Wildlife Around Las Vegas
The snake species listed here occur around Las Vegas, Nevada. Click the links for species descriptions and additional photos. Snakes are interesting creatures. When you encounter one in the desert, consider yourself lucky and enjoy your good fortune at a distance. Some snakes are venomous, but remember, they lived here first, so let them be. Keep an eye out for shed snake skin in the desert.
| Photo | Family | Common Name |
|---|---|---|
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Leptotyphlopidae | Western Threadsnake (Rena humilis) |
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Colubridae | Desert Glossy Snake (Arizona elegans eburnata) Glossy Snake (Arizona elegans) |
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Colubridae | Mojave Shovel-nosed Snake (Chionactis occipitalis occipitalis) Nevada Shovel-nosed Snake (Chionactis occipitalis talpina) Western Shovelnose Snake (Chionactis occipitalis) |
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Colubridae | Western Yellow-Bellied Racer (Coluber mormon) |
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Colubridae | Red Racer (Coluber flagellum piceus) |
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Colubridae | Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus) |
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Colubridae | Desert Nightsnake (Hypsiglena chlorophaea) |
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Colubridae | California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis california) Common Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula) |
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Colubridae | Utah Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis pyromelana infralabialis) Arizona Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis pyromelana pyromelana) Sonoran Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis pyromelana) |
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Colubridae | Striped Whipsnake (Masticophis taeniatus) |
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Colubridae | Western Leaf-nosed Snake (Phyllorhynchus decurtatus perkinsi) Spotted Leaf-nosed Snake (Phyllorhynchus decurtatus) |
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Colubridae | Great Basin Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer deserticola) Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer) |
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Colubridae | Long-Nosed Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei) |
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Colubridae | Mojave Patch-nosed Snake (Salvadora hexalepis mojavensis) Western Patch-Nosed Snake (Salvadora hexalepis) |
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Colubridae | Western Groundsnake (Sonora semiannulata) |
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Colubridae | Smith's Black-headed Snake (Tantilla hobartsmithi) |
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Colubridae | Sonoran Lyresnake (Trimorphodon lambda) California Lyresnake (Trimorphodon lyrophanes) |
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Colubridae | Wandering Gartersnake (Thamnophis elegans vagrans) Western Terrestrial Gartersnake (Thamnophis elegans) |
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Viperidae | Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes) Mojave Desert Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes cerastes) |
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Viperidae | Grand Canyon Rattlesnake (Crotalus abyssus) (external link) |
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Viperidae | Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus) |
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Viperidae | Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus) Midget Faded Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus concolor) |
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Viperidae | Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) |
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Viperidae | Speckled Rattlesnakes (formerly Crotalus mitchellii) Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus pyrrhus) Panamint Rattlesnake (Crotalus stephensi) |
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Viperidae | Mojave Rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus) Mojave Green Rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus) |
Snakes Not Found Around Las Vegas
| Photo | Family | Common Name |
|---|---|---|
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Colubridae | Brown Water Snake (Nerodia taxispilota) |
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Colubridae | Black Racer (Coluber constrictor) |
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Colubridae | Common Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis) |
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Elaphidae | Texas Coral Snake (Micrurus tener) |
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Viperidae | Black-tailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus) |
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Viperidae | Arizona Black Rattlesnake (Crotalus cerberus) |
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Viperidae | Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus) |
Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
; Last updated 221214
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