"In recent years, it's been going back and forth between being its own species of kingsnake or a type of milk snake ," said Savitzky. They're also found in dryer parts of Oregon, as far west as Colorado and south into Mexico, according to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. Both color patterns can appear in the same clutch of eggs, said Savitzky.Ĭalifornia kingsnakes live everywhere in the Golden State except the rainy redwood forests. Those populations are usually in Southern California. Most California kingsnakes have white bands, but some populations have longitudinal stripes going from their heads to their tails. California kingsnakes have shiny black scales with bright white markings. This is a relatively small species of kingsnake, generally growing to between 2.5 and 4 feet (0.7 to 1.2 m), according to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. Speckled kingsnakes are found in the middle of the United States, ranging from Illinois to Iowa and south to Alabama and Texas, according to the Cincinnati Zoo.Ĭalifornia kingsnake ( Lampropeltis getula californiae or Lampropeltis getula californiae) The size of the speckles can be evenly distributed, leading to the nickname "salt and pepper snake" or can be denser in certain areas, creating a banded look. This colorful snake has a yellow or white speckle on every single scale, said Savitzky. Moving farther west, one sees the faint spots of the black kingsnake grow into the full, vibrant markings of the speckled kingsnake. Speckled kingsnake ( Lampropeltis holbrooki or Lampropeltis getula holbrooki) These snakes average 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 m) in length and range from southern Ohio and western West Virginia to southeastern Illinois and south to northeastern Mississippi and northwestern Georgia, according to Outdoor Alabama, the website of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.īlack kingsnakes appear almost solidly jet black, but they have traces of white or yellow spots or bands and sometimes white throats, said Savitzky. The nearly black eastern kingsnakes in the Appalachians give way to the black kingsnake species in mountains of Tennessee. They may be nearly black.Įastern kingsnakes are found from southern New Jersey to north Florida and west to the Appalachians and southeastern Alabama, according to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park.īlack kingsnake ( Lampropeltis nigra or Lampropeltis getula nigra) According to the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, eastern kingsnakes on the coast generally have wide bands while those in the eastern mountains have very thin bands. They have shiny black scales with white or yellowish chain-like bands that cross their backs and connect on the sides. These creatures are sometimes called "chain snakes" or "chain kings" because their distinctive markings can resemble a chain linked across their bodies, said Savitzky. The following is a description of some common kingsnake species' appearances and ranges.Įastern kingsnake, also called common kingsnake ( Lampropeltis getula) They typically range from 2 to 6 feet (0.6 to 1.8 meters), depending on the species. For example, the farther west one goes in the eastern kingsnake's range, the more the snakes' coloring resembles the black kingsnake, which lives in Tennessee.Īccording to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, they have smooth scales, a single anal plate, round pupils like most nonvenomous snakes, and a spoon-shaped head with a rounded jaw. Their coloring can be understood by their geographic location, according to Savitzky.
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