The Great Plains Ratsnake, Pantherophis emoryi Baird & Girard, 1853, (Squamata: Colubridae), a new state record from Aguascalientes, México

Abstract

We report an adult male specimen of the snake Pantherophis emoryi from xerophytic scrub habitat in the Municipality of Real de Asientos, Aguascalientes, México. This specimen represents the first state record of P. emoryi from Aguascalientes and extends the known distribution of the species 107 km in a straight line west-northwest from the nearest previous record. Our specimen was found in habitat that is under heavy agricultural pressure, and recently, threatened by mining. This may indicate that other Chihuahuan Desert taxa may be found in this area.