Posted by:
rearfang
at Fri Dec 19 09:27:09 2003 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by rearfang ]
That's one of the problems here. The canal system that was dug in the 1940's sped up the intergradiation between what we call Brooks and the penninsula intergrade. As a result there are still scattered populations as far north as Lake Okeechobee that still have remnants of Brooks color. It is because of this rapid intergration ( and increasing scarcity of Brooks) that later scientists that went looking for Brooks determined that there was not sufficient evidence to support it being a subspecies.
Point in example. Connant, in his origional field guide argues the validity of Brooks. He also mentions a broad band of intergradiation and no mention of a Florida King. In his later issues he keeps the intergrade but identifies Brooks as Florida kings. The thing is there is no clear criteria I have heard of that clearly defines what a "Florida king" is. It is so variable that it's meritistics overlap everything near it. But if you compare a true Brooks to an Eastern Chain, the differance is obvious.
Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."
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RE: Pic of My Florida Brooksi Kingsnake (Classification help needed) - rearfang, Fri Dec 19 09:27:09 2003