Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I acquired two kingsnakes recently. The first was labeled as a Pastel Lampropeltus Getula Brooksi and the second a Red L. G. Floridana.

I read Robert Applegate's book on them and many sites online, and was wondering if the classification of these was correct or not.

I've read that brooksi isn't a valid subspecies, and, in other places, that brooksi is actually the true florida kingsnake.

Can someone clarify this for me? Are these both just L. G. Floridana?

The "brooksi" is eating very well. The floridana just shed and hasn't accepted a meal yet. So I don't get flamed, I'm going to point out that I wasn't playing with an opaque snake; I took that picture as I was transferring him from the petri dish he was sold in to his new home.

I would say the top one is a hypomelanistic FL king and the lower one may be a cross of L.g.floridana FL. king and L.g.getula (eastern king).
:Mark
-----
Surrender Dorothy!

crimsonking.piczo.com/

Don't you think? Blotched kingsnake.

I think I said what I meant. It could be "goini" I suppose...
:Mark
-----
Surrender Dorothy!

crimsonking.piczo.com/

I guess I'll probably never know what the bottom snake is for sure.

If the breeder doesn't even know what they're breeding I'm guessing they won't know the lineage of their stock either...

I acquired two kingsnakes recently. The first was labeled as a Pastel Lampropeltus Getula Brooksi and the second a Red L. G. Floridana.

wrong on both accounts.

Boy however sold you these sure does not know their kingsnakes.

First one is a hypo Florida king (aka brooks king)(floridana)
Second is a Apalachicola King (goini / meansi)

But I agree with Crimson king. The Apalachicola could be a cross between a Florida king and Apachicola. No way to tell unless the breeder knows LOL!

Thanks for all the responses everyone. I wasn't expecting so many so quickly.

Can someone explain the difference between a pastel and a hypomelanistic snake? I've googled it, and read that pastel is a co-dominant and hypomelanistic is recessive. Is that the only difference or are there some visible cues I'm missing?

Here is another picture of the first snake under "daylight" without my camera's flash:

I haven't got any more of the Goini yet as I didn't want to disturb him so soon after shedding.

Pastel could be anything. It is a name used for different dominant traits from people marketing off color snakes. Now the Ball python market is doing their own thing and I am not going to weigh in on that.

On the other hand Hypomelanistic is a correct term for a simple recessive trait.

Thank you for the clarification.