HARMLESS. The Coachwhi p is characterized by smooth scales, a divided anal scale, two scales bordering the front edge of each eye, ten or more scales on each lower lip, a yellowish brown color on the rear part of the slender body, and body scales having a braided appearance. Adults may be a uniform light yellowish brown along the entire length of the body, or jet black on the front half, gradually becoming yellowish brown on the rear, or completely black. The belly may be whitish with indistinct small spots or black on the front half and light on the rear. Young specimens, differently colored and patterned from adults, are yellowish brown with dark brown crossbands on the front of the body that fade and disappear on the rear. The belly is white, with two rows of dark spots on the front half. Adult males have longer tails than females. The tongue is entirely black to dark brown.
Adults normally grow 106.7- 152.0 cm (42-60 inches) in total length. The largest specimen from Kansas is a male (KU 224649) from Comanche County with a total length of 182.9 cm (71¾ inches) collected by James Gubanyi and Keith Coleman on 24 May 1997. The maximum length throughout the range is 259.1 cm (102 inches) (Powell et al., 2016).
The dark-headed (black) form is present along the eastern border of Kansas south of Linn County, and east of the Arkansas River watershed. They have not been recorded from the Neosho River basin except along the Spring River/Shoal Creek in the Ozark Plateau of southeastern Cherokee County.
The light-headed (yellow/tan) form is found west of a line from Sumner, Ellsworth, and Smith counties.
This large, alert, active snake is found in widely varying habitat, from open grassland prairies in western Kansas to rocky hillsides in open woodlands in the southeastern part of the state.
Coachwhips are active from April to October. They are completely diurnal, foraging for food even during the hottest hours of the day. In vegetated areas, this species will climb into bushes. Knight and Collins (1977) observed an example of this snake in Cheyenne County with approximately 203 mm (8 inches) of its head and body extended vertically from a hole in a rock. When still, the snake resembled the dead yucca stalks that surrounded the rock. When surprised, Coachwhips race away from an intruder with considerable speed, and when cornered they rapidly vibrate their tail and strike repeatedly.
During the winter, this species enters deep crevices on rocky hillsides or small mammal burrows on open prairies to avoid cold weather.
Little has been observed of the breeding habits of this species in Kansas; courtship is unknown. Mating probably occurs in April or May, followed by egg-laying in summer and hatching in fall. The eggs are laid beneath loose soil, sometimes as much as a foot below the surface. Brennan (1936) recorded a female from Ellis County laying eggs on 4 July. Marr (1944) removed egg clutches of four and eleven from two females captured in Wallace and Morton counties, respectively.
This snake feeds on bats, mice, birds, lizards, and smaller snakes. Smith et al. (2023) observed an adult M. flagellum eating the tail of a road-killed Ophisaurus attenuatus in Barber County.
The Coachwhip was first reported from Kansas by Mozley (1877) based on a specimen from Wallace County collected by Francis H. Snow. The earliest known specimens (MCZ 5200; two specimens) were collected at "Wallace, Kansas" by herpetologist Samuel W. Garman in July of 1883 (no other associated data).
The generic allocation for this snake is largely unsettled. Utiger et al. (2005) showed that Masticophis was rendered paraphyletic by Coluber and suggested that Masticophis be placed in Coluber until a more thorough sampling of this genus Coluber (which ranges across four continents) is undertaken.
Myers et al. (2107) suggested that Masticophis is monophyletic with respect to Coluber constrictor, albeit with low support. They provide an overview of the history of the arguments for or against the use of the generic name Masticophis and suggest its continued use.
Although this is probably the fastest snake in Kansas, it cannot move as fast as people.
Based on a captive specimen, Snider and Bowler (1992) reported a maximum longevity for this species of eighteen years, one month, and 29 days.
References
Shaw, George. 1802. General zoology or systematic natural history. Volume 3. G. Kearsley, London, U. K.. 615 pp.
Mozley, Annie E. 1877. List of Kansas snakes in the museum of the Kansas State University. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 6:34-35.
Branson, Edwin B. 1904. Snakes of Kansas. University of Kansas Science Bulletin 2(13):353-430.
Ortenburger, Arthur I. 1928. The whip snakes and racers: Genera Masticophis and Coluber. Memiors of the University of Michigan Museum (1):1-247.
Taylor, Edward H. 1929. A revised checklist of the snakes of Kansas. University of Kansas Science Bulletin 19(5):53-62.
Taylor, Edward H. 1929. List of reptiles and batrachians of Morton County, Kansas, reporting species new to the state fauna. University of Kansas Science Bulletin 19(6):63-65.
Stejneger, Leonhard H. and Thomas Barbour. 1933. A Checklist of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. 3rd Edition. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Burt, Charles E. 1933. Some distributional and ecological records of Kansas reptiles. Transactions of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 26:186-208.
Brennan, Lawrence A. 1934. A check list of the amphibians and reptiles of Ellis County, Kansas. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 37:189-191.
Burt, Charles E. and W. L. Hoyle. 1934. Additional records of the reptiles of the central prairie region of the United States. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 37:193-216.
Brennan, Lawrence A. 1935. Notes on the distribution of Amphibia and Reptilia of Ellis County, Kansas. Thesis. Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. 114 pp.
Burt, Charles E. 1935. Further records of the ecology and distribution of amphibians and reptiles in the middle west. The American Midland Naturalist 16(3):311-366.
Hurd, Myron Alec. 1936. The reptiles of Cherokee County, Kansas. Thesis. Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kansas. 103 pp.
Brumwell, Malcolm J. 1936. Distributional records of the reptilia and amphibians of Kansas. Privately printed. 22 pp.
Brennan, Lawrence A. 1937. A study of the habitat of reptiles and amphibians of Ellis County, Kansas. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 40:341-347.
Tihen, Joseph A. and James M. Sprague. 1939. Amphibians, reptiles, and mammals of the Meade County State Park. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 42:499-512.
Schmidt, Karl Peterson and D. D. Davis. 1941. Field Book of Snakes of the United States and Canada. C.P. Putnam and Sons, New York. 365 pp.
Hudson, G. E. 1942. The amphibians and reptiles of Nebraska. Nebraska Conservation Bulletin 24:1-146.
Marr, John C. 1944. Notes on amphibians and reptiles from the central United States. The American Midland Naturalist 32(2):478-490.
Bugbee, R. E. 1945. A note on the mortality of snakes on highways in western Kansas. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 47:373-374.
Smith, Hobart M. 1950. Handbook of Amphibians and Reptiles of Kansas. University of Kansas, Museum of Natural History, Miscellaneous Publication (2):336.
Wolfenbarger, Keith. A. 1951. Systematic and Biological Studies on North American Chiggers of the genus Eutrombicula (Acarina, Trombiculidae). Thesis. University of Kansas, Lawrence. 77 pp.
Schmidt, Karl P. 1953. A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. 6th Edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois. 280 pp.
Maslin, T. Paul. 1953. The status of the whipsnake Masticophis flagellum (Shaw) in Colorado. Herpetologica 9(4):193-200.
Smith, Hobart M. 1956. Handbook of Amphibians and Reptiles of Kansas. Second edition. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History Miscellaneous Publication (9):1-356.
Loomis, Richard B. 1956. The chigger mites of Kansas (Acarina, Trombiculidae). University of Kansas Science Bulletin 37:1195-1443.
Gish, Charles D. 1962. The Herpetofauna of Ellis County, Kansas. Thesis. Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. 34 pp.
Gier, Herschel T. 1967. Vertebrates of the Flint Hills. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 70(1):51-59.
Wilson, Larry D. 1973. Masticophis.. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles (144):1-2.
Wilson, Larry D. 1973. Masticophis flagellum. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles (145):1-4.
Collins, Joseph T. 1974. Amphibians and Reptiles in Kansas. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History Public Education Series (1):283 pp.
Karns, Daryl, Ray E. Ashton, Jr., and Thomas Swearingen. 1974. Illustrated Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles in Kansas: An Identification Manual. University of Kansas Publications Museum of Natural History Public Education Series(2):viii + 18.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1975. Amphibians and Reptiles of Kingman County, Kansas. Privately Printed, Lawrence, Kansas. 3 pp.
Capron, Marty B. 1975. A trip through the Kansas Flint Hills. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (8):4-5.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1976. Field checklist (of) amphibians and reptiles of Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society, Lawrence.
Knight, James L. and Joseph T. Collins. 1977. The amphibians and reptiles of Cheyenne County, Kansas, Report Number 15. Kansas Biological Survey, Lawrence. 19 pp.
Capron, Marty B. 1978. Four county collecting raid: A south central Kansas herping saga. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (26):9-12.
Collins, Joseph T. and Janalee P. Caldwell. 1978. New records of fishes, amphibians, and reptiles in Kansas for 1977. Technical Publication of the State Biological Survey of Kansas 6:70-88.
Martin, Larry D. 1979. Survey of fossil vertebrates from east-central Kansas: Kansas River bank stabilization study. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District. 55 pp.
Ports, Mark A. 1979. Occurrence and density studies of nongame wildlife in southwestern Kansas - May 16-August 16, 1979. Kansas Fish and Game Commission, Pratt, Kansas. 83 pp.
Clarke, Robert F. 1980. Herptiles and fishes of the western Arkansas River in Kansas. United States Army Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque, New Mexico. 55 pp.
Collins, Joseph T. 1982. Report to the Kansas Fish and Game Commission on the status of three amphibians in southeastern Kansas. Kansas Fish and Game Commission, Pratt. 57 pp.
Collins, Joseph T. 1982. Amphibians and Reptiles in Kansas. 2nd edition. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History Public Education Series (8).
Trott, Gene. 1983. Chikaskia River wildlife study. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (52):3-4.
Crampton, L. 1983. Herpetological collecting in Sumner County, Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (54):8-9.
Collins, Joseph T. 1983. New records of fishes, amphibians, and reptiles in Kansas for 1982 . Technical Publication of the State Biological Survey of Kansas 13:9-21.
Brown, Kenneth L. 1984. Pomona: A plains village variant in eastern Kansas and western Missouri. Dissertation. University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 519 pp.
Secor, Stephen M. and Charles C. Carpenter. 1984. Distribution maps of Oklahoma reptiles. Oklahoma Herpetological Society Special Publication (3):1-57.
Collins, Joseph T. 1984. New records of fishes, amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1984. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (58):14-20.
Lynch, John D. 1985. Annotated checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of Nebraska. Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences 13:33-57.
Collins, Joseph T. 1986. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1985. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (63):4.
Simmons, John E. 1987. September 1987 field trip report. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (69):42894.
Collins, Joseph T. 1990. Results of second Kansas herp count held during April-May 1990. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (81):10-12.
Collins, Joseph T. 1990. Maximum size records for Kansas amphibians and reptiles. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (81):13-17.
Conant, Roger and Joseph T. Collins. 1991. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. 3rd ed. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
Collins, Joseph T. and Suzanne L. Collins. 1991. Reptiles and Amphibians of the Cimarron National Grasslands, Morton County, Kansas. U. S. Forest Service, Elkhart, Kansas. 60 pp.
Collins, Joseph T. 1991. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1990. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (83):7-13.
Collins, Joseph T. 1991. Results of third Kansas herp count held during April-May 1991. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (85):9-13.
Collins, Joseph T. 1992. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1991. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (87):12-17.
Ball, Robert L. 1992. High plains serpents: Results of a long-term study in Texas County, Oklahoma and Morton County, Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (88):16-17.
Collins, Joseph T. 1992. Results of the fourth Kansas herp count held during April-May 1992. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (89):10-.
Taggart, Travis W. 1992. Results of the KHS annual field trip to Sheridan County State Lake. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (90):3-4.
Collins, Joseph T. and Suzanne L. Collins. 1993. Amphibians and Reptiles in Kansas. Third Edition. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Lawrence. 397 pp.
Collins, Joseph T. and Rundquist, Eric M. 1993. Results of the fifth Kansas herp count held during April-June 1993 . Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (94):7-11.
Fitch, Henry S. 1993. Relative abundance of snakes in Kansas. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 96(3/4):213-224.
Riedle, J. Daren. 1994. Distribution of the Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) in Chautauqua, Elk, and Montgomery counties, Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (95):43051.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1994. Results of the sixth annual KHS herp counts held 1 April-31 May 1994. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (97):5-14.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1994. Additions and corrections [to the results of the sixth annual KHS herp counts held 1 April-31 May 1994]. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (98):4.
Collins, Joseph T. 1995. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1994. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (100):24-47.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1995. Results of the seventh annual KHS herp counts held 1 April-31 May 1995. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (101):11-17.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1996. Results of the eighth annual KHS herp counts Held 1 April-31 May 1996. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (104):6-17.
Rakestraw, J. 1996. Spring herp counts: A Kansas tradition. Reptile & Amphibian Magazine (March-April):75-80.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1997. Results of the ninth annual KHS herp counts held 1 April-31 May 1997. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (108):12-17.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1997. Addendum to 1997 KHS herp counts. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (109):14-15.
Conant, Roger and Joseph T. Collins. 1998. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. 3rd ed, expanded. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
Powell, Robert, Joseph T Collins, and Errol D Hooper Jr. 1998. A Key to Amphibians & Reptiles of the Continental United States and Canada. Univ Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 131 pp.
Collins, Joseph T. 1998. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1997. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (111):12-14.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1999. Kansas Herpetological Society herp counts: A 10 year summary and evaluation. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (115):42962.
Schmidt, Curtis J. 2000. Observations on reptilian predation. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (120):18.
Taggart, Travis W. 2000. Biogeographic analysis of the reptiles (Squamata) in Ellis County, Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (121):7-16.
Rundquist, Eric M. 2000. Results of the eleventh and twelfth annual KHS herpetofaunal counts for 1999-2000, held 1 April-31 May. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (122):11-16.
Taggart, Travis W. 2000. Results of the KHS 2000 fall field trip. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (122):6-8.
Schmidt, Curtis J. 2001. The amphibians, turtles, and reptiles of the Smoky Valley Ranch, Logan County, Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (124):9-11.
Taggart, Travis W. 2001. Results of the KHS spring field trip west. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (125):10.
Rundquist, Eric M. 2001. Results of the thirteenth annual KHS herp counts for 2001, held 1 April-30 June. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (125):13-16.
Kingsbury, Bruce and Joanna Gibson. 2002. Habitat Management Guidelines for Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest. Publication of Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, Address not given. 152 pp.
Miller, Larry L. 2002. Sumner County herp count. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (4):15.
Rundquist, Eric M. 2002. Natural history of the Night Snake, Hypsiglena torquata, in Kansas. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (4):16-20.
Taggart, Travis W. 2003. Results of the 2003 KHS spring field trip to Wilson County. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (6):2-5.
Miller, Larry L. 2003. Sumner County herp count. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (7):10.
Volkmann, Al. 2003. Cowley County herp count 1. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (7):7.
Schmidt, Curtis J. 2004. Natural history and status of the exploited Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) in western Kansas and a herpetofaunal inventory of the Smoky Valley Ranch, Logan County, Kansas. Thesis. Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. 170 pp.
Delisle, Jennifer M. and William H. Busby. 2004. Biological inventory for vertebrates at Fort Larned National Historic Site of the southern plains network. Natural Heritage Inventory, Kansas Biological Survey, Lawrence. 61 pp.
Taggart, Travis W. 2004. Kansas Herpetological Society 2004 spring field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (9):2.
Volkmann, Al. 2004. Cowley County herp count. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (11):10.
Taggart, Travis W. 2004. Results of the KHS 2004 fall feld trip . Journal of Kansas Herpetology (12):15-16.
Nagy, Z. T., R. Lawson, U. Joger, and M. Wink. 2004. Molecular systematics of racers, whipsnakes and relatives (Reptilia: Colubridae) using mitochondrial and nuclear markers. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 42:223-233.
Taggart, Travis W., Curtis J. Schmidt, and Richard S. Hayes. 2005. Geographic distribution: Masticophis flagellum. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (13):10.
Utiger, U. Schatti, B., and Helfenberger, N. 2005. The oriental colubrine genus Coelognathus Fitzinger, 1843 and classification of old and new world racers and ratsnakes (Reptilia, Squamata, Colubridae, Colubrinae). Russian Journal of Herpetology 12(1):39-60.
Taggart, Travis W. 2006. Addendum report to biological inventory of the sandsage prairie near Holcomb, Kansas. Sunflower Electric Cooperative, Hays, Kansas. 31 pp.
Taggart, Travis W. 2006. Distribution and status of Kansas herpetofauna in need of information. State Wildlife Grant T7. Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Pratt. vii + 106 pp.
Wilgers, Dustin J., Eva A. Horne, Brett K. Sandercock, and Allan W. Volkmann. 2006. Effects of rangeland management on community dynamics of the herpetofauna of the tallgrass prairie. 62:378-388.
Taggart, Travis W., Joseph T. Collins, and Curtis J. Schmidt. 2007. Estimates of amphibian, reptile, and turtle mortality if Phostoxin is applied to 10,000 acres of prairie dog burrows in Logan County, Kansas. Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Pratt. 5 pp.
Pyron, R. Alexander. 2007. A revised distribution record of Masticophis in Kansas. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (24):16.
Taggart, Travis W. 2007. A biological inventory of the Sunflower Electric Site near Holcomb, Kansas. Journal of Kansas Herpetology 23:11-16.
Taggart, Travis W. 2008. KHS 2008 spring field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (25):2-3.
Collins, Joseph T. and Travis W. Taggart. 2008. A proposal to retain Masticophis as the generic name for the Coachwhip and Whipsnakes. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (27):12.
Collins, Joseph T., Suzanne L. Collins, and Travis W. Taggart. 2010. Amphibians, Reptiles, and Turtles of Kansas. Eagle Mountain Publishing., Provo, Utah. 400 pp.
Murrow, Daniel G. 2010. Kansas Herpetological Society spring field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (33):2-3.
Collins, Joseph T., Suzanne L. Collins, and Travis W. Taggart. 2011. Amphibians, Reptiles, and Turtles of the Cimarron National Grassland, Kansas. Second (Revised) Edition. U. S. Forest Service.
Taggart, Travis W. 2011. Kansas Herpetological Society 2011 spring field trip to be held in Chautauqua County. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (37):5-7.
Taggart, Travis W. 2011. Results of the KHS Spring Field Trip to Chautauqua County. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (38):2-4.
Taggart, Travis W. and Daniel Murrow. 2011. KHS to conduct summer field trip to western Kansas. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (38):5.
Taggart, Travis W. 2011. Results of the Kansas Herpetological Society 2011 Summer Field Trip to Scott State Park. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (39):2.
Lokke, John L. 2011. Geographic Distribution: Masticophis flagellum. Kansas: Kingman County. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (40):8.
Rohweder, Megan R. 2012. Spatial conservation prioritization of Kansas for terrestrial vertebrates. Thesis. Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. 151 pp.
Powell, Robert, Joseph T Collins, and Errol D Hooper Jr. 2012. Key to the Herpetofauna of the Continental United States and Canada: Second Edition, Revised and Updated. Univ Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 152 pp.
Taggart, Travis W. 2013. KHS 2012 Summer Field Trip to Meade County State Park. Collinsorum 2(3/4):3.
Taggart, Travis W. 2013. KHS 2013 Spring Field Trip to Schermerhorn Park, Cherokee County. Collinsorum 2(3/4):4.
Taggart, Travis W. 2013. KHS 2013 Summer Field Trip to Coldwater Lake, Comanche County. Collinsorum 2(3/4):5.
Taggart, Travis W. 2014. Results of the 2014 KHS Spring Field Trip to Barber County. Collinsorum 3(2-4):11.
Taggart, Travis W. 2014. Results of the 2014 KHS summer field trip to Morton County and adjacent Colorado, New Mexico,
and Oklahoma. Collinsorum 3(2-4):12.
Taggart, Travis W. 2014. Recent scientific and standard English name changes effecting the Kansas herpetofauna. Collinsorum 3(2-4):9-10.
Howze, Jennifer M. and Lora L. Smith. 2015. Spatial ecology and habitat use of the Coachwhip in a Longleaf Pine Forest. Southeastern Naturalist 14(2):342-350.
Powell, Robert, Roger Conant, and Joseph T. Collins. 2016. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston. 494 pp.
Taggart, Travis W. 2016. Spring 2016 KHS field trip to Clark County was a soggy success. Collinsorum 5(2-3):2-3.
Taggart, Travis W. 2016. Results of the KHS Summer field trip to Caney River, Chautauqua County, Kansas. Collinsorum 5(2-3):4-5.
Taggart, Travis W. 2016. Results of the KHS ‘Fall’ field trip to Barber County. Collinsorum 5(2-3):6-7.
Myers, Edward A., Michael J. Hickerson, and Frank T. Burbrink. 2016. Asynchronous diversification of snakes in the North American warm deserts. Journal of Biogeography 44(2):1-14.
Crother, Brian I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding. Eighth edition. Herpetological Circulars (43):1-102.
Taggart, Travis W. 2017. Results of the 2017 KHS Spring Field Trip to Elk County, Kansas. Collinsorum 6(2-3):6-8.
Taggart, Travis W. 2017. Herp Count: Clark County State Lake. Collinsorum 6(2-3):9.
Myers, Edward A., Jamie L. Burgoon, Julie M. Ray, Juan E. Martinez-Gomez, Noemi Matias-Ferrer, Daniel G. Mulcahy, and Frank T. Burbrink. 2017. Coalescent species tree inference of Coluber and Masticophis. Copeia 105(4):642-650.
Powell, Robert, Joseph T Collins, and Errol D Hooper Jr. 2019. Key to the Herpetofauna of the Continental United States and Canada. Third Edition. Univ Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 192 pp.
Myers, Edward A., Alexander T. Xue, Marcelo Gehara, Christian Cox, Alison R. Davis Rabosky, Julio Lemos‐Espinal, Juan E. Martínez‐Gómez, and Frank T. Burbrink. 2019. Environmental heterogeneity and not vicariant biogeographic barriers generate community‐wide population structure in desert‐adapted snakes. Molecular Ecology 28(20):4535-4548.
Daniel, Richard E. and Brian S. Edmond. 2020. Atlas of Missouri Amphibians and Reptiles for 2019. Privately printed, Columbia, Missouri. 86 pp.
Riedle, J. Daren. 2020. Revisiting Kansas Herpetological Society field trip and Herp Count data:
Distributional patterns and trend data of Kansas amphibians and reptiles. Collinsorum 9(1):7-16.
Schmidt, Curtis J and Avery Schmidt. 2021. Herp Count: KHS-2020-4. Collinsorum 9(3):12.
Taggart, Travis W and Sarah L Taggart. 2021. Herp Count: Cherokee County: KHS-2020-03. Collinsorum 9(3):12.
Taggart, Travis W and Sarah L Taggart. 2021. Herp Count: Hamilton County: KHS-2020-10. Collinsorum 9(3):13.
Taggart, Travis W and Sarah L Taggart. 2021. Herp Count: Morton County: KHS-2020-12. Collinsorum 9(3):13.
Taggart, Travis W and Sarah L Taggart. 2021. Herp Count: Seward County: KHS-2020-13. Collinsorum 9(3):13.
Taggart, Travis W and Sarah L Taggart. 2021. Herp Count: Stanton County: KHS-2020-10. Collinsorum 9(3):13.
Taggart, Travis W and Sarah L Taggart. 2021. Herp Count: Comanche County: KHS-2020-15. Collinsorum 9(3):13-14.
Schmidt, Curtis J. 2021. Herp Count: Russell County: KHS-2020-19. Collinsorum 9(3):14.
Taggart, Megan M. and Travis W. Taggart. 2021. Herp Count: Seward County: KHS-2020-27. Collinsorum 9(3):15.
Riedle, J. Daren, Tamera D. Riedle, Zachary Riedle, and Greya Riedle. 2021. Herp Count: Montgomery County: KHS-2020-30. Collinsorum 9(3):16.
Schmidt, Curtis J. 2021. Herp Count: Ellis County: KHS-2020-32. Collinsorum 9(3):16.
Locklear, James H. 2021. The Sandsage Prairie ecological system: Biodiversity hotspot for the Great Plains. Natural Areas Journal 41(1):64-74.
Russell, Elisabeth. 2023. Habitat associations and fine-scale movements of the Red-spotted Toad (Anaxyrus punctatus) in Kansas and the efficacy of remote telemetry for monitoring small-scale movements. Thesis. Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. 81 pp.
Smith, MacKenzie J., Joseph W. Paysen, Carter Kruse, and Keith Geluso. 2023. Natural History Notes: Coluber (Masticophis) flagellum: Diet and scavenging. Herpetological Review 54(4):603.
Russell, Elisabeth and Ethan Grennan. 2024. Observation of a Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum) depredating three fledgling Eastern Phoebes (Sayornis phoebe). Collinsorum 13(1):11.