Kingsnake

For the DC Comics supervillain, see King Snake.

Kingsnakes
Scarlet kingsnake (Lampropeltis elapsoides)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Subfamily:	Colubrinae
Tribe:	Lampropeltini
Genus:	Lampropeltis Fitzinger, 1843
Synonyms
Ablabes, Anguis, Bellophis, Calamaria, Coronella, Herpetodryas, Natrix, Ophibolus, Osceola, Phibolus, Pseudelaps, Zacholus

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

Etymology

Lampropeltis means "shiny shield" (from Greek λαμπρος, "shine" + πελτα, "small shield"), a name given to them in reference to their smooth dorsal scales.

Behavior & diet

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.

Description

The majority of kingsnakes have quite vibrant patterns on their skins. 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 of the mnemonic rhymes to help people distinguish between the coral snake and its nonvenomous look-alikes in the United States is "If red touches black, you're OK Jack (alternatively: venom lack); if red touches yellow, you're a dead fellow." However, a far more easily remembered mnemonic is: "Red and black, friend of Jack; Red and yellow, kill a fellow."

Taxonomy

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.

Captivity

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 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, unless they are disturbed.

Species and subspecies

Mole kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster rhombomaculata)

California kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula californiae)

Eastern kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula getula)

Kingsnake species include:

• Grey-banded kingsnake, Lampropeltis alterna (A.E. Brown, 1901)
• Lampropeltis calligaster (Harlan, 1827)
  • Prairie kingsnake, Lampropeltis c. calligaster (Harlan, 1827)
  • South Florida mole kingsnake, L. c. occipitolineata Price, 1987
  • Mole kingsnake, L. c. rhombomaculata (Holbrook, 1840)
• Common kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula (Linnaeus, 1766)
  • 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
  • Western black kingsnake, L. g. nigrita Zweifel & Norris, 1955
  • Baja Cape kingsnake, "L. g. nitida"^{[citation needed]}
  • Desert kingsnake, L. g. splendida (Baird & Girard, 1853)
  • Isla Santa Catalina kingsnake L. "getula" catalinensis (Van Denburgh & Slevin, 1921)
• Lampropeltis mexicana (Garman, 1884)
  • L. m. leonis (Günther, 1893)
  • Durango mountain kingsnake, L. m. greeri Webb, 1961
  • Mexican kingsnake, L. m. mexicana (Garman, 1884)
  • Nuevo Leon kingsnake, L. m. thayeri (Loveridge, 1924)
• Black kingsnake, Lampropeltis nigra (Yarrow, 1882)
• Lampropeltis pyromelana (Cope, 1866)
  • Utah mountain kingsnake, L. p. infralabialis W.W. 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 (Lacépède, 1789) (see: milk snake)
• Scarlet kingsnake, Lampropeltis elapsoides (Holbrook, 1838)
• Lampropeltis webbi Bryson, Dixon & Lazcano, 2005
• Lampropeltis zonata (Lockington, 1876 ex Blainville, 1835)
  • 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 (Lockington, 1876 ex Blainville, 1835)

Speckled king snake (Lampropeltis getula holbrooki)

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

References

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

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