The specific name, palarostris, is from Latin: pāla (shovel) and rōstrum (beak or snout).

In the United States it is found only in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument of western Pima County, Arizona.

The subspecies occurring there is called the Organ Pipe shovelnose snake (C. p. organica).

[2] S. palarostris is cross-banded with black, yellow (or whitish), and red bands.

[3] The smooth dorsal scales are arranged in 15 rows at midbody; ventrals, 141–181; subcaudals, 34–64, divided.