Posted by:
Sunherp
at Tue Feb 17 14:13:54 2009 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Sunherp ]
Doug,
I do have the Williams range map, but it's in the book and I don't have a scanner. It shows northeastern NE as a definite intergrade zone, and a lack of specimens from the east-central part of that state.
I think the most recent genetic studies found that syspila clustered with triangulum, while gentilis, taylori, and multistrata all clustered together and close to (with?) celaenops, amaura, and annulata. That arrangement would leave us with 3 (or 2) North American subspecies, not counting the enigmatic elapsoides.
Ventro-lateral blotches may not be in ever example of "pure" syspila, but they're pretty damn common. Their absence may be a sign of gene flow from more "banded" animals (gentilis or multistrata, for example).
Here's a few animals from extreme western MO. Not my photos - they were taken by Matt Jepson and stolen by me.
-Cole
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