Justin,



This sort of information would normally be reported in Herpetological Review, though it could also be hiding in a broader article in a different journal or in someone's thesis or dissertation somewhere.

Apart from Google Scholar (a new subsection of Google that will conduct a limited search of scientific literature), there is a very nice, free database of citations to herpetological journal articles here

http://www.herplit.com/

Click on the Herplit Database link on the left of the page.

This database should include all articles in Herpetological Review. A quick search for Regina septemvittata (and Natrix and Nerodia, as the species has historically been in those two genera) comes up empty as far as body size reports go. The next place to look would be the species account in the Catalog of American Amphibians and Reptiles [Ernst, Carl H. 2002. Regina septemvittata (Say 1825) Queen Snake. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles. (757):1-5.] The Catalog is usually the definitive source for most information, but only up to the date of the account, of course.

Ernst and Ernst (2003; Snakes of the United States and Canada) have the max total body length as being what you wrote in your last message. Because this information is just as new as the Catalog account (and written by the same author), there's no need to look at the Catalog. Thus, the best place to look now might be the Gibbons and Dorcas watersnakes, which I don't have handy at the moment. I need to buy another copy of that. I don't recall if they have max length info in their accounts, though. If they do and your snake is longer, then you need to take the animal to a herpetologist at a local college or university. I may be able to help you there, depending on where you are located.



Cheers,

Kerry

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