Citation: Midtgaard, Rune. RepFocus - A Survey of the Reptiles of the World. (www.repfocus.dk).
Latest update:
August 27th, 2024.
 
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Genus
Masticophis
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North American Whip Snakes and Coachwhips
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Kutscherpeitschen-Nattern
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Amerikanske Pilsnoge
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1853 |  |
Masticophis Baird (type species: Masticophis ornatus Baird & Girard 1853) |
Contents:
13 species, of which 5 (38.5%) are endemic.
Endemism: 0%  100%
Remarks:
Some authors (e.g., Schätti 1987; Lopez & Maxson 1995, 1996; Utiger, Schätti & Helfenberger 2005) have treated Masticophis as a synonym of
Coluber, and although this has been followed by some others (e.g., McCranie 2011; Rivas, Molina, Ugueto, Barros, Barrio-Amorós & Kok 2012; Pyron, Burbrink & Wiens 2013), most have retained Masticophis as a valid genus (e.g., Nagy, Lawson, Joger & Wink 2004; Collins & Taggart 2008; Wilson & Johnson 2010; Pyron & Burbrink in Crother 2012; Lemos-Espinal & Dixon 2013; Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014).
Distribution:
North America, Central America, South America.
Reported from:
Belize,
Brazil
(Rondonia),
Colombia,
Costa Rica,
El Salvador,
Guatemala,
Honduras,
Mexico
(Aguascalientes,
Baja California Norte,
Baja California Sur
[incl.
Isla Cerralvo],
Campeche,
Chiapas,
Chihuahua,
Coahuila,
Colima
[incl.
Revillagigedo Islands
(Clarion)],
Durango,
Guanajuato,
Guerrero,
Hidalgo,
Jalisco,
Mexico State,
Michoacan,
Morelos,
Nayarit
[incl.
Islas Marias
(Maria Madre,
Maria Magdalena,
San Juanito)],
Nuevo Leon,
Oaxaca,
Puebla,
Queretaro,
Quintana Roo,
San Luis Potosi,
Sinaloa,
Sonora
[incl.
Isla San Esteban,
Isla San Pedro Martir,
Isla Tiburon],
Tabasco,
Tamaulipas,
Veracruz,
Yucatan,
Zacatecas),
Nicaragua,
Panama,
USA
(Alabama,
Arizona,
Arkansas,
California,
Colorado,
Florida,
Georgia,
Idaho,
Illinois,
Kansas,
Kentucky,
Louisiana,
Mississippi,
Missouri,
Nebraska,
Nevada,
New Mexico,
North Carolina,
Oklahoma,
Oregon,
South Carolina,
Tennessee,
Texas,
Utah,
Washington,
Wyoming),
Venezuela
(incl.
Margarita).
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Masticophis anthonyi
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Clarion Island Whip Snake, Clarion Racer
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Clarion-Zornnatter
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Clarion-pilsnog
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1901 | |
Bascanion anthonyi Stejneger |
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Masticophis anthonyi Ortenburger 1923 |
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Coluber anthonyi Utiger, Schätti & Helfenberger 2005 |
Distribution:
Mexico
(Colima:
Revillagigedo Islands:
Clarion).
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Masticophis aurigulus
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Baja California Striped Whip Snake, Cape Striped Whip Snake
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Niederkalifornische Gestreifte Peitschennatter
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Baja California-pilsnog
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1861 | |
Drymobius aurigulus Cope |
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Masticophis aurigulus Grismer 1999 |
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Coluber aurigulus Utiger, Schätti & Helfenberger 2005 |
Remarks:
Previously included barbouri.
Distribution:
Mexico
(Baja California Sur).
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Masticophis barbouri
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Espiritu Santo Striped Whip Snake
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Espiritu Santo-Peitschennatter
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Espiritu Santo-pilsnog
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1921 | |
Coluber barbouri Van Denburgh & Slevin |
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Masticophis aurigulus barbouri Grismer 1990 |
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Masticophis barbouri Ortenburger 1923 |
Remarks:
Revalidated as a separate species by Grismer (1999).
Distribution:
Mexico
(Baja California Sur
[Isla Espiritu Santo,
Isla Partida Sur]).
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Masticophis bilineatus
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Sonoran Whip Snake
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Sonora-Peitschennatter
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Sonora-pilsnog
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1863 | |
Masticophis bilineatus Jan |
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Coluber bilineatus Bogert & Oliver 1945 |
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1892 | |
Bascanium semilineatum Cope (Schmidt 1953) |
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Zamenis semilineatus Günther 1894 |
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Masticophis semilineatus Ortenburger 1923 |
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1950 | |
Masticophis bilineatus lineolatus Hensley (Camper & Dixon 1994) |
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Masticophis lineolatus Collins 1991 |
Other common names:
bilineatus: Common Sonoran Whip Snake
lineolatus: Ajo Mountain Whip Snake
Remarks:
Collins (1991) suggested recognition of lineolatus as a separate species.
Distribution:
Mexico
(Aguascalientes,
Chihuahua,
Colima,
Durango,
Jalisco,
Nayarit,
Sinaloa,
Sonora,
Zacatecas),
USA
(Arizona,
New Mexico).
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Masticophis bilineatus
© Rune Midtgaard
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Masticophis flagellum
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Common Coachwhip
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Gewöhnliche Kutscherpeitschennatter
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Almindelig Karetpiskesnog
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1802 | |
Coluber flagellum Shaw |
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Masticophis flagellum Schmidt 1953 |
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1823 | |
Coluber testaceus Say |
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Coluber flagellum testaceus Klauber 1942 |
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Masticophis flagellum testaceus Schmidt & Owens 1944 |
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1837 | |
Herpetodryas psammophis Schlegel (Schmidt 1953) |
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1842 | |
Coluber flagelliformis Holbrook (Schmidt 1953) |
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1852 | |
Psammophis flavigularis Hallowell (Schmidt 1953) |
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Masticophis flagellum flavigularis Ortenburger 1923 |
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1941 | |
Masticophis flagellum lineatulus Smith |
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Coluber flagellum lineatulus Liner 2007 |
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Masticophis lineatulus O'Connell & Smith 2018 |
Other common names:
flagellum: Eastern Coachwhip
lineatulus: Lined Coachwhip
testaceus: Central Coachwhip, (Western Coachwhip) - see remarks under piceus
Remarks:
Previously included fuliginosus, lineatus, and piceus, now considered separate species, as well as variolosus,
now regarded as subspecies of mentovarius (but possibly conspecific with lineatus).
Not mentioned for Queretaro by Cruz-Elizalde, Ramírez-Bautista, Hernández-Salinas, Berriozabal-Islas & Wilson (2019).
Distribution:
Mexico
(Aguascalientes,
Chihuahua,
Coahuila,
Durango,
Guanajuato,
Hidalgo,
Jalisco,
Nayarit,
Nuevo Leon,
Queretaro,
San Luis Potosi,
Tamaulipas,
Veracruz,
Zacatecas),
USA
(Alabama,
Arizona,
Arkansas,
Colorado,
Florida,
Georgia,
Illinois,
Kansas,
Kentucky,
Louisiana,
Mississippi,
Missouri,
Nebraska,
Nevada,
New Mexico,
North Carolina,
Oklahoma,
South Carolina,
Tennessee,
Texas).
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Masticophis fuliginosus
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Baja California Coachwhip
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Niederkalifornischer Kutscherpeitschennatter
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Baja California-karetpiskesnog
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1895 | |
Zamenis lateralis fuliginosus Cope |
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Masticophis flagellum fulginosus [sic] Stebbins 1985 |
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Masticophis fuliginosus Grismer 1994 |
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Coluber fuliginosus Utiger, Schätti & Helfenberger 2005 [not Coluber fuliginosus Hallowell 1845] |
Distribution:
Mexico
(Baja California Norte,
Baja California Sur),
USA
(California).
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Masticophis lateralis
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Pacific Striped Whip Snake, (Striped Racer)
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Pazifische Peitschennatter
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Pacifisk Stribet Pilsnog
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1853 | |
Leptophis lateralis Hallowell |
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Masticophis lateralis Ortenburger 1923 |
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Coluber lateralis Utiger, Schätti & Helfenberger 2005 |
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1954 | |
Masticophis lateralis euryxanthus Riemer |
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Coluber lateralis euryxanthus Crother, Boundy, Burbrink & Campbell in Crother (ed.) 2008 |
Other common names:
euryxanthus: Alameda Striped Racer
lateralis: California Striped Racer, Chaparral Striped Racer
Distribution:
Mexico
(Baja California Norte,
Baja California Sur),
USA
(California).
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Masticophis lineatus
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Mexican Whip Snake
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Mexicanische Peitschennatter
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Mexicansk Pilsnog
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1890 | |
Bascanion lineatus Bocourt [not Coluber lineatus Linnaeus 1758] |
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Zamenis lineatus Boulenger 1893 |
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Masticophis lineatus Ortenburger 1923 |
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Masticophis flagellum lineatus Smith & Taylor 1945 |
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Masticophis lineatus Smith & Van Gelder 1955 |
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1934 | |
Coluber striolatus Mertens [substitute name for Bascanion lineatus Bocourt 1890] |
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Masticophis flagellum striolatus Smith 1941 |
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Masticophis striolatus Zweifel & Norris 1955 |
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Masticophis mentovarius striolatus Johnson 1977 |
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Coluber mentovarius striolatus Liner 2007 |
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1943 | |
Masticophis flagellum variolosus Smith (Zweifel 1960) |
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Masticophis mentovarius variolosus Johnson 1977 |
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Coluber mentovarius variolosus Liner 2007 |
Other common names:
variolosus: Tres Marias Islands Whip Snake
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a subspecies of flagellum (e.g., Smith & Taylor 1945) or, more recently, of mentovarius (e.g., Johnson 1977).
Revalidated by O'Connella & Smith (2018).
The species has been referred to as striolatus in many publications (e.g., Johnson 1982), but the name lineatus was revalidated by
O'Connella & Smith (2018).
Status of variolosus is uncertain; it may be conspecific with lineatus (O'Connella & Smith 2018) and is tentatively treated as such herein,
following Zweifel (1960).
Distribution:
Mexico
(Aguascalientes,
Chihuahua,
Colima,
Durango,
Guanajuato,
Guerrero,
Jalisco,
Mexico State,
Michoacan,
Morelos,
Nayarit
[incl.
Islas Marias
(Maria Madre,
Maria Magdalena,
San Juanito)],
Oaxaca,
Puebla,
Sinaloa,
Sonora,
Zacatecas).
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Masticophis mentovarius
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Neotropical Whip Snake, Tropical Whip Snake, Central American Coachwhip
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Neotropische Peitschennatter
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Centralamerikansk Pilsnog
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1854 | |
Coryphodon Mento-varius Dumeril, Bibron & Dumeril |
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Bascanium mentovarium Cope 1879 |
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Coluber constrictor mentovarius Garman 1883 |
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Zamenis mentovarius Boulenger 1893 |
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Masticophis mentovarius Ortenburger 1923 |
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Coluber mentovarius Dunn 1940 |
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1863 | |
Liophis varia Jan (Smith & Taylor 1945) |
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1867 | |
Bascanion suboculare Cope (Peters & Orejas-Miranda 1970) |
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1868 | |
Spilotes corais suborbitalis Peters |
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Masticophis mentovarius suborbitalis Smith 1942 |
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Coluber mentovarius suborbitalis Dunn 1944 |
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1953 | |
Coluber mentovarius centralis Roze |
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Masticophis mentovarius centralis Peters & Orejas-Miranda 1970 |
Other common names:
centralis: Colombian Whip Snake
mentovarius: Savanera
suborbitalis: Cazadora
Remarks:
See flagellum.
Previously included lineatus (referred to as striolatus in many publications).
Reports from Brazil (e.g., Bernarde & Abe 2006, 2010; Bernarde, Albuquerque, Barros & Turci 2012), were based on misidentified Liophis miliaris amazonicus
(Costa & Bérnils 2015).
Distribution:
Belize,
Colombia,
Costa Rica,
El Salvador,
Guatemala,
Honduras,
Mexico
(Campeche,
Chiapas,
Guerrero,
Hidalgo,
Oaxaca,
Puebla,
Queretaro,
Quintana Roo,
San Luis Potosi,
Tabasco,
Tamaulipas,
Veracruz,
Yucatan),
Nicaragua,
Panama,
Venezuela
(incl.
Isla Margarita).
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Masticophis piceus
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Western Coachwhip (see remarks)
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Westliche Kutscherpeitschennatter
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Vestlig Karetpiskesnog
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1892 | |
Bascanion piceum Cope |
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Masticophis flagellum piceus Tanner 1927 |
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Masticophis piceus Ortenburger 1928 |
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Coluber flagellum piceus Klauber 1942 |
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1893 | |
Bascanion flagellum frenatum Stejneger [not Herpetodryas frenatus Gray 1853] (Schmidt 1953) |
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Masticophis flagellum frenatus Ortenburger 1928 |
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1953 | |
Masticophis flagellum ruddocki Brattstrom & Warren (O'Connell & Smith 2018) |
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Coluber flagellum ruddocki Crother, Boundy, Burbrink & Campbell in Crother (ed.) 2008 |
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1954 | |
Masticophis flagellum cingulum Lowe & Woodin (O'Connell & Smith 2018) |
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Coluber flagellum cingulum Liner 2007 |
Other common names:
cingulum: Sonoran Coachwhip
piceus: Red Coachwhip, Red Racer
ruddocki: San Joaquin Coachwhip
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a subspecies of flagellum.
Revalidated as a separate species by O'Connell & Smith (2018).
For obvious reasons, "Western Coachwhip" is hereby suggested as common name for this species, although it has also been used for M. flagellum testaceus, for
which taxon this common name should be suppressed in favour of "Central Coachwhip", an already existing, alternative common name, which is considered more fitting.
Distribution:
Mexico
(Baja California Norte,
Chihuahua,
Michoacan,
Sinaloa,
Sonora
[incl.
Isla San Pedro Martir,
Isla Tiburon]),
USA
(Arizona,
California,
Nevada,
New Mexico,
Utah).
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Masticophis piceus
© Rune Midtgaard
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Masticophis schotti
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Eastern Striped Whip Snake, (Schott's Whip Snake)
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Östliche Peitschennatter
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Østlig Stribet Pilsnog
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1853 | |
Masticophis schotti Baird & Girard |
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Masticophis taeniatus schotti Gloyd & Conant 1934 |
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Coluber schotti Utiger, Schätti & Helfenberger 2005 |
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1923 | |
Masticophis ruthveni Ortenburger |
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Masticophis taeniatus ruthveni Gloyd & Conant 1934 |
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Masticophis schotti ruthveni Camper & Dixon 1994 |
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Coluber schotti ruthveni Utiger, Schätti & Helfenberger 2005 |
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1941 | |
Masticophis taeniatus australis Smith (Camper 1996) |
Other common names:
australis: Mexican Striped Whip Snake, Southern Striped Whip Snake
ruthveni: Ruthven's Whip Snake
Remarks:
Revalidated as a separate species by Camper & Dixon (1994).
Distribution:
Mexico
(Aguascalientes,
Coahuila,
Guanajuato,
Hidalgo,
Michoacan,
Nuevo Leon,
Queretaro,
San Luis Potosi,
Tamaulipas,
Veracruz),
USA
(Texas).
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Masticophis slevini
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San Esteban Island Whip Snake
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San Esteban-Peitschennatter
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San Esteban-pilsnog
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1955 | |
Masticophis bilineatus slevini Lowe & Norris |
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Masticophis slevini Grismer 1999 |
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Coluber slevini Utiger, Schätti & Helfenberger 2005 |
Distribution:
Mexico
(Sonora:
Isla San Esteban).
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Masticophis taeniatus
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Western Striped Whip Snake, (Striped Whip Snake)
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Westliche Gestreifte Peitschennatter
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Vestlig Stribet Pilsnog
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1852 | |
Leptophis taeniata Hallowell |
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Masticophis taeniatus Ortenburger 1923 |
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Coluber taeniatus Utiger, Schätti & Helfenberger 2005 |
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1853 | |
Masticophis ornatus Baird & Girard [not Coluber ornatus Shaw 1802] |
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Masticophis taeniatus ornatus Schmidt & Smith 1944 |
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1917 | |
Coluber taeniatus girardi Stejneger & Barbour [substitute name for Masticophis ornatus Baird & Girard 1853] |
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Masticophis taeniatus girardi Ortenburger 1928 |
Other common names:
girardi: Central Texas Whip Snake, Ornate Whip Snake
taeniatus: Desert Striped Whip Snake
Remarks:
Previously included schotti and its subspecies ruthveni.
Although ornatus antedates girardi, the latter remains the valid name for the subspecies, as pointed out by Lemos-Espinal & Smith (2007).
Presence in Nuevo Leon needs confirmation (Lemos-Espinal, Smith & Cruz 2018).
Reported from Queretaro by Cruz-Elizalde, Ramírez-Bautista, Hernández-Salinas, Berriozabal-Islas & Wilson (2019), but this record is provisionally referred to schotti herein, assuming
that it represents M. taeniatus australis, now regarded as a synonym of schotti (Camper 1996).
Distribution:
Mexico
(Aguascalientes,
Chihuahua,
Coahuila,
Durango,
Guanajuato,
Jalisco,
Zacatecas),
USA
(Arizona,
California,
Colorado,
Idaho,
Nevada,
New Mexico,
Oregon,
Texas,
Utah,
Washington,
Wyoming).
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