Here's a question for anyone who has come across the red phase in the wild. This female from last night in western NC appears to be red for a different reason than the male in the second photo found in eastern VA. The second one is from a population that simply have red markings on a regular background, not always as distinctive as this one. But with this female the whole nerodia pattern is "tinted" orange, which is less noticeable when the skin is dry. I believe this is the same gene that makes the red hognose and the snake pictured at the top of this board. When you saw a red nerodia in the wild did it seem to you the cause was reduced melanin or just a strong red pigment?

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