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RE: Reason for striking coloration

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Posted by: CKing at Tue Apr 29 00:43:50 2008   [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by CKing ]  
   

>>Milksnakes coloration is a natural protective mimic of the poisonous coral snake. The coral snake has been more widely spread earlier thru historic times and therefore there are several subspecies to the milksnake with warning colors in areas where there are no coral snakes today. >>

Problem with that explanation is that no one has ever observed a predator, upon seeing the tricolored pattern of a milk snake, avoids it and let the snake go. There is not one single observation of that nature in the history of mankind. Think about that! In comparison, there are hundreds of sightings of the Loch Ness monster on record.

>>One subspecies to the milksnake species, the eastern milksnake, ranges thru areas where coral snakes have never been present and therefore it mimics the coloration of the fox snake (Panterophis vulpina) instead.>>

The fox snake and the eastern milksnake are similar in coloration not because of mimicry, but because that type of coloration is more cryptic than the tricolored pattern in the type of habitat inhabited by both species. Similarly, the coral snake and the tricolored kingsnakes both live in woodland and forest type habitats. They are similar in coloration because tricolored pattern is cryptic in such habitats. In general, snakes tend to be cryptic, even highly venomous species. It is better not to be seen than to be feared, and that seems to be the strategy for practically all snakes, venomous or not.

   

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