Evolution reinforces what works. If a color or pattern is found in one area and not another, then there are things going on that made the changes come about.

If you read a little bit about N. American rat snakes, you will see that eastern rat snakes, Pantherophis alleghenies, come in orange with stripes, yellow with stripes, greenish with stripes, and black with little to no pattern. If you include Pantherophis guttata in your mix of rat snakes, then your theory doesn't match with the facts.

Keep studying, and posting. At least you are trying to make sense of what mother nature has brought about.

Good luck,

Rick

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• My Coloration Theory, Comments? - Ameron, Fri Oct 17 12:29:46 2008
• RE: My Coloration Theory, Comments? - mattkau, Fri Oct 17 19:48:52 2008
• Western Range - Ameron, Sat Oct 18 20:54:43 2008
• RE: My Coloration Theory, Comments? - elaphefan, Sat Oct 18 12:12:23 2008
• Ah, Locale-specifc more of a factor - Ameron, Sat Oct 18 20:56:35 2008
• RE: Ah, Locale-specifc more of a factor - orchidspider, Sat Oct 25 21:28:44 2008
• RE: Ah, Locale-specifc more of a factor - orchidspider, Sat Oct 25 21:30:16 2008