Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm doing research into the color & pattern morphs common to specific regions. (Aware that individuals can vary within locale norms, as with many reptile species.)

I've sen quite a few photos of specimens from the Austin, Corpus Cristi, Dallas & Houston areas. I've not seen any photos of specimens from San Antonio, the southwest edge of their range.

If you have photos of San Antonio wild-caught, or captive-bred stock, or know of links where I can view them, please respond.

This guy was crossing a rural road about 25 miles NW of San Antonio last Spring. Big one, about 6 ft.

Be aware that you'll nee several photos from each locality to do any kind of justice to local variation in this species.

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Brad Chambers
WWW.HCU-TX.ORG

Breeder of:
Green Tree Pythons
Jungle Carpet Pythons
Pastel, Pinstripe, FIRE, Piebald, Clown, Lavender Albino, Leucistic, and Spider Ball Pythons
Striped Colombian Boa Constrictors
Kenyan, Rufescens, and Conicus Sand Boas
Red Phase Western Hognose Snakes
Spider Western Hognose Snakes
Albino Western Hognose Snakes
Locality Trans-Pecos Mexican Hognose Snakes
Southern Hognose Snakes
Eastern Hognose Snakes
Tricolor Hognose Snakes
Hypo Checkered Garter Snakes
Eastern Blackneck Garter Snakes
Stillwater Hypo Bullsnakes
Patternless Bullsnakes
S. GA Eastern Kingsnakes
Locality Desert Kingsnakes
Albino Desert Kingsnakes
Hypo Desert Kingsnakes
Mexican Black Kingsnakes
Desert Phase, Striped Desert, Newport, and Coastal California Kingsnakes
Locality Mexican Milksnakes
Spotted Mexican Milksnakes
Tangerine Mexican Milksnakes
Locality Alterna
Abbott Okeetee Cornsnakes
Mexican Baird's Ratsnakes
Cape Housesnakes
Tangerine Albino African Fat -Tailed Geckos
Locality Spotted Turtles

Man, that guy rocks!!! I'm wanting one like that!

Interesting. The ones I captured in Central Texas about an hour north of Austin were very dark/large blotched with very little light background showing through. Some reminded me of eastern kings or amur ratsnakes and I wondered if they were far enough north to be influenced by black rat genes. Most of the ones I capture in the South Louisiana area are very muddy, lack blotch contrast, and are generally shades of tan to brown with little bright coloration. It also amazes me the swampy conditions they will live in, and I suspect in some parts of their LA range they live on somewhat isolated "islands" in river and drainage systems.

Yes, I'd need to see SEVERAL from a location to begin to determine locale-specific traits. Each photo helps, however.

The photo that I've seen that most resembles my specimen (and the prior one that died, either his brother or son) are from the north plains region, beginning south of Dallas, up thru SW Oklahoma

Traits include dark oak brown blotches on top, lighter brown blotches along sides. Sides are lighter in color, especially along the bottoms, with heavy orange & yellow influence & some light grays.

Based on photos I've seen, my snake's ancesors may have been from the NW part of their range, where prairie and hills transition (Wichita Mountains, Edwards Plateau).

Below is an exmple URL.

Thanks for your helpful input.
Link

Here is a pic of one I captured in Lake Charles, LA. Decent blotch contrast and yellowish tan ground coloration.

KevinM

Here is an anonymous pic I acquired of one captured in Norco, LA. This much further east than Lake Charles and a bit west of New Orleans, LA. Its hard to tell by the pic, but the groundcolor is not as yellow and the blotches appear less defined IMO.

KevinM