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>>High levels of variability in a natural population can be indicative of hybridization. Additionally, there are several geographically isolated populations of both leonis (the geographic variant that evolved directly from mexicana mexicana), and something else that we might call thayeri (the annulata mimic from the eastern versant) that EXHIBIT STABLE PHENOTYPES in many geographic locations. The geography in these areas paints a pretty picture as to exactly how this all happened. The list of sympatric species at these locations support the theory that animals from various ecotones were brought together in these geographic locations where the (hybrids) occur. I'm pretty confident the current set of workers will support my theory here, but for CERTAIN we will see changes in the classification of the mexicana group snakes, especially the snakes we call thayeri right now.





Great statement made above....

I have been a believer of this since I started breeding Mexicana. I believe the MSP mimics the coral or annulata and the leonis mimics banded rock rattlers or Mexmex. I always thought the 'milksnake' looking Mexmex intergraded with Ruthveni and the leonis thayeri intergraded with classic looking mexmex. Now could the geneflow of ruthveni travel across the range of the Mexmex? I dunno, but the amelanistic gene found in ruthveni could have possibly made it to some Mexmex and in turn to what we call thayeri.





I believe a similar thing is evident in the variability of alterna.



I do have one question though.....If geneflow is happening in the wild, wouldn't it be called intergration rather than hybridization? And are you stating that in order to preserve our thayeri should we be breeding MSPs to MSPs and Leonis to Leonis? We will lose some variability......





Again....Great Post Joe.
-----
John Lassiter



"Poor planning and procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part....."

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