About Sonora occipitalis (Hallowell, 1854)
This species, commonly called the western shovel-nosed snake, has the scientific name Sonora occipitalis (Hallowell, 1854). It is a small snake, reaching 11 to 17 inches in length. Most individuals have alternating bands of orange and tan on a cream-colored base, or tan bands on a cream base. Less commonly, documented specimens have black bands on a white base. The snout is usually cream to light yellow, and it has a distinct point that helps the snake dig. Its small black eyes are covered by a black mask. The western shovel-nosed snake can be told apart from the similar-looking coral snake by its yellow snout and the fact that its bands do not extend fully around the belly. Compared to the closely related Sonoran shovel-nosed snake, which has fewer than 20 body bands, this species differs in band count. This snake is found in Arizona, California, and Nevada in the United States, and also in Mexico. It occurs primarily in scrub habitats of the Sonoran Desert and Mojave Desert.
