Striped Racer
Masticophis lateralis
Silhouette: Alex Slavenko · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyColubridae (Colubrid Snakes)
- GenusMasticophis (Whipsnakes)
- SpeciesMasticophis lateralis (Striped Racer)
About the Striped Racer
The California whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis), also known as the striped racer, is a colubrid snake found in habitats of the coast, desert, and foothills of California. As with many species and subspecies, taxonomic reclassification is an ongoing process, and differing sources often disagree. The genus Masticophis may soon be absorbed by the closely related genus Coluber, which contains the racer (Coluber constrictor).
Masticophis lateralis has two subspecies: M. l. lateralis (Hallowell, 1853) — chaparral whipsnake The chaparral whipsnake is a common subspecies in California and northern Baja California, Mexico. The subspecies is often associated with broken (variable) habitat types that range from northwestern to extreme southern California and further south into Northwestern Mexico.
M. l. euryxanthus Riemer, 1954 — Alameda whipsnake The Alameda whipsnake subspecies is endemic to California. The subspecies is considered threatened there. Its range is relatively small, and much of the subspecies' habitat is threatened by development. It was first collected by Archie Mossman and later described by Riemer in 1954. The Alameda Whipsnake is a threatened... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Striped Racer in Yosemite National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Yosemite National Park
California Mountain Kingsnake
Lampropeltis zonata
Western Terrestrial Garter Snake
Thamnophis elegans
Western Aquatic Garter Snake
Thamnophis couchii
Gopher Snake
Pituophis catenifer
Common Garter Snake
Thamnophis sirtalis
Ringneck Snake
Diadophis punctatus
Sharp-tailed Snake
Contia tenuis
North American Racer
Coluber constrictor
Coast Night Snake
Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus
California King Snake
Lampropeltis californiae
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Striped Racer in Yosemite National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Striped Racer sighting in Yosemite National Park, based on 11 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Striped Racer in Yosemite National Park?
April has the highest sighting rate for Striped Racer in Yosemite National Park in our monthly data.