Pilot Black Snake
Pantherophis obsoletus (Say, 1823)
Taxonomy
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Squamata |
| Family | Colubridae |
| Genus | Pantherophis |
| Species | Pantherophis obsoletus (Say, 1823) |
Description
Diagnostic characters
- Ecological class
- Trogloxene
- Realm
- Terrestrial
Distribution
Range
Known from two counties across two states.
Continent
North America
Country
United States
States and provinces
Arkansas, Kentucky
Counties
- Arkansas
- Stone
- Kentucky
- Edmonson
Conservation and management
IUCN Red List
LC Least Concern
Assessed in 2019.
NatureServe
G5 Secure
National ranks
- United States
- N5 Secure
Subnational ranks
- Minnesota
- S2 Imperiled
- Kansas
- S5 Secure
- Texas
- S5 Secure
- Illinois
- SNR Unranked
- Arkansas
- S4 Apparently Secure
- Louisiana
- S5 Secure
- Oklahoma
- SNR Unranked
- Missouri
- S5 Secure
- Nebraska
- S4 Apparently Secure
- Indiana
- S4 Apparently Secure
- Iowa
- S4 Apparently Secure
Ranks looked up 2 July 2026. Conservation status changes, and a rank here is as current as that date and no more.
State and federal status
Not listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
References
- Heath, D.R., Saugey, D.A. & Heidt, G.A. 1986. Abandoned mine fauna of the Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas: vertebrate taxa. Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science 40: 33–36.
- McDaniel, V.R. & Gardner, J.E. 1977. Cave fauna of Arkansas: vertebrate taxa. Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science 31: 68–71. https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol31/iss1/22. details
This account was last revised 6 September 2026. Conservation ranks were looked up 2 July 2026.
How to cite this account
Data sources and funding are listed in the Acknowledgments.
Spotted something wrong on this page? Report a correction. Accounts are compiled from many sources and corrections from people who know the group are the most useful email we get.