Very nice Lyn!


Two specimens were originally known to be found in 1892 and 1895. In 1919 Frank Blanchard described and named these kingsnakes "L.g.floridana". One month later, Thomas Barbour renamed these snakes "Lampropeltis g. brooksi" from a light colored specimen found southwest of Florida City in what is now Everglades National Park. Later in 1958 the name was regected and simply considered a color variant of floridana.

Since that time, there have been many lighter yellow specimens captured in more traditional darker floridana areas in the state, and also darker phenotypes where many lighter specimens are also found, which only reinforces the suggestion that they are merely lighter colored variants that can be found in many other areas of the state other than just southern Florida as once originally thought. Through the years though, the name "brooksi" has still stuck very well when referring to the lighter, yellower races of these snakes. The names are basically synonymous with each other, often being used interchangeably, but Most people in the know usually only refer to the lighter, and/or yellower types as Brooks kings, but todays marketing has changed this pretty drematically and some people will still call any type of Florida king A Brooks king. I personally like to reserve the term "brooksi" for the lighter, and/or yellower classic types, and the darker phenotypes that are typically found in the cane fields of Okeechobee, etc...as Florida kings.

In short, all Florida kingsnakes are not really considered "brooksi", but all brooksi ARE indeed considered Florida kings (L.g.floridana)..LOL! ..




~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

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