Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was recently given a hatchling that was described as a Blue Racer. Under his juv pattern his body is brown and fades to yellow on his sides. The veneer is a nice lemon color. The lower head and throat are white. The strong yellow color makes me wonder if this might actually be a yellow belly racer or even an intergrade.

Does anyone have photos of babies of both species for comparison. My camera unfortunately does not have the capacity to take a usable photo of something this tiny.

The good news is that he has eaten two baby anoles in the week I have had him.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

Same animal, what is sometimes referred to as a Blue Racer by some (myself included), is actually a Western Yellow Bellied Racer if you go by the books.

Thanks, Once again the problem with common names. But he eats like a champ so the most important part is all ok.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

However some consider blue racer (coluber contsrictor foxii) to be only a color phase of the eastern yellow belly (coluber constrictor flaviventris).
In eastern iowa the foxii and the falviventris intergrade and are hard to tell apart. And even in their distinct ranges they can be very hard to tell apart. I have a MO locale flaviventris that was caught in NW MO, and you would have a hard time distinguishing it from the southern black racer!!!

I for one think the racers should be relooked, as the rat snakes have. I tend to think the foxii, flaviventris, and the priapus are alot closer related than generally thought. At least the Coluber Constrictor Constrictor differs from the others with the hemipenes.

Here is a nice specimen of Southern black racer from here in KY.

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1.0 Corn snake (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes (MO locale)
1.0 Eastern Yellow Belly racer (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Yellow rat snake (Dwight Good stock)
1.1 California king snake (Coastal phase)
1.0 Prairie king snake (KY locale)
0.1 Black king snake (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern Milk snake (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern/Red milk intergrade (KY locale)

Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

.
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1.0 Corn snake (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes (MO locale)
1.0 Eastern Yellow Belly racer (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Yellow rat snake (Dwight Good stock)
1.1 California king snake (Coastal phase)
1.0 Prairie king snake (KY locale)
0.1 Black king snake (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern Milk snake (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern/Red milk intergrade (KY locale)

Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

>>.

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1.0 Corn snake (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes (MO locale)
1.0 Eastern Yellow Belly racer (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Yellow rat snake (Dwight Good stock)
1.1 California king snake (Coastal phase)
1.0 Prairie king snake (KY locale)
0.1 Black king snake (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern Milk snake (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern/Red milk intergrade (KY locale)

Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

Been there (HIC).........HIC)..........(HIC)...

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."