>>Is there a definite way to distinguish between kisatchie corns (slowinskii) and guttata?
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>>(not asking for a debate on whether you think the taxonomy is valid or not, I just want a concrete way to know if a corn is a kisatchie without knowing the locality. Like, if I walked up to a bucket with five corns in it, how would one pick out the kisatchie?)
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>>I'm looking for something visual like scale counts or ventral pattern, some type of concrete marker. or are they visually indistinguishable?
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Hey Chad,
That is a tough question.
I e-mailed Don from South Mountain Reptiles and posed your question. He works with Kisathies and it was a difficult question for him, too.
Here is his response
"Man, that's a tough one. Except for some DNA discoveries made, it's possible to have eastern examples of Emory's that would be virtually identical to Kisatchies. To the naked eye, that is. Same with some western examples of corns that are near the range border of Kisatchies. Of course, the most remarkable distinction is the coloration. Kisatchies have that "hybrid vigor" they undoubtedly inherited from their ancestors,(emoryi/meahllmorum/guttatus) many years ago. I think Kisatchies are the huskiest representatives of the Corn/Emory's complex. I've noticed other differences that are difficult to quantify. One is reflectivity. When I photograph Kisatchies, I get an annoying reflection of my camera flash that I don't see on Emory's or corns. Compared to corns, the Kisatchies have a higher blotch count. Ventral markings are generally shaped differently from corns and seem to be almost down the middle between corns and Emory's. Lateral markings are more distinct than corns. Scales seem to be less keeled than corns. And so on and so on."
So what it amounts to is time and experience will be the best teacher.
After a while there will be certain things you will recognize but most of these will be hard to put a definitive descriptor to.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"Resistance is futile"
Jimmy Johnson
(Draybar)
Draybars Snakes
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