Posted by:
Phil Peak
at Tue Jul 17 19:19:28 2012 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Phil Peak ]
John,
Based on my observations I don't believe this is necessarily true. Those that are intergradient with holbrooki (Fulton, Hickman and Carlisle counties for example) are completely different than those that simply retain vestiges of the juvenile pattern. Those that are truly intergradient not only have cross bars, but speckling between the bars as well. Those from farther east, primarily in lowland populations, often have cross bars or a chain pattern, but not speckling. I believe this is simply variation within this subspecies and nothing more. There are populations of nigra that are perhaps 200 miles distant from the accepted intergrade zone that display these characteristics.
Phil
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