1slitherbriggs

Nov 28, 20234 min read

Pituophis catenifer pumilis

Updated: Apr 18

CHANNEL ISLANDS GOPHER SNAKE Pituophis catenifer pumilis

From the SANTA CRUZ ISLAND of the Channel Islands National Park archipelago.

Photo by Patrick Houston Briggs, courtesy Santa Barbara Natural History Museum.

CHANNEL ISLANDS GOPHER SNAKE Pituophis catenifer pumilis right side closeup head.

From the SANTA CRUZ ISLAND of the Channel Islands National Park archipelago.

Photo by Patrick Houston Briggs, courtesy Santa Barbara Natural History Museum.

CHANNEL ISLANDS GOPHER SNAKE Pituophis catenifer pumilis

From the SANTA CRUZ ISLAND of the Channel Islands National Park archipelago.

Photo by Patrick Houston Briggs, courtesy Santa Barbara Natural History Museum.

Channel Islands Gopher Snake ( Santa Cruz Island & Santa Rosa Island Gopher Snake)

By Patrick Houston Briggs

The Channel Islands Gopher Snake Pituophis catenifer pumilis (pumilio is Latin for "dwarf") is just as its Latin translation indicates , a dwarf race rarely exceeding 3 feet in length (91 cm). The hatchlings 6.5-9 inches. It is usually called the Santa Cruz Island Gopher Snake, but contrary to earlier reports of it only existing on that island, it has also been found on the Santa Rosa and San Miguel islands. Indeed, Paul Collins, a biologist and educator for the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History was present during the rescue of the individual that I have illustrated as "4" on this site from a menacing Raven on the Santa Rosa Island. Unofficial reports of gopher snakes are said to have also been found on the San Miguel of the Channel Islands National Park. With this in mind, the venacular name Channel Island(s) Gopher Snake seems quite appropriate as given to us in Phil Brown's field book, Snakes of California. Phil Brown made it possible for me to photograph the following PUMILIS images many years ago.

The Santa Cruz Island gopher snake has a rather narrow head that is only slightly wider than the neck and when compared to other races, has a short and flattened snout and a rounded rostral. The nape is dark and there are 64-82 dark, small and descrete body blotches down the middle of the back. Many of these blotches anteriorly connect with the dorsolateral markings on each side of the snake. Brad Sillasen posted images that Laurie Van Stee photographed of a somewhat striped and blotched individual feeding on rodent on Santa Cruz Island. The upper tail is marked with 17-28 spots. The ground color is cream, olive, or yellowish. The venter is pale and dark speckled. There are 27-29 rows of scales at the midbody which also helps distinguish it from mainland races.

The California Department for Fish and Game DFG:SSC lists this form as a California Species of Special Concern.

The first specimen collected or "holotype" was specimen 17238 by Norman Bilderback on May 5, 1938. This race has only 29 scale rows or less which is different than other catenifer subspecies which possess more than 29 rows. Another indicating characteristic of this insular subspecies is that the light interspaces between the dark markings or blotches have scales that are not accented or tipped with black on the anterior part of the body.

Pituophis catenifer pumilis CHANNEL ISLANDS GOPHER SNAKE

This individual from the SANTA ROSA ISLAND #1 of that archipelago group.

Photo by Patrick Houston Briggs, courtesy Santa Barbara Natural History Museum.

Pituophis catenifer pumilis CHANNEL ISLANDS GOPHER SNAKE right side head study

This individual from the SANTA ROSA ISLAND #1 of that archipelago group.

Photo by Patrick Houston Briggs, courtesy Santa Barbara Natural History Museum.

Pituophis catenifer pumilis CHANNEL ISLANDS GOPHER SNAKE under neck and chin

This individual from the SANTA ROSA ISLAND #1 of that archipelago group.

Photo by Patrick Houston Briggs, courtesy Santa Barbara Natural History Museum.

Pituophis catenifer pumilis CHANNEL ISLANDS GOPHER SNAKE left side head study

This individual from the SANTA ROSA ISLAND #2 of that archipelago group.

Photo by Patrick Houston Briggs, courtesy Santa Barbara Natural History Museum.

Pituophis catenifer pumilis CHANNEL ISLANDS GOPHER SNAKE

This individual from the SANTA ROSA ISLAND #2 of that archipelago group.

Photo by Patrick Houston Briggs, courtesy Santa Barbara Natural History Museum.

CHANNEL ISLANDS GOPHER SNAKE Pituophis catenifer pumilis upper head

From the SANTA CRUZ ISLAND of the Channel Islands National Park archipelago.

Photo by Patrick Houston Briggs, courtesy Santa Barbara Natural History Museum.

CHANNEL ISLANDS GOPHER SNAKE Pituophis catenifer pumilis upper head study

From the SANTA CRUZ ISLAND of the Channel Islands National Park archipelago.

Photo by Patrick Houston Briggs, courtesy Santa Barbara Natural History Museum.

CHANNEL ISLANDS GOPHER SNAKE Pituophis catenifer pumilis

From the SANTA CRUZ ISLAND of the Channel Islands National Park archipelago.

Photo by Patrick Houston Briggs, courtesy Santa Barbara Natural History Museum.

Original Description:

Pituophis catenifer - (Blainville, 1835) - Nouv. Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, Vol. 4, p. 290, pl. 26, figs. 2-2b Pituophis catenifer pumilis - Klauber, 1946 - Trans. San Diego Soc. Nat. Hist., Vol. 11, p. 41, pl. 3

Scutelation

Midbody Scales 27-29

Supralabials 8

Ventrals

Infralabials 9-12

Caudals

Preoculars 1-2

Anal Single

Postoculars 3

Prefrontals 4

Rostral rounded

Loreal 1-2