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Scarlet kingsnake

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(Redirected from Lampropeltis elapsoides) Species of snake

Scarlet kingsnake
Adult Lampropeltis elapsoides in Florida
Conservation status

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Lampropeltis
Species: L. elapsoides
Binomial name
Lampropeltis elapsoides
(Holbrook, 1838)
Synonyms
  • Coluber elapsoides Holbrook, 1838
  • Osceola elapsoidea — Cope, 1900
  • Lampropeltis elapsoides
    — Stejneger & Barbour, 1917
  • Lampropeltis triangulum elapsoides — Conant & Collins, 1991
  • Lampropeltis elapsoides
    — Pyron & Burbrink, 2009

The scarlet kingsnake (Lampropeltis elapsoides) is a species of kingsnake found in the southeastern and eastern portions of the United States. Like all kingsnakes, they are nonvenomous. They are found in pine flatwoods, hydric hammocks, pine savannas, mesic pine-oak forests, prairies, cultivated fields, and a variety of suburban habitats; not unusually, people find scarlet kingsnakes in their swimming pools, especially during the spring. Until recently, and for much of the 20th century, scarlet kingsnakes were considered a subspecies of the milk snake; however, Pyron and Bubrink demonstrated the phylogenetic distinction of this species and its closer relationship to the mountain kingsnakes of the southwestern United States. These largely fossorial snakes are the smallest of all the species within the genus Lampropeltis, usually ranging from 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20 in) at maturity. The maximum recorded length is in Jonesboro, AR 76.2 cm (30.0 in). Hatchlings range in size from 8 to 18 cm (3.1 to 7.1 in).

Taxonomy

Juvenile, Florida locale
Juvenile scarlet kingsnake found swimming in a pool in Davenport, FL

The generic name, Lampropeltis, is derived from the Ancient Greek lamprós (λαμπρος) meaning "shiny" and peltas (πελτας) meaning "shield", after the sheen of their scales. Its specific name, elapsoides, is a Latinization of the Greek word éllops (ελλοπς) which refers to coral and was used to describe the 19th century genus, Elaps (the type genus of the family Elapidae), which included the eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius), a venomous species which the scarlet kingsnake resembles and with which the scarlet kingsnake is partly sympatric. The range of scarlet kingsnakes extends considerably further north and northeast than the eastern coral snake.

The scarlet kingsnake was once believed to have intergraded with the eastern milk snake, which produced a variation once named as a subspecies called the Coastal Plains milk snake (L. t. temporalis), but this is no longer recognized as a legitimate taxon.

Description

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Scarlet kingsnakes have a tricolored pattern of black, red, white, and various shades of yellow bands that appear to mimic the venomous coral snake in a form of Batesian mimicry. A method to help differentiate between venomous and non-venomous tricolor snakes in North America is found in an enormous variety of popular phrases, which are usually some variation of "Red touches black, friend of jack, red touches yellow, kill a fellow", "red on yellow, kill a fellow; red on black, venom lack", or "if red touches yellow, you're a dead fellow; if red touches black, you're all right, Jack". For tri-colored snakes found east of the Mississippi River, all of these phrases can be replaced with the simple phrase, "Red face, I'm safe", in reference to the red snout of scarlet kingsnakes as opposed to the prominent black snout of the eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius).

Scarlet kingsnakes are born with white, black, and red banding. As they mature, they develop varying shades of yellow within geographic areas where this is expressed. In addition, the yellowing is not uniform, but rather this pigmentation proceeds from lighter to darker from the lowermost scales upward to the dorsum, or "back", presenting a multiple yellowish band. Early expression of yellowing appears as early as 3 months and continues through the first 3 years. As adults age, a gradual darkening of the yellowish banding occurs. The yellow pigmentation varies from lemon, to school-bus yellow, to tangerine, to apricot.

Scarlet kingsnakes are secretive, nocturnal, fossorial snakes, so are infrequently seen by people. They are excellent climbers. They can be found underneath the loose bark on rotting pines (which is a favorite place for them to hide during spring or during heavy rains), under the bark on dying or decaying pines and their stumps, and decaying wood, where they hunt for their favorite prey, small snakes and lizards, especially skinks.

Hatchling scarlet kingsnakes show a strong predisposition for ground skinks (Scincella lateralis), often to the exclusion of other prey items. One study showed that elongate squamates made up about 97% of these snakes diets, potentially due to their small mouths. Out of those elongate squamates, the aforementioned skinks made up 74%, while colubroid snakes made up only 15%. All prey items ingested in this study were consumed headfirst, and on average prey was 19% of predator mass. It has also been noted that the diet of Lampropeltis elapsoides is unusually narrow compared to adults of most other species.

Reproduction

The scarlet kingsnake is polygynandrous, meaning both males and females will mate with multiple partners. Their breeding season is March–June, and females have multiple egg clutches that incubate for 40–65 days.

Lampropeltis elapsoides is an oviparous species of snake that lays eggs in clutches of 4-12, usually under rotting wood and between rocks and logs. These eggs are white and slender, with most adhering to one another. Eggs typically hatch within 2-2.5 months, though times may vary.

In other media

Film

Scarlet kingsnakes were used to simulate coral snakes in the 2006 film Snakes on a Plane. A scarlet kingsnake also appears briefly as an unidentified venomous snake in an early scene of 2001 film The Mummy Returns.

Television

In Season 5 of Peep Show Super Hans rents a scarlet kingsnake as a prop for a house party. Despite Hans' mnemonic stating "Red next to black, jump the fuck back, red next to yellow, cuddly fellow", kingsnakes are not venomous.

References

  1. Hammerson, G.A. (2019). "Lampropeltis elapsoides". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T67662850A67662876. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T67662850A67662876.en. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  2. Stejneger, Leonhard; Barbour, Thomas. 1917. A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. 125 pp. (Lampropeltis elapsoides, p. 88).
  3. The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  4. Willson, J (2023-10-19). "Scarlet Kingsnake / Eastern Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum)". Archived from the original on 2023-08-17.
  5. ^ Armstrong, Michael P.; Frymire, David; Zimmerer, Edmund J. (December 2001), "Analysis of sympatric populations of Lampropeltis triangulum syspila and Lampropeltis triangulum elapsoides, in western Kentucky and adjacent Tennessee with relation to the taxonomic status of the scarlet kingsnake", Journal of Herpetology, 35 (4), Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles: 688–93, doi:10.2307/1565915, ISSN 0022-1511, JSTOR 1565915
  6. Pyron, R.A.; Burbrink, F.T. (2009), "Neogene diversification and taxonomic stability in the snake tribe Lampropeltini Serpentes: Colubridae", Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 52 (2): 524–529, doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2009.02.008, PMID 19236930, archived from the original on 2011-10-06
  7. " "Lakewood Ranch Snake Removal | Nuisance Wildlife Control and Removal Lakewood Ranch Snake Trapping | Lakewood Ranch Animal Control Trapping Removal Service | Attic Repair and Restoration in Lakewood Ranch | Wildlife Trapper".
  8. Tennant, Alan (2006). Lone Star Field Guide to Texas Snakes. Taylor Trade Publishing. p. 193. ISBN 978-1-4616-3564-2. the smooth dorsal scales have an enamel-like surface to which the genus' Latin name, Lampropeltis, or "shining skin shield," refers.
  9. "Virginia Herpetological Society". www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  10. "Scarlet Kingsnake". a-z-animals. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  11. "Species Profile: Scarlet Kingsnake / Eastern Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulatum) | SREL Herpetology". srelherp.uga.edu. Retrieved 2023-06-11.
  12. "Species Profile: Eastern Coral Snake (Micrurus fulvius) | SREL Herpetology". srelherp.uga.edu. Retrieved 2023-06-11.
  13. Williams, Kenneth L. (1988), Systematics and natural history of the American milk snake, Lampropeltis triangulum., Milwaukee, WI: Milwaukee Public Museum
  14. Greene, Harry W.; Zimmerer, Edmund J.; Palmer, William M.; Benard, Michael F. (2010-03-01). "Diet Specialization by the Scarlet Kingsnake, Lampropeltis elapsoides (Colubridae)". Reptiles & Amphibians. 17 (1): 18–22. doi:10.17161/randa.v17i1.16057. ISSN 2332-4961.
  15. Armstrong, Michael P.; Frymire, David; Zimmerer, Edmund J. (2001). "Analysis of Sympatric Populations of Lampropeltis triangulum syspila and Lampropeltis triangulum elapsoides, in Western Kentucky and Adjacent Tennessee with Relation to the Taxonomic Status of the Scarlet Kingsnake". Journal of Herpetology. 35 (4): 688–693. doi:10.2307/1565915. ISSN 0022-1511.
  16. Groves, J. D., & Sachs, P. S. (1973). Eggs and young of the scarlet king snake, Lampropeltis triangulum elapsoides. Journal of Herpetology, 7(4), 389. https://doi.org/10.2307/
  17. "Virginia Herpetological Society". www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com. Retrieved 2023-06-11.
  18. Case, Russ (2011-12-01). "Snakes On A Plane". Reptiles Magazine. Archived from the original on February 3, 2023. Retrieved 2023-06-10.
  19. "The Mummy Returns (2001)". californiaherps.com. Retrieved 2023-06-10.

Further reading

  • Conant, Roger. 1975. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. xviii + 429 pp. ISBN 0-395-19979-4 (hardcover), ISBN 0-395-19977-8 (paperback). (Lampropeltis triangulum elapsoides, p. 209 + Plate 30 + Map 153.)
  • Holbrook, John Edwards. 1936. North American Herpetology; or, A Description of the Reptiles Inhabiting the United States. Vol. II. Philadelphia: J. Dobson. 130 pp. + Plates I.- XXX. (Coluber elapsoides, pp. 123–125 + Plate XXVIII.)
  • Schmidt, Karl P.; Davis, D. Dwight. 1941. Field Book of Snakes of the United States and Canada. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 365 pp. (Lampropeltis elapsoides, p. 173 + Plate 6.)
  • Smith, Hobart M.; Brodie, Edmund D., Jr. 1982. Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification. New York: Golden Press. 240 pp. ISBN 0-307-13666-3. (Lampropeltis triangulum elapsoides, pp. 180–181.)
  • Wright, Albert Hazen; Wright, Anna Allen. 1957. Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada. Ithaca and London: Comstock. 1,105 pp. (in two volumes) (Lampropeltis doliata doliata, pp. 351–355, Figure 106 + Map 31 on p. 338.)
Taxon identifiers
Lampropeltis elapsoides
Coluber elapsoides
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