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Okay I was hoping I could get some clarification.... Some of the kings I've heard of (specifically from the eastern United States) are:

Floridana
Brooksi
Blotched (Goins/Goini)
Eastern
Outer Banks

Did I get the main eastern kingsnakes? I'm sure I missed a good couple of dozen.

I'm curious... which ones are accepted subspecies, and what are their distinguishing characteristics.

What I have now are the following:

1.3 Blotched (Goins) kings... which I believe is NOT a recognized subspecies... so what are they recognized to really be?

2.1 Outer Banks Kings (or is it 1.1 Outer Banks and 1.0 Eastern, or are they really recognized as the same)

1.0 Super Brooks (?)

So are any of these "Floridana"? or what? Just want some clarification.
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~Sasheena

Floridana or Florida Kingsnakes include the Brooksi Phase. Brooksi used to be its own sub species L.g.brooksi. AFter genetic testing by Kenny Kysko it was found to be a color variant of Floridana.

Blotched or Appalachicola Kings used to be a sub species as well it was L.g.goini but was re classified as Floridana a number of years ago (wrongly I might add). Bruce Means and Kenney Krysko have done extensive research on the Kings from Appalachicola area and have found the DNA and other analysis that it is in fact a sub but only the Striped, patternless and high oval blotched animals. This animal has a intergration area with Eastern Kings so the ones that look like orange banded Easterns are intergrade animals. The ones you produced are more less like the latter animals mentioned. The new Sub will be named soon.

Outer Banks Kings used to be a sub known as L.g.sticticeps. It was found to be genetically identical to Eastern Kings and was probably on its way to becoming a genetically unique sub with a few thousand more years of isolation. OBK's were thought to be a different sub because mainly of head shape but thats not the case as everyone Ive seen has a normal Eastern noggin' .

Hope this helps if not I can further flesh out the distinctive characteristics.
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Keith Hillson

Man, what are you doing with a gun in space? - Charles "Chick" Chapple

Blotched Kings are an intergrade between the eastern kingsnake and an unclassified Getula subspecies. The unclassified getula subspecies is supposed to be a patternless speckled sort of kingsnake. These would still enter the pet trade as goini though.As it currently stands, goini are still considered to be an intergrade between the Florida king, and the Eastern king, but that is going to change soon.

Outer Banks kings were considered to be the subspecies Stiticeps, but are now considered to be a variant of the eastern kingsnake. You could say you had 2.1 Eastern kings, but hobbyists still draw a distinction between them, where taxonomists don't.

A brooks king is a Floridana. The taxonomic troubles with the rest of the Florida kings is a little opinionated, officially they are recognized as intergrades between the eastern king and the brooks king, but most of the people I know who work with them consider them to be darker versions of Floridana.

So My Brooski Kingsnake's common name would actually be

a "Florida Brook's kingsnake"

The scientific name is "l. g. floridana"

Thank you for your time,
Ralph
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0.0.1 Argentine Black and White Tegu
2.1 Bearded Dragon
0.0.4 Hatchling Bearded Dragons
1.1 Honduran Milksnake
1.0 Florida Brooksi Kingsnake
1.0 Blood Red Cornsnake
1.0 Jungle Carpet Python
0.1 Desert Kingsnake
1.0 Western Hognose Snake
1.0 Bull Mastiff

.

np

Nigra and Holbrooki are considered more central and southern N. America . Yes Nigra does creep into GA and a bit into and WV but thats about it. They are also considered to be in the "Splendida group" while Floridana and Easterns are more related to each other along with the problematics "Sticticeps" and "Brooksi" etc...

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Keith Hillson

Man, what are you doing with a gun in space? - Charles "Chick" Chapple

actually they are all GETULA ,and IMHO all getula from the east coast to the westcoast derive,originate from l.g.getula, or eastern chainking,,,,,thomas

Of course they are, the original question was getula from the east. L.getula Holbrooki and L.g. Nigra are a subspecies of the species Lampropeltis getula with L.g. Floridana and L.g. Getula.

There is a paper on Kings in a scientific journal I have that suggests Getula came from the west. Ive always thought it was from the East but maybe because L.g.g. was the first sub scientifically described I just thought that way. In this paper He classifies Kings into 3 groups. The California Group which consists of Cal Kings and the Mex. Black. The Splendida Group which is Desert Kings, Speckled Kings and Black Kings (Nigra).The Eastern Group which is the Eastern Kingsnake and Florida Kingsnake. Im not sure how that new sub-species from Appalachicola will fall but Im pretty sure its in the Eastern Group. Its a well written paper. Ill get the specifics of it later when Im home. It was written by Richard M. Blaney (Tulane University)

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Keith Hillson

Man, what are you doing with a gun in space? - Charles "Chick" Chapple

.
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Keith Hillson

Man, what are you doing with a gun in space? - Charles "Chick" Chapple

They seem to be closer to nigritus and californiae. If you've ever seen a lighter colored nigritus, you would think it was a splendida.

You are right. I went back and checked the paper and Nigrita is in the Splendida Complex.

Getula Complex
Eastern King
Florida King
L.g. Sticticeps
Appalachicola King (Goini)

Splendida Complex
Black King (Nigra)
Speckled King
Desert King
Mex Black King (Nigrita)

Californiae Complex
California King
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Keith Hillson

Man, what are you doing with a gun in space? - Charles "Chick" Chapple