Your map is out of date.You ignore the more accepted system.

There are now only three species of the old Elaphe obsoleta subspecies system. First there are no subspecies, and only three species recognized. They are:

alleghaniensis (Eastern)

spiloides (Central)

obsoletus (Western)

baird (Western Texas and Mexico) Bairdie was not considered a subspecies of Elaphe obsoleta.For that reason, I think that it with Elaphe obsoleta ssp might confuse the the issue. This system uses mtDNA to distinguish relationships. Coloring is not the defining issue.



An Alternative Classification of the New World Rat Snakes (Genus Pantherophis (Reptilia: Squamata: C

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