Hey all,



wanted to toss up a couple comparison shots of both the rarer Sierra de San Pedro Martir agalma and the much more common Sierra Juarez agalma. Both are very different snakes, coming from very different mountain ranges in Baja, Mexico.



Seems to me there are a number of agalma circulating out there that are neither Martir nor Juarez, but rather outright crosses of both that, to the untrained eye, may look one in the same. Here are some differences:



Martir agalma -- more closely related to the Todos Santos Island mountain kingsnake (herrerae), elongated head, white band on the head is set way back from where the eyes are, more white crops up onto the rostral area and head pattern is differentiated by intermittent white splotches or prongs that jut downward towards the nose. Martir agalma tend to be smaller in overall girth and length, sustain a lower band count, and the triads are much tighter as opposed to their northern cousins:

























Sierra Juarez agalma -- heavier-bodied, greater number of triads, white bands generally wider in comparison to southern cousins, longer length, stouter head/more triangulated, white head band begins just behind or at the eye and doesnt prong downwards, more mottled head pattern in some specimens:





























Questions???????????
" alt="Image">
-----
Jerry Kruse

www.zonatas.com





And God said, "Let there be zonata subspecies for all to ponder..."

[ Show Entire Thread ]