Class Reptilia
Order Squamata
Suborder Serpentes
Family Colubridae
Synonyms. Pituophis melanoleucus.
At present, the geographically
widespread Gopher Snake is one of the most common snakes in our region. It inhabits
virtually all terrestrial habitats in the Southwest (Van Devender and Worthington
1977). The scientific name of the Southwestern populations of Pituophis has
swung back and forth between P. catenifer and P. melanoleucus.
Fig. 1. Pituophis catenifer. Photograph courtesy of Carl S. Lieb.
Sites.
Late Blancan: California Wash (Lindsay 1984).
Mid Wisconsin: Pendejo Cave (Harris 2003); U-Bar Cave (Harris 1987: ? gen. et sp.).
Mid Wisconsin/Holocene: Shelter Cave (Brattstrom 1964).
Mid/Late Wisconsin/Holocene: Sierra Diablo Cave (UTEP).
Late Wisconsin: Desert Almond (Van Devender et al. 1977a); Picacho Peak (Van Devender et al. 1991); Pendejo Cave (Harris 2003); Rampart Cave (Van Devender et al. 1977a); Test Trench II (UTEP); Wolcott Peak (Van Devender and Mead 1978).
Late Wisconsin/Holocene: Conkling Cavern (Brattstrom 1964); Deadman Cave (Mead et al. 1984); Fowlkes Cave (Parmley 1990); Howell's Ridge Cave (Van Devender and Worthington 1977); Isleta Cave No. 2 (UTEP); Shelter Cave (Brattstrom 1964); U-Bar Cave (UTEP).
Literature. Brattstrom 1964; Harris 1987, 2003; Lindsay 1984; Mead et al. 1984; Parmley 1990; Van Devender and Mead 1978; Van Devender and Worthington 1977; Van Devender et al. 1977a; Van Devender et al. 1991.
Last Update: 5 Mar 2013