Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have read different information on different snake books and websites. Can we consider milksnakes, kingsnakes? Since they are also Lampropeltis. Or does the Lampropeltis Triangulum can't be considered kingsnakes?

Thank you.

Milk snakes are not king snakes. They are simply in the same genus. They are the milk snake within the Lampropeltis genus.
Genus - Lampropeltis
Species - triangulum (milks)
ssp - triangulum, syspila, etc....

The Lampropeltis getula species are the kings. They are related, but a different species within the Genus.

Just like the Elaphe (now Pantherophis) Genus....
within it you have the rats, corns, and fox snakes species and ssp.

Same thing goes with a myriad of other snakes like the Pituophis Genus - Pines, bulls and gophers. All related at the Genus level, but seperate species that are separated further into ssp.

Here is an eastern milk taxonomic break down for you....

Class - Reptilia
Order - Squamata
Suborder - Serpentes
Family - Colubridae
Genus - Lampropeltis
Species - triangulum
sub-species - triangulum

Hope this isnt too confusing
Brian

>>I have read different information on different snake books and websites. Can we consider milksnakes, kingsnakes? Since they are also Lampropeltis. Or does the Lampropeltis Triangulum can't be considered kingsnakes?
>>
>>Thank you.

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RATS
1.0 Corn snake "Warpath"(KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Reaper and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Great plains rat snake "Reign Fire" (TX locale)
1.0 Grey rat snake "Punisher" (White oak phase)(Dwight Good stock)

Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

I'm still confused, since I keep on getting different answers to this question. In the Taxonomy Discussion forum I got this reply to the same question:

Yes, milksnakes (and all members of Lampropeltis) can be considered to be "kingsnakes", milksnakes, mountain kings, prarie kings, and common kings are all "subsets" if you will of the kingsnake genus.

It's a silly game of semantics. What weight does a common name really have? Since they are of the same genera, all species in tht group can be called Kingsnakes with the sub catagory of Milk, Graybanded etc..

All that really matters is the Latin anyway.

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

After doing some research and reading I found this link that you might find enlightening. I stand corrected, milks are kings, just seperate species. Learn something new everyday!!
Brian

http://www.applegatereptiles.com/articles/bookgeninfo.htm

>>It's a silly game of semantics. What weight does a common name really have? Since they are of the same genera, all species in tht group can be called Kingsnakes with the sub catagory of Milk, Graybanded etc..
>>
>>All that really matters is the Latin anyway.
>>
>>Frank
>>-----
>>"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."
-----

RATS
1.0 Corn snake "Warpath"(KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Reaper and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Great plains rat snake "Reign Fire" (TX locale)
1.0 Grey rat snake "Punisher" (White oak phase)(Dwight Good stock)

Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

np