L.g. splendida used to be known as the Sonoran Kingsnake. However, the name Desert Kingsnake is now favored as it is not strictly a snake of the Sonoran Desert (more of its range is in the Chihuahuan desert, in fact) and much of its range is outside of the state of Sonora.

The name common kingsnake is often applied to all subspecies of L. getula. Therefore Eastern, Florida, Speckled, Black, Desert, Mexican Black, and Cal Kings can all be referred to as "Common Kingsnakes". Only when you are differentiating the subspecies do you use the other names.
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Chris Harrison

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