GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE
50" Male deserticola from Homewood Canyon-Argus Mountains California
Digital Image by Patrick Houston Briggs
Below is a 49.5 inch female individual also from Homewood Canyon California in the Argus Mountains.
Digital Image By Patrick H. Briggs Courtesy Jerry Hartley
The next 4 images are of an upset "deserticola" from Hwy 138 and Lancaster Lane in Lancaster, California of Antelope Valley. Notice the strange aberrant reddish color and pattern of this individual. Lancaster is northeast of Los Angeles in the same county, and to the west is annectens range, also, a bit more northerly is Kern County where the edge of the catenifer range ends; so this appears to be a natural intergrade form where possibly 3 racial forms may unite. Notice how she flattens her head as a defensive gesture. She was wild collected pregnant and produced eggs that hatched. One of these is pictured further below.
Digital images By Patrick Houston Briggs Courtesy Jerry Hartley
What a beautiful intergrade deserticola x annectens from Lancaster, California!
Rather than black, it has square like brown markings on the neck.
Digital Image By Patrick Houston Briggs 2014
Below is a very young "deserticola x annectens" from Hwy 138 and Lancaster Lane in Lancaster, California.
When the adult female was collected above, she was gravid, and the hatchling below came from one of the eggs that she deposited.
Digital Image By Patrick Houston Briggs Courtesy Jerry Hartley
The individual below is a Great Basin Gopher Snake from Jawbone Canyon California.
Digital Image by Pat Briggs Courtesy J. Hartley
The individual below is a light phase morph of deserticola from Jawbone Canyon, California.
Digital Image by Patrick Briggs Courtesy J. Hartley
Young deserticola from Jawbone Canyon, California.
Photo by Patrick Houston Briggs Courtesy to Jerry Hartley 2014
Below is a 52.5 inch female from Jawbone Canyon California.
Photo image By Patrick Briggs Courtesy Jerry Hartley
Below is another light morph Great Basin Gopher snake from Jawbone Canyon, CA.
Digital Image by Patrick H. Briggs Courtesy J. Hartley
Great Basin Gopher Snake from Pioneertown, California parent stock
Photo by Patrick H. Briggs Courtesy Jerry Hartley
Great Basin Gopher Snake adult male, Closeup upper neck and head, Homewood Canyon- Argus Mountains California
Photo by Patrick H. Briggs Courtesy Jerry Hartley
GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE
Pituophis catenifer deserticola ( Stejneger, 1893 )
By Patrick Houston Briggs
The scientific epithet for this race is a deriviative 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 infact, intergrades with the Sonoran, Pacific, and the San Diego race where the boundries 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, western Colorado, south and southwestern Wyoming, Utah and much of Idaho.
Distribution: Pituophis catenifer deserticola: E Washington, Oregon, E California, Nevada, Idaho, N Arizona, NW New Mexico, W Colorado, Utah, SW Wyoming; Type locality: Great Basin and southwestern deserts.
Original Description:
Pituophis catenifer - (Blainville, 1835) - Nouv. Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, Vol. 4, p. 290, pl. 26, figs. 2-2b
Pituophis catenifer deserticola - Stejneger, 1893 - N. Amer. Fauna, No. 7, p. 206
Jerry Hartley with a Great Basin Gopher Snake from Little Lake, California
Digital Image By Patrick Briggs November 2014
Below is a 51.5 inch wild female Great Basin Gopher Snake from Little Lake, California.
Digital Image By Patrick Houston Briggs Courtesy Jerry Hartley
Below is a wild 45" female individual from Pyramid Lake Nevada.
Digital Image by Patrick Houston Briggs Courtesy Jerry Hartley
The upper head close up of the Pyramid Lake Nevada Great Basin gopher snake female above.
Digital Photo by Patrick Houston Briggs
Left side close up head study of the smaller female Pyramid Lake Nevada Great Basin gopher snake.
Digital Study by Pat Briggs
Here's the 2nd female individual at 53" from Pyramid Lake Nevada.
Digital Image by Patrick Houston Briggs July 13, 2014 Courtesy Jerry Hartley
Close up upper head study of the larger 53' female from Pyramid Lake Nevada.
Digital Photo by Pat Briggs
Below is another nice specimen collected at Pyramid Lake Nevada by Jerry Hartley.
Digital Image taken by Patrick Briggs
The Belly of the same deserticola above from Pyramid Lake, Nevada.
Digital Photo Image taken and posted by Patrick H. Briggs, Courtesy Jerry Hartley, the collector.
The neonate Great Basin Gopher Snake below was collected from Stead, Nevada.
Digital by Pat Briggs Courtesy Jerry Hartley, the collector
Below is an incredible looking natural occurring intergrade Pituophis catenifer affinis x deserticola from Oatman, Arizona.
Photo by Patrick Houston Briggs courtesy Jerry Hartley
Below is the same natural occurring intergrade snake as the one above a couple years later
Pituophis catenifer affinis x deserticola from Oatman, Arizona.
Digital Photo Image taken August 23, 2018 By Patrick Houston Briggs
Below is a close head study viewed from the right and slightly above of a
natural occurring intergrade snake Pituophis catenifer affinis x deserticola from Oatman, Arizona.
Great Basin Gopher Snake Pituouphis catenifer deserticola
Patrick Houston Briggs May 2014
Photo below by Jon Siess (Individual from Big Bear Lake of the Pacific Crest Trail in California)
Great Basin Gopher Snake Pituophis catenifer deserticola
Scutelation
Midbody Scales 29-35 Supralabials 8-10
Ventrals 214-259 Infralabials 9-15
Caudals 54-71 Preoculars 1-2
Anal Entire Postoculars 2-6
Prefrontals Usually 4
Visit the resources below
(See Olive Stull, p. 22 Bulletin 175, U. S. Natl. Musm, TABLE 1.---Synopsis of the forms of Pituophis)
(See also California Reptiles and Amphibians http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/p.c.deserticola.html)
(Check out REPTILES magazine, April 2001 Pituophis Parade: The Bull, Gopher & Pine Snakes, p. 48-73 By Patrick Briggs)
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/recovery/rcvrystrat/gopher_snake_rcvry_strat_130208.pdf
A young Pituophis catenifer deserticola from Ridgecrest, California below.
Digital image by Patrick H. Briggs Courtesy Isaiah Fairchild
Below is another young "deserticola" from Ridgecrest California collected by Jerry Hartley.
Digital Photo Image by Patrick Briggs
http://www.californiaherps.com/noncal/northwest/nwsnakes/pages/p.c.deserticola.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cameronrognan/3751789901/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/4423094345/in/set-72157623429334120/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/primevalnature/3802343752/
Defensive posture of a Great Basin gopher snake adult: http://quacked.com/image-291-gopher+snake.htm
British Columbian Great Basin gopher snake study video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QASjtsLYzZA
Great Basin gopher snake from Las Vegas, Nevada: http://www.birdandhike.com/Wildlife/Snake/Pit_cat/_Pit_cat.htm
Below is a nice robust wild Great Basin gopher snake from Klickitat County Washington.
Photo by Andy O'connor
Here's another nice image from Andy O'connor.
The beautiful "deserticola" below is from Clark County Nevada.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/janelka/3936211858/
Ashcroft British Columbia, Canada Great Basin gopher snake: http://www.flickr.com/photos/6khz/4014678045/
Red Butte near Salt Lake City Utah Great Basin gopher snake: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zharkikh/6998923717/
Great Basin gopher snake at Sage Junction Idaho: http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/4665606546/
Great Basin gopher snake: http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_horned_jew_lizard/7587525994/
Summerland, British Columbia Canada: http://www.flickr.com/photos/taniaseyes/8052777776/
Barstow, California Great Basin gopher snake: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cameronrognan/3752573180/in/photostream/
Here's a "deserticola" also from Clark County Nevada with striping in the neck and anterior region.
Digital photo below by Andy O'conner
Harney County Oregon Great Basin gopher snake: http://www.flickr.com/photos/birding4me/7388565414/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/birding4me/7388366264/
Adams County, Washington Great Basin gopher snake: http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/219246181/
Tooele County, Utah Great Basin gopher snake female: http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/4423094339/in/photostream/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/4423094345/
Washington County, Utah Great Basin gopher snake: http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/4423094349/in/photostream/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/4423112793/in/photostream/
Great Basin gopher snake from Torrance Ranch, Nye Co, Nevada: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fugl/7154613296/
Here's an adult female Great Basin gopher snake from Salt Lake County, Utah. She appears
to have had an accident which severed her tail now healed to a stub.
Photo by Patrick Houston Briggs Courtesy Michael Buckley
Wild collected Doyle, California Lassen County natural intergrade juvenile.
Photo by Patrick H. Briggs Courtesy Jerry Hartley
Wild collected Doyle, California Lassen County natural intergrade juvenile.
Wild collected Doyle, California Lassen County natural occurring intergrade deserticola x catenifer juvenile.
Below is the snake as above, but about a year later Doyle California in Lassen County
Digital by Pat Briggs
Below is another individual collected from Doyle in Lassen County California.
Digital Image by Patrick Briggs Courtesy Jerry Hartley
Below is the Venter of the same ophidian above from Doyle in Lassen County in California collected by Jerry Hartley.
Digital Photo by Pat Briggs
Nevada Great Basin gopher snake: http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_horned_jew_lizard/7587525994/in/photostream/
Great Basin gopher snake? from where? http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_horned_jew_lizard/6131379799/in/photostream/
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/recovery/rcvrystrat/gopher_snake_rcvry_strat_130208.pdf
Imnaha Canyon, Wallowa County, Oregon Great Basin gopher snake: http://www.flickr.com/photos/primevalnature/3802343752/
Colorado bull snake constricting a grouse: http://www.mytowncolorado.com/photo/2021996:Photo:6138?context=user http://www.mytowncolorado.com/photo/2021996:Photo:6137?context=user
Great Basin gopher snake images and other things: http://www.herpfamily.com/showthread.php?t=9773
A nice young Great Basin gopher snake: http://quacked.com/image-104-gopher+snake.htm
Closeup side head study of an angry Great Basin gopher snake: http://quacked.com/image-168-gopher+snake.htm
Great Basin gopher snake coiled from above: http://quacked.com/image-134-gopher+snake.htm
Las Vegas, Nevada gopher snake: http://www.birdandhike.com/Wildlife/Snake/Pit_cat/_Pit_cat.htm
The Great Basin Gopher snake
Photo by Patrick Houston Briggs Courtesy Thomas Moisi
Below: Wild from Dove Springs-Red Rock Canyon Mojave desert, an intergrade zone
Photo by Patrick Houston Briggs Courtesy Chris Hooke
Below is a wild 67.5 inch male Fernly Nevada male Great Basin Gopher snake
Digital Image By Patrick Houston Briggs Courtesy Jerry Hartley
Below is a close up head study of a 67.5 inch wild male Pituophis catenifer deserticola from Fernly, Nevada.
Digital Photo Image By Patrick H. Briggs Courtesy Jerry Hartley
Wild 54" male Great Basin gopher snake is from Fernly Nevada.
Digital Photo by Patrick Houston Briggs Courtesy the collector Jerry Hartley
Here's a close up study of the upper head and neck of the 54" male Fernly Nevada specimen.
Digital Photo by Pat Briggs July 13, 2014
The wild underweight 45" young adult female Great Basin gopher snake is from Keeler California on the east shore of Owens Lake.
July 15, 2014 Digital Image by Patrick Houston Briggs Courtesy Jerry Hartley
The close up of a wild young adult female Great Basin gopher snake is from Keeler California on the east shore of Owens Lake.
Photo Slide by Patrick Houston Briggs Courtesy Chris Hooke
Great Basin Gophersnake (near Dove Springs-Red Rock Canyon of the Mojave desert, an intergrade zone)
Photo by Patrick Houston Briggs Courtesy Chris Hooke
Pituophis catenifer deserticola
Photo below by Patrick H. Briggs Courtesy Lloyd Lemke
Pituophis catenifer deserticola
Photo below by Patrick H. Briggs Courtesy Tom Moisi
Upper Head Study of a Great Basin Gopher Snake (Dove Springs Recreation Park in California)
Photo by Patrick H. Briggs
Photo slide scan by Pat Briggs
Notice the 5 pre-frontal scales on this desert natural occurring intergrade individual below from Randsburg, California with 3 touching the frontal scale.
Photo by Patrick H. Briggs
Images above and below Pituophis catenifer deserticola x catenifer adult female from Randsburg of Kern County California of the Mojave desert.
Notice the azygous or intermediate prefrontal scale at the middle in front of the frontal scale prevents the other two anterior prefontals
from making contact with the frontal between the oculars. This snake actually has 5 prefrontals. This is more common in some Pituophis
species than many researchers may be aware of. Notice the reddish brown color of the markings and the same color invading the black
markings anteriorly. This animal is also a natural occuring intergrade of Kern County on the south side of the mountain range.
Photo by Patrick H. Briggs Courtesy Paul Slocumb
BelowDOR Pituophis catenifer deserticola from Morgan, Utah
Image by Greg Fernald 2016
Mid 1990s, Dr. Robert Stebbins, Author, Biologist, and Wildlife Artist with Patrick Briggs, President of the San Joaquin Herpetological Society in Fresno California.
Photo by Paul Slocumb
Below is a wild subadult female Great Basin gopher snake collected from Crystal Lake near Sparks, Nevada
Photo by Pat Briggs Courtesy Jerry Hartley
Below is a dorsal view of the same specimen from Sparks, Nevada photographed above.
Photo by Pat Briggs Courtesy Jerry Hartley
Here's the venter of the same Great Basin gopher snake. Photo by Patrick H. Briggs
Jerry Hartley with a Black Pine Snake and Patrick Briggs with a Kankakee County Bull Snake November 15, 2014
Although Jerry Hartley is usually known for his work with locality rosy boas and king snakes, he also enjoys,
Pituophis forms, and his recording dates and location, photographing, and collecting has proved to be so important.
Patrick Briggs has bred or kept hundreds of different forms of reptiles and amphibians, and although he is known
for his work with the Pituophis group, his interest involves all the California species of reptiles and amphibians.