Lampropeltis splendida (Baird & Girard 1853)

Pyron, Alexander & Burbrink, Frank T., 2009, Systematics of the Common Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula; Serpentes: Colubridae) and the burden of heritage in taxonomy, Zootaxa 2241, pp. 22-32 : 27

Lampropeltis splendida (Baird & Girard 1853) (Figs. 1–3)

Desert Kingsnake

Holotype: USNM 1726, collected by Col. J.D. Graham.

Type Locality: Sonora, Mexico (no further locality given).

Etymology: Specific epithet refers to the ‘splendid’ visage of the dorsal coloration.

Synonymy: This species is essentially co-terminous with the formerly recognized subspecies L. g. splendida .

Diagnosis: The Desert Kingsnake ( L. splendida ) is a medium- to large-bodied constrictor with an average adult size range of 90–114cm and a maximum size of 152cm ( Conant & Collins 1998). Scales are smooth, anal plate single, with midbody scale rows typically numbering 23–25 ( Blaney 1977). Ventral scales number 199–227 in males and 203–237 in females, while subcaudals range from 45–62 in males and 40–52 in females ( Blaney 1977). The Desert Kingsnake can be distinguished from related species primarily on the basis of color pattern. The pattern of the Desert Kingsnake is characterized by a black or dark brown ground color with heavy yellow lateral and dorsolateral stippling. The remnant crossbands formed by this stippling yield a row of black or brown dorsal blotches or saddles, numbering 42–97. The head is typically black or dark brown, and the onset of the yellow dorsal patterning sometimes gives the appearance of a collar ( Fig. 3 ; Blanchard 1921; Blaney 1977; Conant & Collins 1998). The Desert Kingsnake inhabits the Chihuahuan desert east of the Cochise Filter Barrier, from western Texas to extreme southeastern Arizona, north from central New Mexico in the Rio Grande River valley south to the south central portion of the Mexican Plateau ( Fig. 2 ). Additionally, the ecological niche modeling results from Pyron & Burbrink (2009 c) predict an area of habitat in northcentral Arizona as suitable for L. splendida which is not predicted as suitable for the geographically adjacent California lineage ( Fig. 2 ; Pyron & Burbrink 2009 c). While kingsnakes are known from this region of Arizona ( Stebbins 2003) , it is not known to which species this population belongs. The Desert Kingsnakes may hybridize with the Western lineage in a narrow area in extreme southeastern Arizona and extreme southwestern New Mexico, where haplotypes co-occur and some apparent hybrids have been found ( Fig. 2 ; R.A. Pyron, pers. obs.), though morphological intermediacy is apparently not widespread ( Conant & Collins 1998).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Range map of the five lineages recovered by Pyron & Burbrink (2009 c), corresponding to five distinct species in North America. Note the zones of sympatry between L. californiae and L. splendida, and L. nigra and L. getula.

FIGURE 3. Primary color pattern variants of five species of the Lampropeltis getula group. Many additional variants occur regionally; these are simply the primary color pattern classes of the five species. See Blaney (1977), Conant & Collins (1998), Stebbins (2003), and Krysko & Judd (2006) for more detailed descriptions of color pattern variation. Photograps of L. getula (R), L. nigra (R), L. holbrooki (L), and L. californiae are compliments S. L. & J. T. Collins, CNAH. The photograph of L. holbrooki (R) is compliments D. B. Shepard, CUNY-CSI.