Reptile & Amphibian Forums

REF

Smith, Chiszar, Eckerman & Walley [2003 The Taxonomic Status of the
Mexican Hognose Snake Heterodon kennerlyi Kennicott (1860). Journal
of Kansas Herpetology 5: 17-20] recommended that this taxon, formerly
a subspecies of Heterodon nasicus, be recognized as a distinct
species.

Hognose Home Page

Can anyone provide some basis for this change? To me there is little more than range and pattern differences in nasicus, but then again I do not catch nor keep them(and it could be something that doesn't meet the eye I suppose). I was hoping someone could enlighten me why it is being elevated to species status. Thanks. Andy
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Andy Maddox
The Reptizone

Who are you who can say it's ok to live through me? Alice In Chains

I actually have a copy of Curtis Eckerman's thesis on this subject. If you remember he has actually posted here on occasion about the systematics of hognoses. I can assure you this was not taken lightly. I believe he used a lot of DNA analysis as well as the other typical characteristics. I have not looked at it in quite some time so I do not remember the specifics.

Maybe you should consider contacting him at the link below.
click here for the link...

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*Humans aren't the only species on earth... we just act like it.

".the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without
spoiling it."
Aldo Leopold (1938)

Thanks a ton! I will have to contact him. How are your hoggies doing? I am still working on getting my new little red phase eatern on mice, but she is still young and will make a great match for clint's bright red hog in the future. Andy
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Andy Maddox
The Reptizone

Who are you who can say it's ok to live through me? Alice In Chains

which scales to count to identify w. hognose as kennerlyi or nasicus. I hate to admit this but I have been breeding western hognose for years and always just lumped them into a group as "western hognose". I have never had a buyer insist upon kennerlyi vs nasicus. Everyone has always been concerned about color phase. I have seen post about counting scales to make a positive ID but I have not found a drawing or closeup that has helped me positively ID my breeders.
Thanks in advance.
John Q

You can see the small scales right above the nose. It's a small cluster of scales. This guy looks like a mexican cross.

That is not a cross. That is an amelanistic western hognose (Heterodon nasicus) that originated from the Lubbock Texas area (all the amels in the industry originated from that area.) There are 11 azygous scales on this photo (which is a great shot by the way!) and the Western Hognose has anywhere from 9-21. The Mexican Hognose (Heterodon kennerlyi) has 6 or fewer...