I don't think anyone is saying that this is a new, named subspecies, but are rather suggesting that it ought to be. Such things happen with imported reptiles. A "new" animal comes in that is likely something new, even though it falls under an old name. The question is whether these yellow tails, are really yellow tails.

It has been a long time since I got my Biology degree (1997), but if I remember right, a subspecies is defined as a distinguishable variant of a species that is specific to a certain range with an intergrade occurring between it and other subspecies. The fact that all of these cribos out of Paraguay had the same general appearance, which varied from what we are use to seeing in typical yellow tails would suggest to me that, perhaps, there would be grounds for someone to define a new subspecies. There is much more that needs to be considered than a half dozen snakes coming in on a shipment, but it can be a good indicator of what might be there. At the very least, these would seem to be to yellow tail cribos at least what an Everglades rat snake is to a yellow rat snake.

Bryant King

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