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PUBLICATIONS
Here we offer a listing of
publications (most with links to downloadable PDF files) concerning Mexican
snakes of the Lampropeltis mexicana complex. Although included within the
Mexicana Complex, we have generally omitted material concerned exclusively with
Gray-banded Kingsnakes (L. alterna) outside of Mexico, given that
extensive resources are available elsewhere
(http://www.kingsnake.com/alterna/index.html).
The articles here run the gamut from
scientific to hobbyist literature—something for everybody. We have
provided a brief description of each article to help you select which ones might
be of interest. Because most of these were scanned from hard copy, the resulting
file sizes tend to be large—so dial-up users be warned. Please keep in mind that
these publications are made available strictly for scientific, educational, or
personal use and may not be sold or otherwise distributed for profit. The
authors and/or publishers retain all copyrights. Some of the book-length
publications listed below are still in-print and available from publishers or
booksellers, and we indicate sources where known. Others are long out-of-print,
but can be found through antiquarian book dealers. We provide a link to the book
dealers with whom we routinely deal, as they specialize in herpetological
material. If you are aware of publications we've missed, please let us know.
We've obviously not made much of an effort to locate non-English language
publications, but would be pleased to add them to this list.
Applegate, R. 1987.
Captive breeding of the Durango Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis mexicana
greeri) and the Arizona Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis pyromelana).
Proceedings of the 1987 Northern California Herpetology Society's Conference
on Captive Propagation and Husbandry of Reptiles and Amphibians, pp. 87–95.
Online version:
http://www.applegatereptiles.com/articles/breedgreeripyro.htm
Applegate, R.
1989.
Captive breeding of the
Durango Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis mexicana greeri) and the Arizona
Mountain Kingsnake (L. pyromelana). Herptile 12(4):140–148.
Applegate, R. 1992.
The General Care and Maintenance of Milk Snakes. Advanced
Vivarium Systems, Lakeside, California. 71 pp. [Includes a photo of an adult
Lampropeltis ruthveni, labeled as L. triangulum arcifera (p. 56), a
nearly universal misidentification during that time.] Out-of-print, but text
(only) is available online
here.
Applegate,
R. 2007.
Kingsnakes and Milksnakes in Captivity. Professional Breeders Series, ECO
Herpetological Publishing, Lansing, Michigan. 92 pp. [The pioneer of kingsnake
herpetoculture offers up a thorough treatment of husbandry information, mostly
targeting the beginner or at least those unfamiliar with Lampropeltis.]
In print and available from the
author.
Armstrong, B.
L., and J. B. Murphy. 1979.
The Natural History of Mexican Rattlesnakes. University of Kansas Museum of
Natural History, Special Publication No. 5. 88 pp. [Under account for
Crotalus polystictus from Rancho San Francisco, Jalisco, authors note that
Lampropeltis triangulum arcifera (actually these were L. ruthveni)
are “common” in the area and “may be an important predator” on C. polystictus.
There is a good description of habitat at this site, along with a b/w photo of
the collecting area.]
PDF available, relevant pages only (516 k)
Axtell, R. W.
1951.
An additional specimen of Lampropeltis blairi from Texas. Copeia
1951(4):313 + 1 plate. [Description of an early “blairi” specimen,
following closely after the publication of Flury’s description of L. blairi
as a new species, which of course was later synonymized with L. alterna.]
PDF available (1.1 MB)
Bartlett, R. D. 1988.
In Search of Reptiles and Amphibians. E. J. Brill, New York. 363 pp. [In one of
the 54 chapters in this book, Bartlett recounts his first trip to West Texas to
search for Lampropeltis alterna. The narrative is informative and
entertaining, and includes background on the discovery and nomenclature of the
species.] Out-of-print.
PDF available (relevant pages only, 3.8 MB)
Bartlett, R. D., and P. Bartlett. 2000.
Reptile Keeper’s Guides: Milksnakes and Tricolored Kingsnakes. Barron’s
Educational Series, Inc., Hauppauge, New York. 46 pp. [Herpetocultural/hobbyist-oriented
overview of the tricolored Lampropeltis—including triangulum, ruthveni,
mexicana, zonata, and pyromelana.] Book in print, available from
publisher.
Bartlett, R. D., and P. Bartlett. 2002.
Designer Reptiles and Amphibians. Barron’s Educational Series, Inc., Hauppauge,
New York. 95 pp. [This book focuses on the various “morphs” developed by captive
breeders, as well as some of the more commonly produced interspecific hybrids. A
photographic example of a Lampropeltis alterna x pyromelana hybrid
is presented. Brief mention is made of L. mexicana and L. ruthveni,
with a photograph of an amelanistic individual of the latter provided.] Book in
print, available from
publisher.
Bartlett, R. D., and R. G. Markel. 2005.
Kingsnakes and Milksnakes: A Complete Pet Owner’s Manual. Barron’s Educational
Series, Inc., Hauppauge, New York. 95 pp. [A good overview of herpetoculture
requirements of the various forms of Lampropeltis. Included are brief
species accounts for each of the mexicana-group species, as well as
photographs of alterna, leonis, mexicana, and ruthveni.
Reproductive data (clutch size, incubation time, etc.) are provided for
alterna, greeri, leonis, mexicana, and ruthveni but data sources are
not indicated. This is the second edition of the book with the same name, but
authorship reversed, originally published in 1995.] Book in print, available
from
publisher.
Bechtel, H. B. 1995.
Reptile and Amphibian Variants: Colors, Patterns, and Scales. Krieger Publishing
Co., Malabar, Florida. 206 pp. [Includes photographs of typical and amelanistic
Lampropeltis ruthveni.] Book in print, available from
publisher.
Blanchard, F.
N. 1920.
Three
new snakes of the genus Lampropeltis. Occasional Papers of the Museum of
Zoology, University of Michigan (81):1–10, 1 plate. [Original description of
Lampropeltis ruthveni, based on a specimen from Patzcuaro, Michoacan.]
PDF available (2.4 MB)
Blanchard, F.
N. 1921.
A
Revision of the King Snakes: Genus Lampropeltis. United States National
Museum, Bulletin 114. vi + 260 pp. [Not much new regarding mexicana
complex snakes, considering that both Lampropeltis leonis and Blanchard’s
own L. ruthveni were still known only from single type specimens.]
PDF
available, relevant pages only (2.5 MB). A facsimile reprint of the full
publication is available from:
www.zoobooksales.com.
Blaney, R. M.
1973.
Lampropeltis Fitzinger. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles
(150):1–2. [Offers support for Tanzer’s (1970) assessment that Lampropeltis
leonis (Günther) is a synonym of L. mexicana.]
PDF available (712 k)
Brown, A. E.
1901 [1902].
A
new species of Ophibolus from western Texas. Proceedings of the Academy
of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 53:612–613, pl. 34. [Description of
Lampropeltis alterna (as Ophibolus alternus) from the Davis Mountains
of west Texas.]
PDF available (316 k)
Bryson, R. W.,
Jr. 2002.
Phylogenetic relationships of the Lampropeltis mexicana complex (Serpentes:
Colubridae) as inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences. Master's thesis, Sul
Ross State University, Alpine, Texas. 53 pp. [Bryson offers several phylogenetic
scenarios for L. alterna, mexicana, ruthveni, triangulum, and the
undescribed (at that time) webbi, based on mtDNA sequence data. A favored
tree is discussed in a biogeographic context.]
PDF available (2.6 MB)
Bryson, R. W.,
Jr., J. R. Dixon, and D. Lazcano. 2005.
New species of Lampropeltis (Serpentes: Colubridae) from the Sierra Madre
Occidental, México. Journal of Herpetology 39(2):207–214. [Original description
of Lampropeltis webbi from the Pacific versant of the Sierra Madre
Occidental near the Sinaloa//Durango border region. MtDNA sequences and
morphological characters are used to distinguish this form from putative nearest
relatives L. pyromelana and L. mexicana.]
PDF available (284 k)
Bryson, R. W.,
Jr., J. Pastorini, F. T. Burbrink, and M. R. J. Forstner. 2007.
A phylogeny of the Lampropeltis mexicana complex (Serpentes: Colubridae)
based on mitochondrial DNA sequences suggests evidence for species-level
polyphyly within Lampropeltis. Molecular
Phylogenetics and Evolution 43:674-684.
[This re-analysis of the mtDNA sequences presented in Bryson (2002)
confirms that both L. mexicana and L. triangulum, as presently
constituted, are not monophyletic lineages. Further, geography (northern vs.
southern) might be a better predictor of relationships than traditional
groupings of taxa in L. mexicana or L. triangulum. They point out
that additional molecular evidence (e.g., nuclear gene sequences) is needed to
corroborate these findings.]
PDF available (1.2 M)
Bryson, R. W.,
Jr., G. T. Salmon, and D. Lazcano. 2001.
Geographic distribution: Lampropeltis mexicana. Herpetological Review
32(2):123. [Although presented as a first report for L. mexicana from the
state of Sinaloa, this was actually the first published record for L. webbi,
which would later (2005) be described as a new species based on this specimen.]
PDF available
(212 k; bundled with Salmon et al. 2001)
Campbell, J.
A., and W. W. Lamar. 1989.
The Venomous Reptiles of Latin America. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca,
New York. xii + 425 pp. [Plate 489 depicts a field-collected Lampropeltis
greeri from near Coyotes, Durango. Plate 491 illustrates a “Lampropeltis
triangulum arcifera” from NW of Tapalpa, Jalisco, and therefore represents
L. ruthveni (and indeed, this example is typical of specimens of
ruthveni from that region.)] Out-of-print.
PDF available, relevant pages only (1.1 MB)
Campbell, J.
A., and W. W. Lamar. 2004.
The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere. Comstock Publishing Associates,
Ithaca, New York. xviii + 870 pp. + 28 pp. index. [Plate 1143 depicts a snake
labeled as Lampropeltis mexicana, from “Mexican Highway 120, 9.6km
west-northwest of Jalpan, Querétaro, Mexico, elevation 1,981 m”. This specimen
was apparently one of three collected from the mountains near Jalpan; based on
mtDNA sequence data for one individual, this population is referable to L.
ruthveni. Plate 1144 depicts a leonis-phase L. leonis (as “Lampropeltis
mexicana”) based on a specimen of unknown provenance at the Houston Zoo.]
Book in print, available from
publisher.
Coburn,
J. 1991.
The Atlas of Snakes of the World. TFH Publications, Neptune, New Jersey. 591 pp.
[Overview of basic biology and husbandry of snakes, together with a listing of
various Lampropeltis. Color photos are included for L. alterna, greeri,
and leonis.] Out-of-print.
David, P., G. Naulleau, and Y. Vasse. 1994.
In: R. Bauchot (ed.), Snakes: A Natural History, pp. 124–143. Sterling
Publishing Co., Inc., New York. pp. [Brief mention of Lampropeltis ruthveni,
together with Conopsis biserialus and Toluca lineata, as examples
of Mexican species associated with “scattered high altitude forests, which are
mostly full of fir trees.” This characterization seems to be at variance with
on-the-ground observations by many other workers (refer to
photo gallery for examples of ruthveni
habitat).] Out-of-print.
Degenhardt, W.
G., C. W. Painter, and A. H. Price. 1996.
Amphibians and Reptiles of New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press,
Albuquerque. 431 pp. [The first specimen of Lampropeltis alterna from New
Mexico had only been reported a few years earlier (1992). Species account (pp.
278–278) offers a thorough review of the published literature.] Available from
the publisher:
http://www.unmpress.com/Book.php?id=524
De
Lisle, H. 1977. The Mexican kingsnake:
a scientific mystery story.
Herpetology 9(3):3–7. [Non-technical overview of the discovery and
historical taxonomy of mexicana-group kingsnakes.]
PDF available (996 k)
De Lisle, H. 1984.
Kingsnake species revision.
Herpetology 14(2):14. [Review of Garstka’s (1982) revision of the mexicana
group of kingsnakes.]
PDF available (324 k)
Dixon, J. R.,
C. A. Ketchersid, and C. S. Lieb. 1972.
The herpetofauna of Queretaro, Mexico, with remarks on taxonomic problems.
Southwestern Naturalist 16(3/4):225–237. [A three-year study of an ecological
transect through the Sierra Madre Oriental of Querétaro did not yield any
Mexicana group Lampropeltis. The collecting stations were located largely
outside the presumed range of L. ruthveni, although one montane site at
Pinol de Amoles is located near an area known to harbor that species. Thus, as
of 1972, L. ruthveni was still unreported from the state.] PDF
available (1.8 MB)
Dowling,
H. G., R. Highton, G. C. Maha, and L. R. Maxson. 1983.
Biochemical evaluation of colubrid snake phylogeny. Journal of Zoology, London
201:309–329. [Dowling et al. provide a phylogenetic estimate of various colubrid
genera based on immunological distance. A single specimen of L. alterna
(referred to as “L. mexicanus” or L. mexicana) from Texas was
included. Notably, this work provided molecular evidence to support the
placement of Cemophora (scarlet snakes) with Lampropeltis.]
Dowling,
H. G., and L. R. Maxson. 1990.
Genetic and taxonomic relations of the short-tailed snakes, genus Stilosoma.
Journal of Zoology, London 221:77–85. [Dowling and Maxson include a single
specimen of L. alterna (variously referred to as “L. mexicanum” or
“L. mexicanus”) from Texas in their assessment of the phylogenetic
placement of the short-tailed snake, Stilosoma.]
PDF available (4.2 MB)
Duellman, W.
E. 1961.
The
amphibians and reptiles of Michoacán, México. University of Kansas Publications
Museum of Natural History 15(1):1–148. [Includes L. ruthveni in a list of
species known from the state, but does not offer any new records.]
PDF available, relevant
pages only (280 k)
Duellman, W.
E. 1965.
A
biogeographic account of the herpetofauna of Michoacán, México. University of
Kansas Publications Museum of Natural History 15(14):627–709. [L. ruthveni
is listed in Table 2 as occurring (“Rare”) in Mesquite Grassland, noting this as
among a group of species whose upper elevational limit is ca. 2200 m. L.
ruthveni is included among a small group of species that are “Desert and
Plains Herpetofauna,” mostly endemic to the southern part of the Mexican
Plateau. States that L. ruthveni and L. triangulum (as “doliata”)
are sympatric.]
PDF available, relevant pages only (2.4 MB)
Dugès, A.
1897.
Description d'un Ophidien nouveau du Mexique (Oreophis boulengeri, g. et.
sp. nn.). Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1897:284–285. [Dugès
erected a new genus and species for a specimen collected from the Sierra de
Santa Rosa, Guanajuato. This was later placed in the synonymy of L. mexicana
by Dunn (1922).]
PDF available (296 k)
Dunn, E. R.
1922.
Note on
Lampropeltis mexicana (Garman). Proceedings of the Biological Society of
Washington 35:226. [Dunn places Oreophis boulengeri Duges (1897), based
on a specimen from Guanajuato, in the synonymy of L. mexicana.]
PDF available (96 k)
Eckerman, C.
M. 1997.
Allopatric mimicry. Unpublished graduate research report prepared for
Evolutionary Ecology, Iowa State University. 29 pp. (not numbered). [Review and
discussion of the published evidence in support of coral snake mimicry by
non-venomous species (e.g., tricolored Lampropeltis) that occur beyond
the ranges of their venomous models.]
PDF available (972 k)
Ernst, C. H.,
and E. M. Ernst. 2003.
Snakes of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Books, Washington, DC. 668
pp. [Review of available published information concerning L. alterna
based on U.S. populations.] Book in print, available from
publisher.
Flury, A. 1950.
A new king snake from Trans-Pecos Texas. Copeia 1950(3):215–217. [Original
description of Lampropeltis blairi, based on a DOR adult male from
Terrell County, Texas. Flury regarded his new species as belonging to the “mexicana
subgroup” of Smith (1942), which included alterna, leonis, and
mexicana. Twenty years later, Tanzer (1970) would demonstrate that blairi
was a pattern morph of L. alterna.]
PDF available (972 k)
Gadsden, H., J. L. Estrada-Rodríguez,
and S. V. Leyva-Pacheco. 2006.
Checklist of amphibians and reptiles of
the Comarca Lagunera in Durango-Coahuila, Mexico. Bulletin of the Chicago
Herpetological Society 41(1):2–9. [This report summarizes collecting activities
for an area along the Durango/Coahuila border. A single Lampropeltis alterna,
from the Sierra el Sarnoso, Durango, was observed during fieldwork, apparently
in a rock crevice. A photograph of this specimen, provided by Sandra Leyva, is
included in our Durango alterna gallery.]
PDF available (252 k)
Garman, S.
1884.
The
reptiles and batrachians of North America, Part I, Ophidia. Memoirs of the
Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard 8(3):xxxi–185. [Original description of
L. mexicana, based on two females collected near Cd. San Luis Potosí (SLP).]
PDF available,
relevant pages only (236 k).
Garstka, W. R.
1982.
Systematics of the Mexicana species group of the colubrid genus Lampropeltis,
with an hypothesis [of] mimicry. Breviora (466):1–35. [Garstka reduces
thayeri to the synonomy of L. mexicana, regards L. alterna and
L. mexicana as distinct species, and, importantly, resurrects L.
ruthveni from the synonomy of L. triangulum arcifera (where it was
buried by Williams, 1978) and includes it as a member of this species group.
Provides a list of specimens examined, general habitat association information,
and discusses the possibility that members of this group are mimics of
regionally sympatric rattlesnake species.]
PDF available (1.5 MB)
Garstka, W.
R., B. Camazine, and E. Jacobson. 1981.
Surgical excision of a pericloacal mass from a king snake (Lampropeltis
mexicana). Herpetological Review 12(2):55–56.
PDF available (736 k)
Gehlbach, F.
R. 1967.
Lampropeltis mexicana. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles 55:1–2.
[Review of the taxonomy, distribution, and relevant literature of L. mexicana.
At this time, L. mexicana included the subspecies alterna, blairi,
mexicana, and thayeri. This was published just prior to Tanzer's
discovery that alterna and blairi phenotypes could be produced in
a single clutch, and he thereby reduced the form blairi to a junior
synonym of alterna.]
PDF available (972 k)
Gehlbach, F.
R., and J. K. Baker. 1962.
Kingsnakes allied with Lampropeltis mexicana: taxonomy and natural
history. Copeia 1962(2):291–300. [An early attempt to make sense of the
phylogeny of this complex. L. alterna, L. blairi, L. greeri, L.
mexicana, and L. thayeri are regarded as conspecific (under the
oldest available name, L. mexicana, with five subspecies). They propose
that this “mexicana complex” is distinct relative to L. doliata (=
triangulum), L. pyromelana, and L. zonata. The type (and
only known) specimen of L. leonis is briefly discussed, and this is
regarded as a species distinct from L. mexicana. List of museum material
available at the time.]
PDF available (1.7 MB)
Gehlbach, F.
R., and C. J. McCoy, Jr. 1965.
Additional observations on variation and distribution of the gray-banded
kingsnake, Lampropeltis mexicana (Garman). Herpetologica 21(1):35–38.
[Report on L. alterna from Coahuila. Refer a specimen from 42 mi S Cd
Durango (UCM 21061) to mexicana x alterna, and regard the type
specimen of L. greeri as a mexicana x alterna intergrade.
They thus place greeri in the synonomy of L. m. mexicana.]
PDF available (1.5 MB)
Greene, H. W. 1997.
Snakes: The Evolution of Mystery in Nature. University of California Press. 351
pp. A beautiful Lampropeltis alterna is figured (p. 300) as an example of
a popular pet species in a chapter on conservation.] Book in print, available
from
publisher.
Günther, A. C.
1893.
Biologia
Centrali-Americana: Reptilia and Batrachia. 1885–1902: xx + 326 pp. [Original
description of Lampropeltis leonis, based on a specimen from Nuevo Leon.
The presumed type specimen is illustrated by a line drawing, and clearly
represents the leonis-phase morph of “thayeri.” If one is to recognize
the snake occurring in Nuevo Leon-Tamaulipas-Coahuila as distinct from L. m.
mexicana, the correct name is L. m. leonis (or L. leonis).]
PDF available,
relevant pages only (820 k).
A facsimile reprint of the entire work was published by SSAR in 1987 to commemorate the society’s first annual
meeting held outside the USA, in Veracruz, México. This volume may be purchased
at:
http://herplit.com/SSAR/facsimile/facsimile.html
Hakkila,
M. 1994.
An assessment of potential habitat and distribution of the gray-banded kingsnake
(Lampropeltis alterna) in New Mexico. Unpublished report to New Mexico
Department of Game and Fish, Santa Fe, New Mexico. 12 pp. (unnumbered), 3
oversized maps. [Based on oral interviews with amateur and professional
herpetologists, as well as canvassing of literature and museum collections,
author offers a mix of fact and speculation concerning the known and potential
occurrence of L. alterna at the extreme western edge of its range. Three
maps (not included with the pdf file) are as follows: 1) museum records of L.
alterna and Coleonyx brevis from southern West Texas; 2) museum
records of L. alterna from Trans-Pecos Texas and southern New Mexico; and
3) potential habitat of L. alterna in New Mexico.]
PDF available (5.8 MB)
Hammock, M. W., and G. M.
Burghardt. 1985.
Lampropeltis alterna:
an unusual slough. Herpetological Review 16(2):56.
PDF available (204 k)
Hansen,
R. W., and R. W. Bryson, Jr. 2009.
Geographic distribution: Lampropeltis mexicana. Herpetological Review
40(1):114.[First report of L. mexicana (= L. greeri, though not
stated as such in note) from the state of Jalisco. The reported specimens, along
with two others, are depicted in the Greeri Gallery. Habitat photos may be seen
in the Sierra de Laurel gallery.]
PDF available (151 k; bundled with Savage & Hansen 2009)
Herman, D. W.
1979.
Breeding of the Jaliscan milksnake, Lampropeltis triangulum arcifera, at
Atlanta Zoo. International Zoo Yearbook 19:96–97. [Although obtained as L. t.
arcifera, the pair of adult snakes in this report were collected “on the
northern slopes of Nevada de Colima, west of Atenquique, Jalisco” at an
elevation of 2255 m, and thus are representative of L. ruthveni. Herman
(as did Tryon & Murphy, 1982) followed the treatment by Williams, who reduced
L. ruthveni to the synonymy of L. t. arcifera. Subsequently, Garstka
(1982) revealed L. ruthveni to be a distinct species.]
PDF available (396 k)
Hibbitts, T. D., G. T. Salmon, and R. W. Bryson, Jr. 2003.
New distributional records for the gray-banded kingsnake (Lampropeltis
alterna) in Texas. Herpetological Review 34(4):393. [First report of this
species from Crane and Crockett counties, Texas, as well as records that fill
range gaps in Brewster, Culberson, Terrell, and Upton counties.]
PDF available (27 k)
Hilken, G.,
and R. Schlepper. 1998.
Der Lampropeltis mexicana-Komplex (Serpentes, Colubridae):
naturgeschichte und terrarienhaltung. Salamandra 34(2):97–124. [In German, with
English abstract and German/English figure captions/table legends. Without
presenting any new data, authors regard this complex as comprised of L.
mexicana (with 3 subspecies), L. ruthveni, and L. alterna
(with blairi and alterna as separate subspecies—clearly in
conflict with other evidence). Include color photographs of all forms, habitat
photos, climatic data, and husbandry requirements.]
PDF available (5.4 MB)
Hubbs, B.
2004.
Mountain
Kings: A Collective Natural History of California, Sonoran, Durango and
Queretaro Mountain Kingsnakes. Tricolor Books, Tempe, Arizona. 319 pp.
[Distributional and natural history data for L. mexicana greeri and L.
ruthveni are culled from published sources and personal communications from
field collectors. Color and black/white photos of snakes and field sites are
presented, along with range maps.] Available from the author
(milkmanbrian@hotmail.com).
Ingrasci, M.
J., K. Setser, and J. Reyes Velasco. 2008.
Geographic distribution: Lampropeltis alterna.
Herpetological Review 39(3):371–372.[First
report of alterna from the high-elevation eastern flank of the Sierra
Madre Occidental in Durango, just north of the known range of L. greeri.
Several specimens from this new locality are depicted in the Durango portion of
the Alterna Gallery.]
PDF available (288 k)
Lasky, W. R. 1980.
A visit to two western herpetologists. Herpetology 11(2):15–16. [Author reports
on his visit to breeders Terry Lilley and Ernie Wagner, in California and
Washington, respectively. Both collections contained recently collected examples
of mexicana-group kingsnakes.]
PDF available (428 k)
Lemos
Espinal, J. A., and H. M. Smith. 2007.
Amphibians and Reptiles of the State of Coahuila, Mexico. Universidad Nacional
Autónoma de México and CONABIO (Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de
la Biodiversidad). 550 pp., with 285 color photos. In English and Spanish. [A
thoroughly modern treatment of the herpetofauna of the northern Mexican state of
Coahuila. Dot distribution maps and a list of specimen localities are provided
for each species, including Lampropeltis alterna and L. mexicana
(referring to the small portion of the range of L. leonis that extends
into Coahuila). A number of high quality color photographs are presented for
both of these species, although all depict material not from Coahuila.] In print
and available from
Bibliomania!.
Liner, E. A.
1964.
Notes on
four small herpetological collections from Mexico. I. Introduction, turtles and
snakes. Southwestern Naturalist 8(4):221–227. [Report on the first specimen of
Lampropeltis alterna from Nuevo León, later determined to be L. leonis
(Salmon et al. 2004).]
PDF available (1.1 MB)
Liner, E. A.,
and H. A. Dundee. 1977.
Geographic distribution: Lampropeltis mexicana mexicana. Herpetological
Review 8(3):85. [First report of this species from Zacatecas.]
PDF available (80 k)
Liner, E. A., R. M. Johnson,
and A. H. Chaney. 1976.
Amphibian and reptile records and range extensions for Mexico. Herpetological
Review 7(4):177. [Report a specimen of L. alterna from Nuevo Leon.
However, this was later corrected by Salmon et al. (2004), who noted that this
specimen is actually a L. leonis.]
PDF available (468 k)
Lohrberg, B.
1991.
Lampropeltis ruthveni (Blanchard 1921) — Erfahrungen bei der Haltung und
Zucht. Sauria, Berlin 13(4):27–30. [Report of husbandry techniques and
reproductive data for captive specimens.]
PDF available (1.9 MB)
Lohrberg, B.
1991.
Lampropeltis ruthveni (Blanchard 1921) — Experiences in keeping and
breeding. Sauria (E), Berlin 1(2):27–29. [This is the English-language version
of the previously listed paper.]
PDF available (1.1 MB)
Loveridge, A.
1924.
A new snake of the genus Lampropeltis. Occasional Papers of the Boston
Society of Natural History 5:137–139. [Original description of L. thayeri,
based on a specimen collected at Miquihuana, Tamaulipas. Loveridge clearly
distinguishes this taxon from L. mexicana. Also reports on four
recently-collected specimens of L. mexicana from near Alvarez, San Luis
Potosí, which he erroneously (and inexplicably) refers to L. leonis.]
PDF available
(768 k)
Mara, W. P.
1995.
Captive
care and propagation of Lampropeltis ruthveni: Ruthven's kingsnake.
Reptile & Amphibian Magazine, Sept./Oct. 1995:46–51. [Advice on captive care and
breeding. Data on captive reproduction provided (from T. Dunham), including
clutch sizes, fertility rates, incubation periods, and hatch rates. Color photos
of normal and albino snakes.]
PDF available (2.6 MB)
Markel, R. G.
1990.
Kingsnakes and Milk Snakes. TFH Publications. Neptune City, New Jersey. 144 pp.
[Hobbyist-oriented publication with numerous color photographs (nearly all of
captive animals), as well as beautifully rendered, colored drawings of head and
mid-body of every form of Lampropeltis (including L. alterna, L.
mexicana, and L. ruthveni). Includes small, generalized range maps
for each species. The account for L. triangulum arcifera includes range
and elevational descriptions that obviously include L. ruthveni,
repeating the errors in Williams (1988).] Out of Print.
Markel, R. G. 1995.
Kingsnakes: Care & Breeding in Captivity. TFH Publications, Neptune, New Jersey.
64 pp. [A hobbyist-oriented introduction to “kingsnakes,” which for this work
includes the species alterna, calligaster, getula, mexicana, and
ruthveni. Color photos of all are included, many of which were also
published in Markel’s more comprehensive treatment (1990). The information is
very basic, culled largely from his earlier work. Markel states that
“Gray-banded Kings are becoming rarer and rarer due to the droves of collectors
who travel to their locality each year and literally grab dozens of them.”]
Out-of-print, available from used book sellers.
Markel, R. G., and R. D. Bartlett.
1995.
Kingsnakes and Milksnakes: A Complete Owner’s Manual. Barron’s Educational
Series, Inc., Hauppauge, New York. 94 pp. [A good overview of herpetoculture
requirements of the various forms of Lampropeltis. Included are brief
species accounts for each of the mexicana-group species, as well as
photographs of alterna, leonis, mexicana, and ruthveni.
Reproductive data (clutch size, incubation time, etc.) are provided for
alterna, greeri, leonis, mexicana, and ruthveni but data sources are
not indicated.] Out-of-print, available from used book sellers.
Mattison,
C. 1988.
Keeping and Breeding Snakes. Blandford Press, London. 184 pp. [Includes
information and/or photographs of alterna, greeri, leonis, mexicana, and
ruthveni.] Out-of-print, available from used book sellers.
Mattison,
C. 1990.
A–Z of Snake Keeping. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., New York. 143 pp. [Includes
information and/or photographs of alterna, greeri, leonis, mexicana, and
ruthveni.] Out-of-print, available from used book sellers.
Mattison, C. 1995.
The Encyclopedia of Snakes. Facts on File, Inc., New York. 256 pp. [Brief
references to L. alterna, leonis, mexicana, and ruthveni,
including a color photo of a L. mexicana.]
Available.
Mattison, C.
1998.
The
Nuevo Leon kingsnake, Lampropeltis mexicana thayeri. Reptilia (GB), No. 2
(March/April):43–46. [Overview of husbandry requirements, along with an
explanation of various color/pattern morphs.]
PDF available (2 MB)
McCranie, J.
R., and L. D. Wilson. 1987.
The biogeography of the herpetofauna of the pine-oak woodlands of the Sierra
Madre Occidental of México. Milwaukee Public Museum Contributions in Biology and
Geology No. 72, 30 pp. [Authors allocate L. mexicana [= L. greeri] to
a Pine-Oak Woodland Assemblage, although of peripheral occurrence. See also p.
24. Mention that L. mexicana [= L.
greeri]
is part of a small group that is apparently restricted to southern Durango.]
PDF available (7.5 MB).
McCranie, J.
R., and L. D. Wilson. 2001.
The herpetofauna of the Mexican state of Aguascalientes. Courier
Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, CFS 230. [Lampropeltis mexicana
[presumably in the form of greeri] is included in a list of species not
yet recorded from Aguascalientes but expected to occur there, especially in the
numerous rocky canyons of the northwestern portion of the state.]
PDF available, relevant
pages only (344 k)
Mehrtens, J.
M. 1987.
Living Snakes of the World in Color. Sterling Publishing Co., New York. 480 pp.
[Author includes two photos of L. m. “thayeri”, although the
caption for one—which quite clearly is a classic leonis-phase—erroneously refers
to it as “L. m. greeri—collected in the State of Guerrero.” Of course the
snake in the photograph is neither greeri nor from Guerrero (as there are
no L. mexicana group snakes currently known from that state). Apparently,
this figure depicts a wild-caught L. leonis from Chorro Canyon near the
Coahuila-Nuevo Leon border.]
PDF available, relevant pages only (572 k)
Mendoza-Quijano, F., S. A. Mejenes López, V. H. Reynoso-Rosales, M. A. Estrada
Hernández, and M. Rodríguez Blanco. 2001.
Anfibios y reptiles de la sierra de Santa Rosa, Guanajuato: cien años después.
Anales del Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Serie
Zoología 72(2):233–243. [This is a report of field collections made in the
Sierra Santa Rosa, roughly 100 years after the work of Alfredo Dugès.
Lampropeltis mexicana is included in an annotated list of the herpetofauna.]
PDF available
(1.6 MB)
Merker, G.,
and W. Merker. 2005.
Alterna: The Gray-Banded Kingsnake. LM Digital.
80 pp. [A visually stunning photographic natural history of Lampropeltis
alterna within the U.S. portion of the range. Includes photographs depicting
the impressive pattern variation characteristic of this species, as well as
images of the places where these snakes live in West Texas. The authors discuss
Garstka’s mimicry hypothesis, especially in light of the pattern convergence
between the alterna-morph and the broadly sympatric Mottled Rock
Rattlesnake (Crotalus l. lepidus).] In print, available from
publisher.
PDF preview available here (1.9 MB).
Miller, D. J.
1979.
A Life
History Study of the Gray-Banded Kingsnake, Lampropeltis mexicana alterna,
in Texas. Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute, Contribution No. 87. 48 pp.
[This is a published copy of Miller’s master’s thesis from Sul Ross State
University, and was considered a landmark publication at the time as it brought
together a scattered literature as well as Miller’s own extensive field
experience with this species.]
PDF available (9 MB)
Morafka, D.
J. 1977.
A
Biogeographical Analysis of the Chihuahuan Desert through its Herpetofauna. Dr.
W. Junk bv Publishers, The Hague. 313 pp. [Lampropeltis mexicana (in a
broad sense, inclusive of L. alterna, greeri, thayeri, mexicana) is
regarded as a species peripheral to the Chihuahuan Desert. Morafka places L.
mexicana within an ecogeographic group including Eumeces brevirostris,
Sceloporus jarrovii, Urosaurus ornatus, Tantilla rubra, T. wilcoxi, Crotalus
lepidus, and C. molossus. A point-locality map plots the relatively
few records available and offers hypothetical distributional boundaries.]
PDF available, relevant
pages only (1.2 MB)
Murphy, J. B., B. W. Tryon, and B. J.
Brecke. 1978.
An inventory of reproduction and social behavior in captive gray-banded
kingsnakes, Lampropeltis mexicana alterna (Brown). Herpetologica
34(1):84–93. [Report of reproductive behavior in a captive colony of wild-caught
adult alterna. First report of male-male combat. Details of courtship and
copulation are provided, along with data for clutch size, egg dimensions, and
hatchlings.]
PDF available (4.9 MB)
Osborne, S. T. 1983.
Lampropeltis mexicana thayeri: coloration.
Herpetological Review 14(4):120. [Report on clutch of eggs obtained
from locality-matched adults (from near Galeana, NL) suggests that the
melanistic morph follows a simple Mendelian ratio for recessive
traits.]
PDF available (184 k)
Painter, C. W., C. L.
Hayes, and J. N. Stuart. 2002.
Recovery and conservation of the Gray-Banded Kingsnake. New Mexico Department of
Game and Fish, Conservation Services Division, Santa Fe. 22 pp. [Lampropeltis
alterna occupies a very limited area in extreme southeastern New Mexico, and
the species is known from very few specimens in that state. It is listed by the
New Mexico State Game Commission as “Endangered.” Consequently, state
conservation biologists drafted this document to review the natural history and
status of the species in New Mexico and to develop conservation plans. During 65
person-days of searching for this species in New Mexico, no specimens were
located. Curiously, the authors conclude that “Unregulated take … by commercial
and private collectors is the most significant threat to the species in New
Mexico.”]
PDF available (88 k)
Quintero-Díaz, González Adame,
J.
Vásquez-Díaz, J. J. Sigala Rodríguez, R. W. Bryson, Jr., and G. T.
Salmon 2001.
Geographic distribution: Lampropeltis mexicana. Herpetological Review
32(4):278. [First report of L. mexicana greeri from the state of
Aguascalientes.]
PDF available (416 k)
Retes, D. F. 1989.
A non-scientific (behavioral) approach to reptile reproduction. Tucson
Herpetological Society Newsletter 2(6):47–50. [Transcript of a talk given at a
meeting of the Tucson Herpetological Society on 18 April 1989. One of the
pioneers of successful breeding of Lampropeltis and other colubrid snakes
offers up his accumulated wisdom. Minor reference to “thayeri” in noting
the absence of communal egg-laying in captivity, in contrast to L. pyromelana.]
PDF available (508 k)
Rodríguez-Robles,
J. A., D. F. Denardo, and R. E. Staub. 1999.
Phylogeography of the California mountain kingsnake, Lampropeltis zonata
(Colubridae). Molecular Ecology 8:1923–1934. [A single specimen of L.
mexicana, locality unknown, was used as an outgroup taxon in this survey of
mtDNA variation in zonata.]
PDF available (712 k)
Salmon, G. T.,
R. W. Bryson, Jr., and D. Lazcano. 2001.
Geographic distribution: Lampropeltis mexicana. Herpetological Review
32(2):123. [Report range extension onto the eastern versant of the Sierra Madre
Oriental, and new low elevation record of 1036 m. Although not mentioned in
text, this specimen was a tricolor phase thayeri (= leonis).]
PDF available
(212 k)
Salmon, G. T.,
E. A. Liner, J. E. Forks, and D. Lazcano. 2004.
Geographic distribution: Lampropeltis alterna. Herpetological Review
35(3):292. [First report of L. alterna for Nuevo Leon, correcting
previous reports (Liner 1964, 1976) which actually referred to L. mexicana.]
PDF available
(20 k)
Salmon, G. T.,
W. F. Holmstrom, Jr., B. W. Tryon, and G. P. Merker. 1997.
Longevity records for the gray-banded kingsnake, Lampropeltis alterna.
Bulletin of the Chicago Herpetological Society 32(7):152–153. [Report of captive
longevity records for L. alterna in U.S. collections.]
PDF available (308 k)
Savage,
R., and R. W. Hansen. 2009.
Geographic distribution: Lampropeltis mexicana. Herpetological Review
40(1):114–115. [Northward range extension of greeri on the eastern slope
of the Sierra Madre Occidental, bringing this species tantalizing close to
populations of L. alterna from similar habitat reported by Ingrasci et
al. (2008). Photos of this specimen and habitat are available in the Greeri
Gallery.]
PDF available (151 k; bundled with Hansen & Bryson 2009)
Schmidt,
K. P., and D. W. Owens. 1944.
Amphibians and reptiles of northern Coahuila, Mexico. Zoological Series of Field
Museum of Natural History 29(6):97–115.
[Report of material obtained by Ernest G.
Marsh, Jr. during 1938– 39 in northern Mexico, including a single specimen of
Lampropeltis alterna from Cuatro Cienegas, Coahuila. Although Marsh was the
first to collect alterna in Mexico, Hobart Smith's subsequent discovery made it
into print (1941) several years before the Schmidt and Owens report).]
PDF available (5 MB)
Secor, S. M.
1990.
Reproductive and combat behavior of the Mexican Kingsnake, Lampropeltis
mexicana. Journal of Herpetology 24(2):217–221. [Description of
courtship/mating behavior in captive L. mexicana. First report of
male-male combat in this species as well. Based on the figures used (line
drawings), the specimens appeared to be representatives of leonis.]
PDF available (2
MB)
Smith, H. M.
1941.
Lampropeltis alterna from Mexico. Copeia 1941(2):112. [First report of L.
alterna from Mexico, and only the third known specimen of this species.
Notably, the snake was found in mid-October in the crack of a boulder on a
hillside west of Saltillo, Coahuila.]
PDF available (136 k)
Smith, H. M.
1942.
Remarks
on the Mexican kingsnakes of the triangulum group. Proceedings of the
Rochester Academy of Sciences 8:197–207. [Smith includes two figures—dorsal and
ventral views—of the type specimen of Oreophis boulengeri Dugès (= L.
mexicana); these are the same figures as printed in Smith and Necker 1943.
Smith examined the series of 12 known specimens of L. mexicana from San
Luis Potosí, comparing these to the single Dugès specimen from Guanajuato,
finding general pattern similarities. He suggests that hemipenial characters
place L. mexicana within the triangulum group. Smith elaborates on
the specimen of L. alterna he obtained from just west of Saltillo,
Coahuila (see Smith 1941 for details), and on the basis of hemipenial morphology
and color pattern, acknowledges the relationship with L. mexicana, and
further suggests that L. leonis (at this time known from but a single
specimen) belongs with these two in a “mexicana subgroup.” Meanwhile,
L. ruthveni and thayeri are placed in a “pyromelana subgroup”
with knoblochi (then considered a full species), pyromelana, and
zonata.]
PDF available (4.3 MB).
Smith, H. M.
1944.
Snakes
of the Hoogstraal Expeditions to northern Mexico. Zool. Ser. Field Mus. Nat.
Hist. 29(8):135–152. [An early attempt to make sense of the phylogeny of the
mexicana group of snakes. Reports the collection of 3 specimens of L.
leonis (leonis morphs), under the name L. thayeri, from near Galeana,
which until this time was represented only by the type specimen. Examination of
this new material caused Smith to modify composition of his “mexicana
subgroup” to include thayeri, leonis, alterna, and mexicana.]
PDF available,
relevant pages only (1.2 MB)
Smith, H. M.,
and W. L. Necker. 1943 (1944).
Alfredo Duges’ types of Mexican reptiles and amphibians. Anales de la Escuela
Nacional de Ciencias Biologicas 3(1–2):179–233. [Of note is Smith’s
reexamination of the type specimen of Duges’ Oreophis boulengeri (=
Lampropeltis mexicana Garman, fide Dunn 1922), including a b/w photo,
revealing this specimen to be rather boldly marked (more so than specimens of
mexicana from the Valle de los Fantasmas in San Luis Potosí), although this
might be an artifact of preservation.]
PDF available, relevant pages only (2.5 MB)
Smith, H. M., and R. B. Smith. 1969.
Early Foundations of Mexican Herpetology: An Annotated and Indexed Bibliography
of the Herpetological Publications of Alfredo Dugès, 1826–1910. University of
Illinois Press, Urbana. 85 pp. [Dugès,
a native Frenchman who moved to México in 1853, was the father of Mexican
herpetology. In this work, the Smiths add to an earlier herpetological
bibliography of Dugès
prepared by Martín del Campo (1937). For students of Mexican Lampropeltis,
Dugès is notable for
his description of Oreophis boulengeri from Guanajuato (see Dugès [1897] reference above
for details and a pdf), later synonymized with Lampropeltis mexicana by
Dunn (1922).] Out-of-print.
Smith,
H. M., and E. H. Taylor. 1945.
An Annotated Checklist and Key to the Snakes of Mexico. United States National
Museum, Bulletin 187, iv + 239 pp. [This is the first of Smith & Taylor’s
classic three-volume series on the herpetofauna of Mexico, often simply referred
to as the “Smith-Taylor checklists.” At the time of their publication, these
volumes represented the state of our knowledge, and set the stage for the
resurgence of interest by researchers that ensued in the following decades.
Although the checklists have been supplanted by more modern works, they remain
historically important and are essential references for students of Mexican
herpetofauna. The original volumes have long been out-of-print, and these were
re-issued in 1966 by Eric Lundberg, accompanied by a 29-page preface to the
reprint. However, even the reprinted edition is out-of-print. Both the original
and reprint are readily available through used booksellers.]
PDF available, relevant pages only (2.5 MB)
Tanner,
W. W. 1953.
A study of taxonomy and phylogeny of Lampropeltis pyromelana Cope. The
Great Basin Naturalist 13(1–2):47–66. [Within a rather speculative discussion of
the phylogeny of L. pyromelana, Tanner suggests that L.
mexicana originated in the eastern part of the Central Plateau of Mexico. He
briefly reiterates Smith’s (1942) hypothetical grouping of ruthveni and
thayeri in a “pyromelana” subgroup.]
PDF available (6 MB)
Tanzer, E. C.
1970.
Polymorphism in the mexicana complex of kingsnakes, with notes on their
natural history. Herpetologica 26(4):419–428. [Tanzer followed Gehlbach’s
construction of L. mexicana as a broadly defined taxon, inclusive of
alterna, mexicana (+greeri), and thayeri. Importantly, Tanzer
demonstrated that L. mexicana alterna and L. mexicana blairi were
pattern morphs of the same species, and that the name alterna had
priority. He also reported on the first specimen of alterna from Durango,
suggesting that pattern element similarities between this specimen and the
single known example of L. leonis “suggests that leonis might be
part of the mexicana complex.” Tanzer’s discovery of extensive pattern
variation across Texas populations of alterna led him to speculate about
the potential for such phenomena elsewhere in the range of L. mexicana,
and that L. thayeri might be a blairi phase of alterna.
Although this suggestion might seem farfetched to modern students of the group,
Tanzer and his contemporaries were severely hampered by the scarcity of
specimens available for study. Interestingly, given what we now know of pattern
diversity in L. leonis, his comment about the potential for polymorphism
in other mexicana seems wonderfully insightful.]
PDF available (1.5 MB)
Taylor, E.
H. 1940.
Some Mexican serpents. University of Kansas Science
Bulletin 26(14):445–487. [Taylor reports on the second known specimen of L.
ruthveni, which he collected from near Morelia, Michoacán. Notably, he also
reports on a third ruthveni specimen from El Sabino, Michoacán, in
sympatry with L. triangulum nelsoni.]
PDF available (1 MB)
Tennant, A.,
J. E. Werler, J. E. Forks, G. T. Salmon, A. Sansom, and L. D. Sinclair. 1998.
A Field Guide to Texas Snakes (2nd ed.). Gulf Publishing Co.,
Houston, Texas. 291 pp. [A nice summary of geographic pattern variation in L.
alterna across its range in Texas is presented, clearly reflecting the
contributions of Forks and Salmon. This second edition is no longer in print;
however, the third edition (2002) does not contain the detailed treatment of
alterna present in the 1998 version.]
PDF available, relevant pages only (4.5 MB)
Thissen, R., and H. Hansen. 1996.
Königsnattern Lampropeltis. Terraristik Aktuell, Hesselhaus and Senkowski,
Hamburg. 172 pp. [A German-language herpetoculture-oriented overview of snakes
of the genus Lampropeltis, together with color photographs and generalized range
maps. One photo (p. 86) of a “Lampropeltis triangulum smithi” (by S. Hammack)
appears to represent a specimen from the mountain region NW of Jalpan, Queretaro,
and thus L. ruthveni.] Available from
Chimaira Books (Frankfurt).
Trutnau, L. 1986.
Nonvenomous Snakes: A Comprehensive Guide to Care & Breeding of Over 100
Species. Barron’s Educational Series, Inc., Hauppauge, New York. 191 pp.
Original German edition (“Schlangen 1”) published in 1979. [General and specific
herpetocultural information is provided for various species of Lampropeltis,
including “mexicana” in the broadest sense, and it is not clear which species
(alterna, leonis, mexicana) the author is discussing.] Out-of-print.
Tryon, B. W. 1979.
An unusually patterned specimen of the gray-banded kingsnake, Lampropeltis
mexicana alterna (Brown). Herpetological Review 10(1):4–5. [A single
captive-produced hatchling from wild-caught parents [Val Verde Co., Texas]
displayed an anomalous pattern. Of 34 offspring from female parent, only this
snake exhibited an unusual pattern.]
PDF available (1.2 MB)
Tryon, B. W.,
and J. B. Murphy. 1982.
Miscellaneous notes on the reproductive biology of reptiles. 5. Thirteen
varieties of the genus Lampropeltis, species mexicana, triangulum
and zonata. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Sciences 85(2):96–119.
[First report for captive reproduction in L. mexicana thayeri, based on
1.2 wild-caught specimens from Nuevo Leon collected by W. Garstka. Additionally,
under the heading of L. triangulum arcifera, authors provide data for
captive reproduction involving wild-caught L. ruthveni from Rancho San
Francisco, Jalisco.]
PDF available, relevant pages only (3.8 MB)
Tryon, B. W.,
and R. K. Guese. 1984.
Death-feigning in the gray-banded kingsnake Lampropeltis alterna.
Herpetological Review 15(4):108–109.
PDF available (372 k)
Van Devender,
T. R., C. H. Lowe, H. K. McCrystal, and H. E. Lawler. 1992.
Viewpoint: Reconsider suggested systematic arrangements for some North American
amphibians and reptiles. Herpetological Review 23(1):10–14. [In the context of a
wide-ranging defense of subspecies in herpetological taxonomy, Van Devender et
al. cite similarity of color pattern elements in alterna and thayeri
as possible evidence for gene exchange (and by extension, support for continued
recognition of these forms as subspecies of L. mexicana). They also cite
a personal communication from S. F. Hale for discovery of alterna x
thayeri intergrades in southeastern Coahuila; however, it should be noted
that such specimens have apparently never made their way into a scientific
collection where they could be examined, and both typical alterna and
thayeri have been found in this region, although in distinctly different
habitats.]
PDF
available (480 k)
Vasquez Díaz,
J., and G. E. Quintero Díaz. 2005.
Anfibios y Reptiles de Aguascalientes. CIEMA, CONABIO. Mexico, D.F. 318 pp.
[Authors provide a species account for L. mexicana, noting that L. m.
greeri occurs in the western part of the state (Sierra Fría and Sierra
Laurel), while L. m. mexicana is known from the extreme eastern part of
the state in the semiarid zone bordering Zacatecas. Color plate 42 depicts a
young specimen of L. m. greeri. Although not stated, this snake was
collected from the Mesa Montoro region near the base of the Sierra Fría (G.
Quintero Díaz, pers. comm.).]
PDF available, relevant pages only (660 k). In print, available from
Bibliomania!
Vermilya,
D. W., and E. Acuna. 2004.
Lampropeltis alterna: Diet. Herpetological Review 35(3):275–276.
[Wild-caught adult alterna (Presidio Co., TX) regurgitated quail eggs
shortly after capture.]
PDF available (24 k)
Wagner, E. 1980.
New varieties of kingsnakes from Mexico. Herpetology 11(2):3–5. [Wagner recounts
his field collecting experiences with William Garstka, during which they
collected the first series of Lampropeltis ruthveni from Queretaro.
Included is what was likely the first published color photograph of ruthveni.]
PDF available (1 MB)
Walls, J. G. 1996.
Gray-banded Kingsnakes: Identification, Care and Breeding. TFH Publications,
Neptune, New Jersey. 64 pp. [This photo-rich, hobbyist-focused offering presents
a broadly-interpreted L. mexicana (with alterna, greeri, thayeri,
and mexicana as either subspecies or synonyms, though each is mapped
separately). Collectively, Walls refers to them as “gray-banded kingsnakes.”
L. ruthveni is also treated in this book. Walls regards alterna and
more southerly forms of “mexicana” as intergrading subspecies. He
suggests that Garstka’s (1982) work was hampered by a failure to examine enough
living specimens. He provides an historical look at the taxonomy of the group, a
potentially useful feature, despite some uninformed editorializing.
Unfortunately, the book contains a number of errors, both in text and in
misidentification of snakes depicted in photos. A highly critical review has
been published elsewhere by
Hibbitts (1998).] Book in print, available from
publisher.
Webb, R. G.
1961.
A new
kingsnake from Mexico, with remarks on the Mexicana Group of the genus
Lampropeltis. Copeia 1961(3):326–333. [Original description of L. greeri
from the Sierra Madre Occidental west of Ciudad Durango. Webb placed greeri
with other species of the mexicana group based on color pattern elements.
He also provides a B/W figure of the holotype of thayeri.]
PDF available (1 MB)
Webb, R. G.
1984.
Herpetogeography in the Mazatlán-Durango region of the Sierra Madre Occidental,
Mexico. In R. A. Seigel, L. E. Hunt, J. L. Knight, L. Malaret, and N. L.
Zuschlag (eds.), Vertebrate Ecology and Systematics: A Tribute to Henry S.
Fitch, pp. 217–241. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History, Special
Publication No. 10. Lawrence, Kansas. [Webb nicely describes in text and figures
the region that is home to Lampropeltis webbi.]
Werler, J. E.,
and J. R. Dixon. 2000.
Texas Snakes: Identification, Distribution, and Natural History. University of
Texas Press, Austin. 437 pp. [Excellent modern summary of natural history and
distribution of L. alterna in Texas, along with 10 color figures
depicting pattern variation across the Texas portion of the range.] In print,
available from
publisher.
Williams, K.
L. 1978.
Systematics and Natural History of the American Milk Snake, Lampropeltis
triangulum. Milwaukee Public Museum, Publications in Biology and Geology,
Number 2. 258 pp. [In this published version of Williams’ Ph.D. dissertation, he
relegates L. ruthveni to the synonymy of L. triangulum arcifera.
Clearly, he was hampered by the paucity of preserved material from Jalisco,
Michoacan, and Queretaro, and by the fact that Blanchard’s type specimen of
ruthveni was represented only by a skin. Additionally, Williams seems to
have been influenced by H. M. Smith’s 1942 resurrection of L. t. arcifera,
to which Smith assigned various specimens from the full west-to-east extent of
the Mexican Plateau; some of these have subsequently been assigned to other taxa
(e.g., L. t. dixoni for TCWC 29504, from near Jalpan, Queretaro) and
others no doubt pertain to L. ruthveni. An accurate assessment of “arcifera”
has long been elusive, given the vagueness of the type locality (“Mexique”), as
the works of Smith and Williams illustrate. Williams provides line drawings that
depict head and midbody patterns of the holotype of ruthveni.]
PDF available, relevant
pages only (2.4 MB)
Williams, K.
L. 1988.
Systematics and Natural History of the American Milk Snake, Lampropeltis
triangulum. 2nd edition, revised. Milwaukee Public Museum,
Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 176 pp.
[In this
revised edition, Williams acknowledges Garstka’s (1982) confirmation of L. ruthveni as a distinct species belonging to the
L. mexicana species group.
However, he continues to confound these two taxa, by including data on captive
reproduction for “arcifera” based on the report by Tryon and Murphy (1982). As
noted in their report, the Dallas Zoo’s breeding pair was collected from Rancho
San Francisco, Jalisco, an area that harbors only L. ruthveni. Williams’
statement (p. 126) that “arcifera occurs between 2075 and 2317 m” was taken from
Tryon and Murphy, and of course pertains to ruthveni. Moreover, the color figure
of "Lampropeltis triangulum arcifera" represents L. ruthveni instead, and
reportedly was based on a specimen at the San Antonio Zoo and collected from
Amealco, Querétaro (D. Blody, pers. comm.)] Out-of-print, but available from used book
sellers.
PDF
available, relevant pages only (1.7 MB)
Wilson, L. D.,
and J. R. McCranie. 1979.
Notes on the herpetofauna of two mountain ranges in Mexico (Sierra Fría,
Aguascalientes, and Sierra Morones, Zacatecas). Journal of Herpetology
13(3):271–278. [Although they did not record any specimens of Lampropeltis
in their field work, they include L. mexicana in a Southern Sierra Madre
Occidental species assemblage. Habitat photos are presented for both mountain
ranges.]
PDF
available (3.2 MB)
Zweifel, R. G.
1952.
Pattern variation and evolution
of the mountain kingsnake, Lampropeltis zonata. Copeia 1952(3):152–168.
[Brief discussion, largely speculative, concerning evolutionary relationships of
L. zonata and putative relatives, including L. ruthveni.] PDF
available (7.9 MB)
Related
Publications
Adler, K.,
J. S. Applegarth, and R. Altig. 1989.
Contributions to the History of Herpetology. SSAR Contributions to Herpetology,
Volume 5. Oxford, Ohio. 202 pp. [Herpetological biographies are presented for
some of the names associated with Mexicana kingsnakes, either as scientific
describers or as persons for whom various taxa were named.]
Print addition out-of-print, but is now available from SSAR
online.
Conant, R.
1957.
Arthur Erwin Brown: “Custodian of the Garden” and Naturalist of Note. America’s
First Zoo, Philadelphia Zoological Garden 9(4), 3 pp. (unpaginated). [Conant
provides a herpetological biography of Brown, who formerly served as the chief
executive of the Philadelphia Zoo (a post that Conant would later hold). Brown
was the scientific describer of Lampropeltis alterna.]
PDF available (3.4 MB)
Gloyd, H. K.
1940.
Frank Nelson
Blanchard, Scholar and Teacher. Herpetologica 1(8):197–211.
PDF available (1.9 MB)
Schmidt, K. P. 1937.
Frank Nelson Blanchard, 1888–1937. Copeia 1937(3):149–150.
PDF available (568 k)
Summers, A. P., and T. J.
Koob. 1997.
A
biographical sketch of Samuel Walton Garman. In A. P. Summers (ed.),
Plagiostomia—the Sharks, Skates and Rays. Benthic Press, Los Angeles,
California.
PDF
available (52 k)
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