All species of Pituophis are large and powerfully built. The head is relatively small in proportion to the body and it is only slightly distinct from the neck. The rostral is enlarged and elongated, imparting a characteristic somewhat pointed shape to the head. All the species occurring in the United States have four prefrontals instead of the usual two.[1]
Modified epiglottis
In all snakes of the genus Pituophis, the epiglottis is peculiarly modified so that it is thin, erect and flexible. When a stream of air is forced from the trachea, the epiglottis vibrates, thereby producing the peculiarly loud, hoarse hissing for which bullsnakes, gopher snakes and pine snakes are well known.[2]
^ abConant R (1975). A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN0-395-19977-8 (paperback). (Genus Pituophis, pp. 198–201 + Plate 27 + figure 57 + Map 147).
^Schmidt KP, Davis DD (1941). Field Book of Snakes of the United States and Canada. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 365 pp. (Genus Pituophis, pp. 158–160).
^"Santa Cruz Island Gopher Snake - Channel Islands National Park (U.S. National Park Service)".
Further reading
Holbrook, John Edwards (1842). North American herpetology : or, A description of the reptiles inhabiting the United States. Vol. IV. Philadelphia: J. Dobson. p. 7.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pituophis.
Genus Pituophis at The Reptile Database
Accounts of four subspecies, P. deppei deppei, P. deppei jani, P. lineaticollis lineaticollis and P. lineaticollis gibsoni, are given in Duellman WE (1960). "A Taxonomic Study of the Middle American Snake, Pituophis deppei". University of Kansas Publications, Museum of Natural History10: 599–610.
January 24, 2023
pituophis, genus, nonvenomous, colubrid, snakes, commonly, referred, gopher, snakes, pine, snakes, bullsnakes, which, endemic, north, america, pacific, gopher, snake, catenifer, cateniferscientific, classificationkingdom, animaliaphylum, chordataclass, reptili. Pituophis is a genus of nonvenomous colubrid snakes commonly referred to as gopher snakes pine snakes and bullsnakes which are endemic to North America PituophisPacific gopher snakePituophis catenifer cateniferScientific classificationKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ReptiliaOrder SquamataSuborder SerpentesFamily ColubridaeTribe LampropeltiniGenus PituophisHolbrook 1842SynonymsChurchilla Elaphis Epiglottophis Pityophis Rhinechis Contents 1 Geographic range 2 Description 3 Modified epiglottis 4 Species and subspecies 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksGeographic range EditSpecies and subspecies within the genus Pituophis are found throughout Mexico the Southern and Western United States and Western Canada 1 Description EditAll species of Pituophis are large and powerfully built The head is relatively small in proportion to the body and it is only slightly distinct from the neck The rostral is enlarged and elongated imparting a characteristic somewhat pointed shape to the head All the species occurring in the United States have four prefrontals instead of the usual two 1 Modified epiglottis EditIn all snakes of the genus Pituophis the epiglottis is peculiarly modified so that it is thin erect and flexible When a stream of air is forced from the trachea the epiglottis vibrates thereby producing the peculiarly loud hoarse hissing for which bullsnakes gopher snakes and pine snakes are well known 2 Species and subspecies EditImage Scientific name Common Name Subspecies Distribution Pituophis catenifer Blainville 1835 gopher snake P c affinis Hallowell 1852 Sonoran gopher snake P c annectens Baird amp Girard 1853 San Diego gopher snake P c bimaris Klauber 1946 central Baja California gopher snake P c catenifer Blainville 1835 Pacific gopher snake P c coronalis Klauber 1946 Coronado Island gopher snake P c deserticola Stejneger 1893 Great Basin gopher snake P c fulginatus Klauber 1946 San Martin Island gopher snake P c pumilis Klauber 1946 Santa Cruz Island gopher snake 3 P c sayi Schlegel 1837 bullsnake North America Pituophis deppei A M C Dumeril 1853 Mexican bullsnake P d deppei A M C Dumeril 1853 southern Mexican pine snake P d jani Cope 1861 northern Mexican pine snake central MexicoPituophis insularis Klauber 1946 Credos Island gopher snake Isla de Credos Mexico Pituophis lineaticollis Cope 1861 Middle American gopher snake P l gibsoni Stuart 1954 P l lineaticollis Cope 1861 From Mexico city south through Mexico and to Guatemala Pituophis melanoleucus Daudin 1803 pine snake P m lodingi Blanchard 1924 black pine snake P m melanoleucus Daudin 1803 northern pine snake P m mugitus Barbour 1921 Florida pine snake southeastern United States Pituophis ruthveni Stull 1929 Louisiana pine snake west central Louisiana and East Texas Pituophis vertebralis Blainville 1835 Cape gopher snake southern Baja California Sur Mexico References Edit a b Conant R 1975 A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America Second Edition Boston Houghton Mifflin ISBN 0 395 19977 8 paperback Genus Pituophis pp 198 201 Plate 27 figure 57 Map 147 Schmidt KP Davis DD 1941 Field Book of Snakes of the United States and Canada New York G P Putnam s Sons 365 pp Genus Pituophis pp 158 160 Santa Cruz Island Gopher Snake Channel Islands National Park U S National Park Service Further reading EditHolbrook John Edwards 1842 North American herpetology or A description of the reptiles inhabiting the United States Vol IV Philadelphia J Dobson p 7 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pituophis Genus Pituophis at The Reptile Database Accounts of four subspecies P deppei deppei P deppei jani P lineaticollis lineaticollis and P lineaticollis gibsoni are given in Duellman WE 1960 A Taxonomic Study of the Middle American Snake Pituophis deppei University of Kansas Publications Museum of Natural History 10 599 610 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pituophis amp oldid 1120757099, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
