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Abstract: As currently understood, there are two species of Fox Snakes (Eastern Fox Snake, Pantherophis gloydi Conant and Western Fox Snake, P. vulpinus Baird and Girard) that are separated by a large geographic disjunction that encompasses almost all of Michigan, eastern Indiana, and eastern Ohio. Phylogenetic analysis of mtDNA data of individuals from throughout the ranges of the two species inferred reciprocally monophyletic clades that revealed a new species boundary, the Mississippi River. The single key morphological character also shows a major difference at the river. Because the localities of the holotypes of P. gloydi and P. vulpinus are both within the new range of the eastern form, gloydi is recognized as a junior synonym of vulpinus and a new name, P. ramspotti, is erected for the western form. The estimates of divergence time and historical biogeography suggest that Pleistocene glaciation and the Mississippi River played a key role in speciation.

www.cnah.org/research.asp?id=112

Say what?
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See all my snakes at SerpenTrack.com

There have been new mitochondrial DNA tests performed on both Eastern and Western fox snakes that have resulted in them being reclassified as such:

Fox snakes originating from west of the Mississippi River= Western Fox snake (Mintonius ramspotti)

Fox snakes occuring east of the Mississippi River (including those fomerly thought to be the Western species inc. WI and IL specimens)= Eastern Fox snake (Mintonius vulpinus).

Hope that clears it up

Yeah, pretty much got that. Just being funny. Thanks for the synopsis though
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See all my snakes at SerpenTrack.com

Any of you guys keeping/breeding Western fox snakes?
I have a clutch of 16 in the incubator, 12 still look viable, at near 4 weeks at 82 degrees.
Would like to trade lings to expand the gene pool.
Thanks in advance for any help

Well alrighty then!
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Randy Whittington

Thanks for the update, Eric; but just because CNAH recognizes a research paper doesn't mean everyone does. DNA findings aren't automatically accepted by all groups interested in taxonomy. Other things are taken into consideration also. I saw five western fox snakes in the Upper Peninsula of MI this year and have seen many eastern fox snakes in southeastern MI, Ohio, and Ontario. They are not the same snake, which was the purpose of spitting Pantherophis (Elaphe) vulpinus in the first place.

Regards....Terry Cox/Green Valley, AZ

>>Abstract: As currently understood, there are two species of Fox Snakes (Eastern Fox Snake, Pantherophis gloydi Conant and Western Fox Snake, P. vulpinus Baird and Girard) that are separated by a large geographic disjunction that encompasses almost all of Michigan, eastern Indiana, and eastern Ohio. Phylogenetic analysis of mtDNA data of individuals from throughout the ranges of the two species inferred reciprocally monophyletic clades that revealed a new species boundary, the Mississippi River. The single key morphological character also shows a major difference at the river. Because the localities of the holotypes of P. gloydi and P. vulpinus are both within the new range of the eastern form, gloydi is recognized as a junior synonym of vulpinus and a new name, P. ramspotti, is erected for the western form. The estimates of divergence time and historical biogeography suggest that Pleistocene glaciation and the Mississippi River played a key role in speciation.
>>
>>www.cnah.org/research.asp?id=112

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