Kingsnake

For the DC Comics supervillain, see King Snake.

Kingsnake
Scarlet kingsnake, Lampropeltis triangulum elapsoides
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Subfamily:	Colubrinae
Genus:	Lampropeltis Fitzinger, 1843

Kingsnakes are colubrid snake members of the Lampropeltis genus, which also includes the milk snake and four other species, and 45 subspecies.

Lampropeltis means "shiny shield" (from Greek λαμπρος, "shine" + πελτα, "small shield"), a name given to them in reference to their dorsal scales. The majority of kingsnakes have quite vibrant patterns on their skins. Kingsnakes use constriction to kill their prey and tend to be opportunistic when it comes to their diet; they will eat other snakes (ophiophagy), including venomous snakes, lizards, rodents, birds and eggs. The common kingsnake is known to be immune to the venom of other snakes and to eat rattlesnakes, but is not necessarily immune to the venom of snakes from different localities.). The "king" in the name (as with the king cobra) references its taste for other snakes.

Some species of kingsnake, such as the scarlet kingsnake, have coloration and patterning that can cause them to be confused with the venomous coral snakes. One mnemonic rhymes to help people distinguish between the coral snake and its nonvenomous look-alikes is "Red touch yellow, kills a fellow. Red touch black, venom they lack."

Taxonomic reclassification is an ongoing process, and different sources often disagree, granting full species status to a group of these snakes that another source considers a subspecies. In the case of Lampropeltis catalinensis, for example, only a single specimen exists, so classification is not necessarily finite. In addition, hybridization between species with overlapping geographic ranges is not uncommon, confusing taxonomists further.

Kingsnakes are commonly kept as pets, due to their ease of care; they are overall hardy and simple to care for. Their captive diet usually consists of appropriately sized, killed rodents. Giving live rodents is an illegal offense in America and may be bad for the snake's health, as live rodents are capable of delivering powerful bites, potentially injuring the snake. Kingsnakes are generally docile, curious and gentle.

Mole kingsnake, Lampropeltis calligaster rhombomaculata

California kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula californiae

Eastern kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula getula

Kingsnake species include:

• Grey-banded kingsnake, Lampropeltis alterna (Brown, 1901)
• Lampropeltis calligaster
  • Prairie kingsnake, Lampropeltis calligaster (Harlan, 1827)
  • South Florida mole kingsnake, L. c. occipitolineata Price, 1987
  • Mole kingsnake, L. c. rhombomaculata (Holbrook, 1840)
• Common kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula
  • California kingsnake, L. g. californiae (Blainville, 1835)
  • Florida kingsnake, L. g. floridana (Blanchard, 1919)
  • Eastern kingsnake, L. g. getula (Linnaeus, 1766)
  • Apalachicola kingsnake, L. g. meansi Krysko & Judd, 2006
  • Speckled kingsnake, L. g. holbrooki Stejneger, 1902
  • Black kingsnake, L. g. niger (Yarrow, 1882)
  • Western black kingsnake, L. g. nigrita Zweifel & Norris, 1955
  • Baja Cape kingsnake, L. g. nitida
  • Desert kingsnake, L. g. splendida (Baird & Girard, 1853)
  • Isla Santa Catalina kingsnake L. "getula" catalinensis (Van Denburgh & Slevin, 1921)
• Lampropeltis mexicana
  • L. m. leonis (Günther, 1893)
  • Durango mountain kingsnake, L. m. greeri]] Webb, 1961
  • Nuevo Leon kingsnake, L. m. thayeri]] (Loveridge, 1924)
• Lampropeltis pyromelana
  • Utah mountain kingsnake, L. p. infralabialis Tanner, 1953
  • Sonoran mountain kingsnake, L. p. knoblochi Taylor, 1940
  • Arizona mountain kingsnake, L. p. pyromelana (Cope, 1866)
• Ruthven's kingsnake, Lampropeltis ruthveni (Blanchard, 1920)
• Lampropeltis triangulum (see: milk snake
  • Scarlet kingsnake, L. t. elapsoides (Holbrook, 1838)
• Lampropeltis webbi Bryson, Dixon & Lazcano, 2005
• Lampropeltis zonata
  • San Pedro kingsnake, L. z. agalma (Van Denburgh & Slevin, 1923)
  • Todos Santos Island kingsnake, L. z. herrerae (Van Denburgh & Slevin, 1923)
  • Sierra mountain kingsnake, L. z. multicincta (Yarrow, 1882)
  • Coast Mountain kingsnake, L. z. multifasciata (Bocourt, 1886)
  • San Bernardino Mountain kingsnake, L. z. parvirubra Zweifel, 1952
  • San Diego mountain kingsnake, L. z. pulchra Zweifel, 1952
  • St. Helena Mountain kingsnake, L. z. zonata] (Blainville, 1835)

Additionally, Pyron and Burbrink have argued the short-tailed snake, more familiar as Stilosoma extenuatum, should be included with Lampropeltis.

References

Hubbs, Brian. 2009. Common Kingsnakes. Tricolor Books, Tempe, Arizona.

Speckled King Snake

• Genus Lampropeltis at The Reptile Database

External links

• kingsnake Care Sheets and Photos
• Desert USA: Common Kingsnake
• Caring for a Common Kingsnake
• Common Kingsnake - Lampropeltis getula Species account from the Iowa Reptile and Amphibian Field Guide
• Kingsnake eating a garter snake
• King Snake Care Sheet