Reptile & Amphibian Forums

here's a pinellas county king. it's the one on exhibit at Sawgrass Park in pinellas county, where it was caught.

terry

so thats a notch? sorry i just dont see it,i beleive the "ga notch" that keith reffered to is 3rd or 4th labials being black w/no white appearing like a notch? i could be wrong though,,,anyway thats a cool looking eastern regardless,,,,,,,peace
thomas davis

>>so thats a notch? sorry i just dont see it,i beleive the "ga notch" that keith reffered to is 3rd or 4th labials being black w/no white appearing like a notch? i could be wrong though,,,anyway thats a cool looking eastern regardless,,,,,,,peace
>>thomas davis

you're right thomas, I don't see a notch either. I wasn't trying to illustrate a notch, rather to show a non-GA getula's coloration, in the case of this pinellas co. fla king, one WITHOUT any "notch". Your interpretation of the pic is correct, i just wasn't clear enuff about my intent.

terry

...and thinking it was just a regular eastern king. Isn't it labeled as an FL king?

>>...and thinking it was just a regular eastern king. Isn't it labeled as an FL king?

i'll check and see what they've got it labeled. but isn't the correct ID for a pinellas county king a peninsular intergrade of getula and brooksi, since they changed the nomenclature? (regardless of what the park has it marked). but you're right, it's a big old snake, been there quite a while. btw, they also have a red rat and a yellow rat in their exhibit cages...they finally replaced the yellow rat with a new, smaller and younger one, last month. the other one's now in the classroom, i'll askyk why they switched, if you're interested.

terry

What's your point Nick? Afterall, the nomenclature we use in the hobby is confusing enough. I (wrongly?!)call 'em all FL. kings or intergrades from time to time. It would probably only confuse the visitors to put a label like FL. X eastern or such on the tank. I think their intent is to show local snakes that may be seen in the park or surrounding areas to the visitors of the park. While I would like to see much more educational presentations,only the very interested would be willing to be enlightened with a lengthy and (did I say confusing?) debatable description.
Labels! hrumph!
:Mark

haha... well, it confused me years ago when I first saw that king. It'd have been very interesting to me way back when to have known they were intergrades, instead of thinking they mislabeled their snake.