Found this Kingsnake in SE Arizona 3 days ago.

Found it on pretty much open ground (lots of gravel-dirt mix) among dry washes/creosote bush/smaller mesquite trees, basically in between Highway 80 and the eastern border of the Pedregosa Mountains.

Obviously it isn't the Desert Kingsnake or Mexican Black Kingsnake. It would seem to me it comes closest to being a Sonoran Mountain Kingsnake, but I've never heard of one having any red inside the creamish colored bands, but rather usually red bands bordered by solid black bands.

I found one in the past (Superstition Mountains East of the Greater Phoenix area) similar in cream/black coloring, but it had no red whatsoever inside the cream bands. It did have red speckling inside the black saddles but less of it compared to the redness within the cream bands of this specimen. The belly on that one was solid cream (some might call it a dull yellowish) colored.

Anyway, I'm at a loss as to what Subspecies of Kingsnake (Common or Mountain) it is. Thoughts?

BTW, sorry in advance for no pics of the belly. I never took any, and I released it right after finding and taking the pics I got of it so I don't have the snake to take any more pics.

The specimen in the pics is approximately 12-13 inches long.





PS - Does color alone not determine a subspecies?

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