Western Patch-nosed Snake
Salvadora hexalepis
Dorsum is gray and displays a tan or yellow stripe running down back and dark stripes running down both sides. Body is slender with smooth scales. Snout possesses a large…
How to identify
Dorsum is gray and displays a tan or yellow stripe running down back and dark stripes running down both sides. Body is slender with smooth scales. Snout possesses a large scale on its tip and top of head is gray. Venter is usually cream. Colors make it especially good at camouflaging. Females and males mate between April and June. Females lay clutches in the summer; average clutch size is between 4 and 10 eggs.
Range
South central and south western United States to Northern Mexico; eastward from eastern California to southwestern Texas and southward to northern Baja California, southern Sinaloa, and Chihuahua.
Habitat
Inhabits a variety of regions including plains, mountain slopes, desert, creosote bush desert, grassland, flats, sagebrush, and woodland. Usually found on the ground, but can sometimes be found climbing vegetation.
Variations
Venter sometimes displays pale orange under the tail.
Similar species
Name and etymology
Genus
Salvadora
Latin for whole (salvus) skin (dura).
Origin
Sources
- Baird and Girard, 1853. Cat. N. Amer. Rept., Pt. 1, p. 104 ↗
Salvadora. Baird and Girard, 1853 - Cat. N. Amer. Rept., Pt. 1, p. 104
Species epithet
hexalepis
Greek for six (hex) scales (lepisma).
Origin
Sources
- (Cope, "1866" 1867). Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, Vol. 18, p. 304 ↗
Salvadora hexalepis. (Cope, "1866" 1867) - Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, Vol. 18, p. 304
Explore more names in the etymology index.
More illustrations
Coast Patch-nosed Snake
Mohave Patch-nosed Snake
At a glance
Range
South central and south western United States to Northern Mexico; eastward from eastern California to southwestern Texas and…
Habitat
Inhabits a variety of regions including plains, mountain slopes, desert, creosote bush desert, grassland, flats, sagebrush, a…
Guide
Reptiles and Amphibians of North America
Range map
Approximate range. © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap