Pituophis catenifer deserticola ( Stejneger, 1893 )

By Patrick Houston Briggs
 
The scientific epithet for this race is a derivative of the Latin deserere meaning “desert or abandon” attached to the suffix portion cola that is Latin for “inhabitant” and alludes to the fact that it sometimes, but not exclusively, lives in the desert.
The Great Basin Gopher Snake Pituophis catenifer deserticola resembles the Sonoran race to some degree. It in fact, intergrades with the Sonoran, Pacific, and the San Diego race where the boundaries come together for long stretches. It seems that intergrades many times, are the norm when collecting specimens. Within its range, individuals will usually have dorsal blotches that are black or very dark brown and are connected to one another by a dark narrow lines or bars essentially running along each side at the anterior end of the body, so that the dark markings isolate the light dorsal interspaces. This forms round enclosed interspaces dorsally. Along each side of the neck, there may be a dark, narrow, longitudinal stripe bordered by light ground color that might break up along the side toward the rear forming dashes, small spots, and other marking as in other gopher snake species.

It is found as far north as south-central British Columbia in Canada, and extends southward through western Washington, Oregon, most of Nevada and eastern California to include northern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, eastern Colorado, south and eastern Wyoming and much of Idaho.

RANGE MAP FOR PITUOPHIS by Patrick H. Briggs

Great Basin Gopher Snake Pituophis catenifer deserticola
Adult male 4 feet 2 inches closeup right side head study
Locality: Hurricane-Washington County Utah
Digital Image by Patrick Houston Briggs May 29, 2024

Scutelation

Midbody Scales 29-35
Supra-labials 8-10
Ventrals 214-259
Infralabials 9-15
Caudals 54-71
Preoculars 1-2
Anal Entire
Postoculars 2-6
Pre-frontals Usually 4

 PATRICK BRIGGS holds up Pituophis catenifer deserticola or Great Basin Gopher snake.

Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE Red Rock Canyon locality Image (viewed from above) taken by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley below

Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE Red Rock Canyon locality Image (ventral view) taken by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley below

Below is Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE neonateStead Nevada locality Image taken by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley

Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE neonateStead Nevada localityBelly Image taken by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley

Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE large male from Fernly Nevada locality Image By Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley 2015

Pituophis catenifer deserticola x catenifer intergrade RANDSBURG, CALIFORNIA image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Paul Slocumb
 Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE Jaw Bone Canyon locality, Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley

Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE Jaw Bone Canyon locality, Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley

Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE anterior viewed from above closeup, Jaw Bone Canyon locality, Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley

Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE Jaw Bone Canyon locality, Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley

Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKEJawbone Canyon California localityImage by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley
 Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKEJawbone Canyon locality,Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley

Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKEDoyle California locality,Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley

Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE ventral view, same individual as the above Doyle, California locality,
Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley
 Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE upper head studyviewed from above Doyle, California locality,Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley
 Below Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKEHomewood Canyon, Argus Mountains California locality,Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley

Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKELittle Lake, California locality,Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley

Below Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKEDove Springs, California locality,Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Chris Hooke

Pituophis catenifer deserticola x annectens  intergrade GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE Lancaster Lane, Highway 138 Lancaster, California locality,
Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley
 Pituophis catenifer deserticola x annectens intergrade GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE Lancaster Lane, Highway 138 Lancaster, California locality, Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley
 Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE Fernly, Nevada locality, Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley
 Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE Jaw Bone Canyon locality, Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley
 Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE Jaw Bone Canyon locality, Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley
 Below Pituophis catenifer deserticola x annectens GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE x San Diego intergrade neonate from the wild collected gravidLancaster Lane HWY 138 female above in Lancaster, California locality,Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley
 Pituophis catenifer deserticola x annectens  intergradeGREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE and SAN DIEGO race Gopher SnakeLancaster Lane, Highway 138 Lancaster, California locality,Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley

Below Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE neonatefrom Fernley Nevada locality,Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley
 Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE Little Lake locality, Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley
 Below Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHERUpper head study from Little Lake locality,Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley
 Below Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE Kramer Junction Highway 58 California locality,
Image by Patrick Houston Briggs
 Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE Doyle, California locality, Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley
 Pituophis catenifer deserticola x catenifer GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE x PACIFIC GOPHER SNAKE intergrade female Randsburg, California locality,Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Paul Slocumb
 Pituophis catenifer affinis x deserticolaINTERGRADE SONORAN x GREAT BASIN GOPHERphoto by Brian Hubbs
 Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE Doyle, California locality, Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley
 Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER Pyramid Lake, Nevada locality, Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley
 Pituophis catenifer deserticola GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE Ventral view Pyramid Lake Nevada locality, Image by Patrick Houston Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley