Gophersnake / Bullsnake
Mexican Bull Snake
HarmlessPituophis deppei
6 photographs of the Mexican Bull Snake. © Corrales Jesus.
The Mexican Bull Snake (Pituophis deppei) is a non-venomous snake in the Colubridae family, recorded in 3 countries.
- Also called
- Gophersnake / Bullsnake
- Family
- Colubridae
- Size
- Large, 4–7 ft.
- Habitat
- Grasslands, deserts, and farmland.
- Behavior
- Loud hissers that mimic rattlesnakes by vibrating the tail; valuable rodent predators, but harmless.
- Identify
- Large, blotched, with a slightly pointed snout and keeled scales — no rattle.
About the Mexican Bull Snake
Pituophis deppei, commonly known as the Mexican bullsnake and the Mexican pine snake, is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake endemic to Mexico. There are two recognized subspecies.
Etymology
The specific name, deppei, is in honor of German artist Ferdinand Deppe, who collected natural history specimens in Mexico.
The subspecific name, jani, is in honor of Italian herpetologist Giorgio Jan.
Geographic range
P. deppei occurs in the Mexican states of Aguascalientes, Coahuila, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo León, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, and Tamaulipas.
Habitat
The preferred natural habitats of P. deppei are forest, shrubland, and grassland, but it is also found in agricultural, suburban, and urban areas.
Description
Dorsally, P. deppei is yellowish tan, with a series of large quadrangular blotches, which are dark brown to black. It has smaller dark spots on the sides. Ventrally, it is yellowish, with squarish brown spots. Adults may attain a total length of 1.69 m (5.5 ft), including a tail length of 18 cm (7.1 in).
Reproduction
P. deppei is oviparous.
Subspecies
Two subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.
Pituophis deppei deppei (A.M.C. Duméril, 1853) – southern Mexican pine snake
Pituophis deppei jani (Cope, 1861) – northern Mexican pine snake
Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Pituophis.
Adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.
Frequently asked: Mexican Bull Snake
- Is the Mexican Bull Snake venomous?
- No. The Mexican Bull Snake (Pituophis deppei) is non-venomous and is not considered dangerous to humans. Like most snakes, it will retreat rather than bite when given the chance.
- Is the Mexican Bull Snake poisonous?
- Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. "Poisonous" means harmful to eat or touch; "venomous" means injecting toxins through a bite. The Mexican Bull Snake is neither poisonous nor venomous.
- Is the Mexican Bull Snake dangerous?
- The Mexican Bull Snake is not dangerous to humans. It has no medically significant venom and bites only defensively if cornered or handled.
- Where does the Mexican Bull Snake live?
- The Mexican Bull Snake has verified records in 3 countries, including Mexico, Guatemala, United States of America. See the distribution section below for its full range.
- How do I identify the Mexican Bull Snake?
- Large, blotched, with a slightly pointed snout and keeled scales — no rattle.
- How big does the Mexican Bull Snake get?
- Large, 4–7 ft.
- Why is it called the Mexican Bull Snake?
- The specific name, deppei, is in honor of German artist Ferdinand Deppe, who collected natural history specimens in Mexico. The subspecific name, jani, is in honor of Italian herpetologist Giorgio Jan.
Where it is found
Snakes it is confused with
Western RattlesnakeVenomousGophersnakes and bullsnakes mimic rattlesnakes by hissing and vibrating the tail, but they are harmless and have no rattle.
Mexican Bull Snake vs Western Rattlesnake→
More Colubridae snakes
Classification
How scientists group this snake, from the broadest category down to the exact species. Each step narrows to its closest relatives.
- OrderThe broad group of scaled reptiles: all snakes and lizards
- Squamata
- FamilyA group of related snakes that share key traits
- Colubridae
- GenusA close-knit group of very similar species
- Pituophis
- SpeciesThis exact snake, named in the two-part scientific name
- Pituophis deppei
Keep learning
- What to Do If You Find a SnakeFound a snake at home or on a trail? Here is how to stay calm, give it space, identify it safely, and know when to call a professional.
- Venomous vs Nonvenomous: How to Tell the DifferenceThe folk rules for telling venomous snakes apart, where each one fails, and why location-based identification beats guessing by sight.
- What Is a Snake? Anatomy and the BasicsA clear overview of what makes a snake a snake: limbless body plan, anatomy, evolution from lizards, species diversity, and why they are ectothermic.
- How to Keep Snakes Out of Your Yard and HomeA practical guide to keeping snakes out of your yard and home using habitat changes that work, plus what to skip and what to do if one shows up.
Distribution from GBIF & iNaturalist. Venom status per CDC. Background: Wikipedia. Informational only. Never handle a snake to identify it.