Posted by:
terryd
at Sun Dec 12 12:51:54 2010 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by terryd ]
Good question.
Understanding some of these classifications of the milk snake species is often difficult at best. I think what Cole has said is very well stated, and there really isn't much to add to his well thought out post.
The only thing I would add is to pick up the book he refers to.
Systematics and Natural History of the American Milk Snake, Lampropeltis triangulum, by Kenneth L. Williams.
I would also add. Kingsnakes and Milk Snakes by Ronald G. Markel.
These two books will prove to be very helpful in understanding the regions and localities of milks.
From Williams book you can use his key in the book to help "key out" your Four- Corners milk snake.
Cole wrote:
- The animals in the Four-Corners region are probably celaenops X taylori intergrades, using currently accepted subspecies designations.
If you do indeed have a Four-Corners milk it will be interesting to hear how it's keyed out for you. There really is very little documentation about milks from that area. The locality of the animal is going play an important role in understanding what you have keyed out.
-Dell
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RE: Western milk snake classifications - terryd, Sun Dec 12 12:51:54 2010 