Older texts will show Schott's whipsnake and Ruthven's whipsnake as races of this species; they are now considered full species.
Fairly common in parts of its range, especially near water.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
This is an aesthetically interesting snake that probably helps to control rodent numbers in rangeland.
The striped whipsnake eats amphibians, smaller snakes, and lizards. Three other important prey to the whipsnake are bird nestlings, bird eggs, and rodents. This snake is an active hunter that finds its food by vision and scent trailing, although vision plays the larger role out of the two. Juvenile whipsnakes consume insects, including crickets, locusts, and cicadas. (Bartlett and Tenant 2000).
Masticophis taeniatus is found from central Texas and neighboring Mexico through Arizona and Utah to Nevada, northern California, Oregon, and southern Washington. (Stebbins 1985)
Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native )
In the southern part of its range this species is associated with open woodlands in mountainous terrain. In the north it is found in high altitude woodlands, as well as in desert scrub, grassland, and juniper-studded rangelands at the lower altitudes. Striped whipsnakes can often be found near pond and river edges where water is readily available and amphibians can be found. (Bartlett and Tenant 2000).
Terrestrial Biomes: desert or dune ; savanna or grassland ; mountains
This is a slender snake with an adult length of 36 to 72 inches (90-183 cm). Dorsally the snake is typically dark brown to gray or blue, with three light stripes on each side with a color range from grey to white. The side stripe is divided by a broken to continous dark band. The dorsal scales are smooth, in fifteen rows at midbody. The anal plate is divided. (Stebbins 1985; Bartlett and Tenant 2000).
Females lay 3 to 12 bumpy-shelled eggs in the spring or early summer. The eggs take two to three months to hatch, and the slender young are about 14 inches long. (Stebbins 1985; Bartlett and Tenant 2000).
Desert Striped Whipsnake, Masticophis taeniatus taeniatus Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Suborder: Serpentes Family: Colubridae Genus: Masticophis Species: M. taeniatus Binomial name Masticophis taeniatusM. t. australis
M. t. girardi
M. t. ornatus
M. t. taeniatus
Leptophis taeniata Hallowell, 1852
Coluber taeniatus - Garman, 1883
Zamenis taeniatus - Cope, 1900[1]
The Striped Whipsnake (Masticophis taeniatus ornatus ) is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake that is closely related to the California Whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis). It is native to the western United States and northern Mexico.
Contents IdentificationThe Striped Whipsnake is approximately 30-72inches (76–183cm) in length. This snake exhibits black, dark brown, or gray coloration on its back. Across each of the first four dorsal scales rows, it often has an olive or bluish tint. There is a white to cream-colored stripe down its side that is bisected by either a solid or dashed black line. The coloring on the snake's belly tends to be cream to yellowish, fading to white toward the head, and coral pink toward the tail. This snake also features a lower preocular between the upper labial scales of the mouth, and the anal scale is divided.
DistributionThe Striped Whipsnake is found all throughout the western United States and northern Mexico. The farthest north part of their range is in south central Washington and moves south into the great basin between the Cascade-Sierran crest and the continental divide. The range then continues southeast across the continental divide into New Mexico and western and central Texas. The farthest south part of the range lies in Michoacan, Mexico. In the Western United States the range also extends outside of the great basin into the Rogue River Valley in South Western Oregon and Northern California even in Italy.
HabitatThe Striped Whipsnake is commonly found in a wide variety of habitats including shrub lands, grasslands, sagebrush flats, canyons, piñon-juniper woodlands, and open pine-oak forests. They are attracted to both permanent and seasonal rocky streams, and they frequent both flatlands and mountains.
BehaviorThis species is diurnal, active during the day, and is very alert and fast moving. They seek shelter in rock outcrops, small mammal burrows, as well as in trees and shrubs depending on the habitat they occupy. These snakes are nonvenomous but they prey on a wide variety of species including lizards, other snakes (including rattlesnakes), small mammals, young birds, frogs and insects.
ReproductionLittle is known about the reproductive activities of this species. After fertilization the Striped Whipsnake will lay a clutch of 3-12 eggs, between the months of June and July, usually in an abandoned rodent burrow. One study has shown a natural incubation period of 44 to 58 days.
The striped whipsnake (Masticophis taeniatus) is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. It is closely related to the California whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis). The striped whipsnake is native to the western United States and adjacent northern Mexico.
The striped whipsnake is approximately 30-72 inches (76–183 cm) in total length (including tail). This snake exhibits black, dark brown, or gray coloration on its back, often with an olive or bluish tint. Along the center of each of the first four rows of pale dorsal scales, is a dark longitudinal stripe. There is a white to cream-colored stripe down its side that is bisected by either a solid or dashed black line. The coloring on the snake's belly tends to be cream to yellowish, fading to white toward the head, and coral pink toward the tail. This snake also features a lower preocular between the upper labial scales of the mouth. The anal scale is divided.
The striped whipsnake is found throughout the western United States and northern Mexico. The northernmost part of its geographic range is in south central Washington, and continues southward into the Great Basin between the Cascade-Sierran crest and the continental divide. Its range then continues southeast across the continental divide into New Mexico and western and central Texas. The southernmost part of its range lies in Michoacán, Mexico. In the Western United States its range also extends outside of the Great Basin into the Rogue River Valley in southwestern Oregon and northern California. There is a population in Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah.
The striped whipsnake is commonly found in a wide variety of habitats including shrub lands, grasslands, sagebrush flats, canyons, piñon-juniper woodlands, and open pine-oak forests. It is attracted to both permanent and seasonal rocky streams, and it frequents both flatlands and mountains.
The species M. taeniatus is diurnal, active during the day, and is very alert and fast moving. It seeks shelter in rock outcrops, small mammal burrows, as well as in trees and shrubs depending on the habitat they occupy. This snake is nonvenomous, but it preys on a wide variety of species including lizards, other snakes (including venomous rattlesnakes), small mammals, young birds, frogs, and insects.
Little is known about the reproductive activities of M. taeniatus. After fertilization the female striped whipsnake will lay a clutch of 3-12 eggs, between the months of June and July, usually in an abandoned rodent burrow. One study has shown a natural incubation period of 44 to 58 days.
There are two subspecies of Masticophis taeniatus which are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.[2]
Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Masticophis.
The subspecific name, girardi, is in honor of French-American herpetologist Charles Frédéric Girard.[3]
The striped whipsnake (Masticophis taeniatus) is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. It is closely related to the California whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis). The striped whipsnake is native to the western United States and adjacent northern Mexico.
