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Difference between gopher and bullsnake?

cee4 Feb 21, 2008 03:19 PM

We are supposed to have gophersnakes here in midkansas but I keep coming across people saying we have bullsnakes, which im under the impression we dont.So are they interchanging the word for the same snake?
Thanks so much...If someone happens to have apicture of a kansas bull or gophersnake Id appreciate seeing it..
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Replies (6)

cee4 Feb 21, 2008 03:22 PM

np
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cee4 Feb 21, 2008 03:44 PM

IS that right? If a gopher is pituophis catenifer, then a bullsnake is pituophis catenifer sayi, right? So then would the different locales of bullsnake be subsubspecies(LOL)? Seriously do locales have different names too?

Im sorry for so many posts, it would be nice if we could edit them so I could do all this in one post.
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Jeremy Pierce Feb 22, 2008 02:04 PM

I am from Kansas as well. For some reason several years ago, the Kansas Fish and Wildlife Department starting calling the bullsnake the gophersnake. I'm not saying that they are calling the bullsnake a subspecies of gophersnake (which would be correct). I am saying that there is no such thing as a bullsnake in Kansas to them. It is now called generically the gophersnake. I'm not sure what prompted this decision but it seems strange to me. Regardless the only Pituophis we have in Kansas is the bull snake - Pituophis catenifer sayi. If you hear someone in Kansas say they caught a gopher snake, they are referring to sayi. Hope that helps.
Shade Tree
Shade Tree

jason nelson Feb 22, 2008 11:41 PM

Gophers dont range that far east. Here a range map 10 is Bull snakes range. Hope this helps.

Jason
Image

cee4 Feb 24, 2008 04:55 PM

Bullsnake?
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Jeremy Pierce Feb 24, 2008 07:42 PM

No it is of Texas bloodlines. Actually the only bull that I have with kansas ties is my Miami county axanthic, but even that is outcrossed. I just moved to a little farm in the country this past fall, so I guarantee I'm going to be doing more field herping this year than I have in the last 10! Take care.

Jeremy

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