In that case why don't we see, say, cottonmouths in Ontario? Or indigo snakes in Ohio? After all, it's only an adaptation, right?



The truth is that, while it's true that any species/family has a certain amount of genetic plasticity, there are definite limits-both in the degree to which they can adapt to new environments, and (more important in this case), the TIME (number of generations) it would take to achieve that degree of adaptation (if possible at all).



The degree of adaptation to severe winter climates which you are suggesting is highly unlikely in a tropical reptile of any kind-particularly a boid of such great body size. In the unlikely event it WERE possible, we are talking a minimum of hundreds or thousands of generations.



The fact that we saw about 50% mortality in the S. Florida population, (when exposed to low temperatures which, while severe for that area, are relatively commonplace just a couple hundred miles north),indicates that the northern limit for the species will likely fall somewhere in the southern half of peninsular Florida.
-----
Brad Chambers

WWW.HCU-TX.ORG



Breeder of:

Green Tree Pythons

Jungle Carpet Pythons

Pastel, Pinstripe, FIRE, Piebald, Clown, Lavender Albino, Leucistic, and Spider Ball Pythons

Striped Colombian Boa Constrictors

Kenyan, Rufescens, and Conicus Sand Boas

Red Phase Western Hognose Snakes

Spider Western Hognose Snakes

Albino Western Hognose Snakes

Locality Trans-Pecos Mexican Hognose Snakes

Southern Hognose Snakes

Eastern Hognose Snakes

Tricolor Hognose Snakes

Hypo Checkered Garter Snakes

Eastern Blackneck Garter Snakes

Stillwater Hypo Bullsnakes

Patternless Bullsnakes

S. GA Eastern Kingsnakes

Locality Desert Kingsnakes

Albino Desert Kingsnakes

Hypo Desert Kingsnakes

Mexican Black Kingsnakes

Desert Phase, Striped Desert, Newport, and Coastal California Kingsnakes

Locality Mexican Milksnakes

Spotted Mexican Milksnakes

Tangerine Mexican Milksnakes

Locality Alterna

Abbott Okeetee Cornsnakes

Mexican Baird's Ratsnakes

Cape Housesnakes

Tangerine Albino African Fat -Tailed Geckos

Locality Spotted Turtles

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