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This is a L.g.nigra I found yesterday with an unusually strong pattern. This was a fair sized adult and not from an intergrading population. Someone had mentioned it resembled a N.J. eastern to a degree. This snake was found in Bullitt county KY. Anyhow, thought it was a neat looking snake. - Phil

Another look at the same snake. My pics have too much flash on them, but this was a very cleanly patterned snake with distinct banding and shiny black in between.

I certainly wouldn't mind having a beaut like that! Great pic and thanks for sharing Phil!
Todd

Nice pic phil. I've never seen anything like that.

Thanks Bob. Glad you enjoyed! - Phil

Thanks Todd. It is a very clean snake also with not a blemish on it. I hope it adapts well to captivity. I hope I can also find a mate for it at the same site. - Phil

thats a keeper!

Any chance of getting back into that area to find a mate?

Yes, I have full access to this property since its owned by a friend of mine. This is the first year I have been on this property and this was the first king I have found there but I have seen perhaps dozens over the years with in a ten mile radius of there and every one I have seen has been very dark and with no pattern what so ever. Maybe things will be different on the property itself. I would like to find a mate for it. - Phil

thats awsome phil!!! def. some chainking in the woodpile so to say, i knew that l.g.n and l.g.g intergraded its nice to finally see one thanks!,,,,,,,,thomas

That's really cool, I've read descriptions of nigra with "faint chain link pattern", but I've never seen anythig like that.

Kinda shows the natural link between the subspecies.

Years ago I found one at the gorge that was solid black on top and had WHITE replacing the yellow, like NJ getula white.

No one speck of yellow, it was a black and white snake.
I kept it for a few weeks and it did well, but I ended up releasing it back where I found it...kinda wish I'd have held onto it, but I've never seen another one like it to pair it up with.

Great pics as always Phil, thanks for sharing.

Thanks Dean, there is quite a bit of variation regarding the light color. Most have more of a cream color and more rarely this will be canary yellow or china white. - Phil

Thanks Thomas, but definitely no intergrade here. This snake was found dab smack in the heart of the range of nigra and far away from any intergrade zones. It does make you wonder about the various subspecies relationships. - Phil

Wow Phil that snake is awesome ! Do you find that Nigra from an area that retains more pattern ? Tell me you kept that snake !!!!

Keith

>>This is a L.g.nigra I found yesterday with an unusually strong pattern. This was a fair sized adult and not from an intergrading population. Someone had mentioned it resembled a N.J. eastern to a degree. This snake was found in Bullitt county KY. Anyhow, thought it was a neat looking snake. - Phil
>>
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Thanks Keith. Actually the snake was found in an upland area and every other king I have seen there has been very much black with no pattern. I wasn't looking to keep any kings I find this year but I did make an exception with this one. - Phil

If you were to be able to start a line of the thin white chain pattern animals or the ones that had absolutely no markings at all. Good luck. Thanks again for the pic.
Bob.