Colubridae
Mohave Shovel-nosed Snake
Sonora occipitalis
A closer look
Mohave Shovel-nosed Snake (Sonora occipitalis) is native to Arizona, California, and Nevada. This small ground-dwelling snake adapted to life beneath loose soil or surface cover is most often associated with loose desert soil, sandy flats, grassland, and cover beneath rocks or debris and typically feeds on spiders, centipedes, insects, lizards, and other small prey.
- Habitat
- Loose desert soil, sandy flats, grassland, and cover beneath rocks or debris
- On the menu
- Spiders, centipedes, insects, lizards, and other small prey
- Behavior
- A flexible hunter whose activity and escape behavior vary with habitat and temperature.
Not considered venomous to people. Observe without handling, and never corner or relocate a wild snake.
Safety & bite guidance ↗Where it is listed
A sense of place.
Checklist presence only. A highlighted state is not a local range boundary. Territory tiles are schematic.
State & territory checklist
About continuous range data
A verified habitat-model layer is not available for this species in this release. Earlier broad sketches connected jurisdiction locations; they did not show measured occurrence or USGS habitat predictions.
Use USGS distribution resources ↗ for available modeled habitat data.
Names, sources & image evidence
Also known as: No additional names recorded.
Taxonomy: provisional. Territory checklist entries may be provisional. Field descriptions include broad group-level natural-history summaries.
Research Grade iNaturalist observation 283663052 has exact taxon Sonora occipitalis
Conservation & local rules
Collection, possession, relocation, and protection rules vary by state and territory. Check the relevant wildlife agency before taking action. Leave wild snakes where they are.