Molecular Ecology 15:4387-4407.
  4. Devitt, T. J., T. J. LaDuc, and J. A. McGuire. 2008. The <i>Trimorphodon biscutatus</i> (Squamata: Colubridae) species complex revisited: a multivariate statistical analysis of geographic variation. Copeia 2008:370-387.
  5. Ernst, C. H., and E. M. Ernst. 2003. Snakes of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Books, Washington, D.C.
  6. Gehlbach, F. R. 1971. Lyre snakes of the <i>Trimorphodon lyrophanes</i> complex: a taxonomic resume. Herpetologica 27:200-211.
  7. 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.
  8. Stebbins, R. C. 2003. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Third edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.