Pituophis catenifer is found from southwestern Canada south to northern New Mexico. Gopher snakes are found from south-central British Columbia and southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, through the central and western United States, and south through Baja California and Sinaloa, Durango, Zacatecas, and Tamaulipas states in Mexico. In the United States they are found from the Pacific coast eastwards to Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, and western Texas. There are 11 subspecies recognized, with some of those proposed as valid species, including P. c. vertebralis, from southernmost Baja California. Several subspecies represent isolated, island forms, including Cedros Island gopher snakes (P. c. insulanus), San Martin Island gopher snakes (P. c. fuliginatus), Coronado Island gopher snakes (P. c. coronalis), and Santa Cruz gopher snakes (P. c. pumilis).
Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native )
Other Geographic Terms: island endemic
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Bibliographic Citation: Albert, J. 2008. "Pituophis catenifer" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at
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