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Distribution |
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This snake has been found only on a group of Mexican Islands known as the “Islas De Los Coronados” which in Spanish means Islands Of The Crowns or Crowned Islands. In the United States, they are called the Coronado Islands and are located about 26 miles off the west coast of the San Diego, California near the U.S. and Mexican border. There are 3 small islands with a volcanic past known as the North Coronado, the Middle Coronado and the South Coronado. The South Coronado Island is the biggest of this group and is the only one where people live. There are a few small towns and an old military station. The South Coronado is often visited by scuba divers and vacationers. This subspecies is only represented by 4 individuals (Klauber, 1932) and in all subsequent searches, no others were ever found again. Three of the 4 specimens certainly came from the South Coronado Island. Verification of the 4th specimen’s actual location has not yet been proven. It’s possible that Coronalis has vanished forever. - Sku
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Description |
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This snake is very similar to the ssp. Annectens. There are 64-70 body blotches and 20-24 tail blotches on those individuals collected. The Annectens of the adjacent mainland have aprox. 75 body blotches. The blotches of the ssp. Coronalis are separated and more distinct towards the tail. The coloration of the saddles anteriorly and towards the tail is black, and the midbody region is brown. One museum specimen has a row of small vertebral blotches and an upper lateral row of smaller blotches. This snake differs from other similar subspecies according to recorded data, due to its unique head scalation. The supralabials (under the eye) don‘t make contact under the eyes (Klauber). The total length of the museum specimens measures between 1,15 m and 35,3 cm. Rostral - Nasal <1:1
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Habitat |
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Is Coronalis habitat similar to the other Pituophis of the west coast? The islands are very rocky. On the Southern Coronado, there is slightly more vegetation. This would allow for better availability of small prey to be consumed than on the other islands. Presently, very little is known about this subspecies, because for more than 70 years, no other Coronalis have been found.
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Way of life |
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It would seem that it is probably very similar to the other Pituophis of the west coast.
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Diet |
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In its habitat, these snakes must feed upon rodents, birds, Western Skinks Eumeces skiltonianus, and California Legless Lizards Aniella pulchra, that are also indigenous to these islands. In a photo next to a preserved museum exhibit of this snake, a nestling bird can be seen (Briggs, 2001) and on top of this page. Klauber, in 1947, wrote that 4 young nestling birds were in the stomach of this (relatively small) snake.
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Hibernation |
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The habits might be similar to other Pituophis of the west coast? On the islands it is relatively cool and windy during winter season.
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Reproduction |
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Reproduction habits may be similar to other Pituophis of the west coast.
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