Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My friend sent me a picture of a kingsnake he found in Sevierville, TN (West of Knoxville at the western base of the Appalachian Mountains. He claims it is a L.g.g and I would be inclined to agree based on the picture he sent me.

However, it was my understanding that L.g.g. and L.g.n. were sundered by the App. Mountains and that Eastern Kingsnakes could not even be found in TN.

Or could this be an intergrade?

I know the markings and coloration of the black kingsnakes change over time from neonates to adulthood, but all the black kings I see around here in Knoxville are mostly black with maybe some yellow speckling and webbing here and there.....the snake he found, he claims is "black and white".

Any thoughts guys?

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1.0.0 Lampropeltis getula holbrooki
0.1.0 Lampropeltis getula californae
0.0.1 Lampropeltis getula nigra
1.0.0 Lampropeltis mexicana thayeri
2.3.0 Eublapharis macularius macularius
0.0.2 Rhacodactylus ciliatus
0.1.0 Gerrhosaurus major major

I think niger and getula intergrade up there. Maybe Brian Hubbs will chime in on this. he has a new Kingsnake book coming out that will tell all.
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www.Bluerosy.com

hey Rainer..what's up with your book? Done yet?
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Richard Evans

no not THAT one

Richard

That book I put on the shelve and forgot about it. Still a great idea though! But with family and other stuff this past year i just have not had time.
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www.Bluerosy.com

I am getting a blog installed on my website soon and I may post history on pioneer herpetoculturists and collectors with pics and post them there on occasion. There are to many personalities and inovators that brought our hobby to where it is today. i am thinking about getting a list together of west coast herpers from the 60's and on that were instrumental in shaping our hobby.

If you or anybody can add to this list that would be great. As long as it involves west coast herpers.

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www.Bluerosy.com

A chain king in that picture, but Tennessee has no pure chain kings. It's either a wide banded black king, or an intergrade. I've seen pictures of kings from the Southeast corner of TN (Polk County) that looked like pure chain kings, but were called black kings. I imagine they were intergrades, or at least there is a tendency for kings in that area to look more like chain kings.

That animal looks typical of every Black (nigra) kingsnake I've ever produced. Most hatch out black and white or black and cream yellow, gaining yellow as they mature with a reduction of pattern. I've caught kings from central TN that had the typical lightly speckled chain pattern as would be seen on most nigra. I would say nigra over getula.
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www.brandonosbornereptiles.com