Snake Identification Keys

This identification key uses questions and answers to help identify the actual species of snake encountered. The questions are simplistic, you should follow the result link to the description page for the snake species and see if it fits. Also check the species description page for similar species, as there may be additional keys useful in distinguishing a particular species from similar species.

At this time, there either are no or few images. Photographs for this identification guide will largely come in 2010.

1. Eyes - The Starting Point

Are the pupils vertical or round?

Vertical Goto 2	Round Goto 4

2. Patterned or Patternless

Is the snake patternless with a stubby tail?

Yes Goto Northern Rubber Boa	No Goto 3

3. Heavy Bodied

Is it a heavy bodied snake with a very wide head?

Yes Goto Northern Pacific Rattlesnake	No Goto California Nightsnake

4. Anal Plate

Does the snake have a divided anal plate?

The Anal Plate is the scale covering the vent. It is the large scale between the ventral scales and the Caudal scales.

Yes Goto 5	No Goto 9

5. Sharp Tail

Is it a small snake with a sharp pointed tail?

Yes Goto Sharp-tailed Snake	No Goto 6

6. Neck Ring

Does the snake have a Red, Yellow, or Orange ring around the neck?

Yes Goto Ring-necked Snake	No Goto 7

7. Racers and Whipsnakes

You probably have a Racer or Whipsnake. Does the snake have white or cream stripes on the side where the dorsal scales meet the belly scales?

Yes Goto 8	No Goto Western Yellow-bellied Racer

8. Whipsnakes

Is the cream or white stripe bisected by a (possibly broken) black line?

Yes Goto Desert Striped Whipsnake	No Goto California Striped Racer

9. Dorsal Scale Keeling

Are the dorsal scales keeled or smooth?

Keeled Goto 10	Smooth Goto 11

Above illustrations from the Online Guide to the Snakes of Florida at: http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/herpetology/FL-GUIDE/onlineguide.htm Copyright © 1999, 2000 Florida Museum of Natural History. Used with permission.

10. Prefrontal Scales

Does it have four prefrontal scales?

Yes Goto Pacific Gopher Snake	No Goto Garter Snakes

11. Kingsnakes

Does it have red or orange rings bordered by black?

Yes Goto California Mountain Kingsnake	No Goto California Kingsnake

Northern Rubber Boa

You possibly have a Northern Rubber Boa (Charina bottae).
For more information on this species: Northern Rubber Boa.

Northern Pacific Rattlesnake

You possibly have a Northern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus oreganus).
For more information on this species: Northern Pacific Rattlesnake.

California Nightsnake

You possibly have a California Nightsnake (Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha nuchalata).
For more information on this species: California Nightsnake.

Sharp-tailed Snake

You possibly have a Sharp-tailed Snake (Contia tenuis).
For more information on this species: Sharp-tailed Snake.

Ring-necked Snake

You possibly have a Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus).
For more information on this species: Ring-necked Snake.

Western Yellow-bellied Racer

You possibly have a Western Yellow-bellied Racer (Coluber constrictor mormon).
For more information on this species: Western Yellow-bellied Racer.

Desert Striped Whipsnake

You possibly have a Desert Striped Whipsnake (Coluber taeniatus taeniatus).
For more information on this species: Desert Striped Whipsnake.

California Striped Racer

You possibly have a California Striped Racer (Coluber lateralis lateralis).
For more information on this species: California Striped Racer.

Pacific Gopher Snake

You possibly have a Pacific Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer catenifer).
For more information on this species: Pacific Gopher Snake.

California Mountain Kingsnake

You possibly have a California Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis zonata).
For more information on this species: California Mountain Kingsnake.

California Kingsnake

You possibly have a California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula californiae).
For more information on this species: California Kingsnake.

Garter Snakes

You probably have a Garter Snake. To continue your identification, please see the Garter Snake Identification key specific to Shasta County Garter Snakes.

End Of Identification Key