Nebraska Herpetofaunal Atlas

SQUAMATA (PART) — Snakes
The taxonomy used by the KHA reflects our understanding of evolutionary history. It is well-established that the traditional group "lizards" is not natural. And that snakes are a derived group of lizards that share a more recent common ancestor with some groups of lizards than they do with others. To reconcile this well-supported hypothesis, the KHA has opted to list all snakes and "other lizards" under Squamata. While this arrangement doesn't appear in most popular books, the continued traditional recognition of snakes with an equal but separate catchall "lizards" is untenable.

ESTABLISHED TAXA

COLUBRIDAE — Harmless Egg-laying Snakes

Glossy Snake Arizona elegans Kennicott (in Baird), 1859: 18

North American Racer Coluber constrictor Linnaeus 1758

Prairie Kingsnake Lampropeltis calligaster (Harlan 1827)

Speckled Kingsnake Lampropeltis holbrooki (Stejneger 1903)

Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum (Shaw 1802)

Smooth Greensnake Opheodrys vernalis (Harlan, 1827)

Great Plains Ratsnake Pantherophis emoryi (Baird & Girard 1853)

Western Ratsnake Pantherophis obsoletus (Say 1823)

Western Foxsnake Pantherophis ramspotti (Crother, White, Savage, Eckstut, Graham, and Gardner 2011)

Gophersnake Pituophis catenifer (Blainville 1835)

Plains Black-headed Snake Tantilla nigriceps Kennicott 1860

CROTALIDAE — Pit Vipers

Timber Rattlesnake Crotalus horridus Linnaeus 1758

Prairie Rattlesnake Crotalus viridis (Rafinesque 1818)

Western Massasauga Sistrurus tergeminus (Say 1823)

DIPSADIDAE — Harmless Rear-Fanged Snakes

Western Wormsnake Carphophis vermis (Kennicott [in Baird], 1859)

Ring-necked Snake Diadophis punctatus (Linnaeus 1766)

Plains Hog-nosed Snake Heterodon nasicus Baird and Girard 1852

Eastern Hog-nosed Snake Heterodon platirhinos Latreille (in Sonnini and Latreille) 1801

NATRICIDAE — Harmless Egg-Retaining Snakes

Diamond-backed Watersnake Nerodia rhombifer (Hallowell 1852)

Common Watersnake Nerodia sipedon (Linnaeus 1758)

Graham's Crayfish Snake Regina grahamii Baird & Girard 1853

Dekay's Brownsnake Storeria dekayi (Holbrook 1836)

Red-bellied Snake Storeria occipitomaculata (Storer 1839)

Terrestrial Gartersnake Thamnophis elegans (Baird & Girard 1853)

Western Ribbonsnake Thamnophis proximus (Say 1823)

Plains Gartersnake Thamnophis radix (Baird & Girard 1853)

Common Gartersnake Thamnophis sirtalis (Linnaeus 1758)

Lined Snake Tropidoclonion lineatum (Hallowell 1856)

NOT YET ESTABLISHED TAXA OF INTEREST

EXTINCT TAXA (in prep)