''Lampropeltis getula'', commonly known as the eastern kingsnake, Conant R (1975). ''A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition''. (First published in 1958). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 429 pp + 48 plates. (hardcover), (paperback). (''Lampropeltis getulus getulus'', p. 202). common kingsnake, Behler JL, King FW (1979). ''The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians''. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 743 pp. LCCCN 79-2217. . (''Lampropeltis getulus'', pp. 618-620). or chain kingsnake,Mehrtens JM (1987). ''Living Snakes of the World in Color''. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. . is a harmless

colubrid Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from , 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family. The earliest fossil species of the family date back to the Late Eocene epoch, with earlier origins suspected. Colu ...

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to the United States. It has long been a favorite among collectors. Four

subspecies In Taxonomy (biology), biological classification, subspecies (: subspecies) is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (Morphology (biology), morpholog ...

are currently recognized, including the

nominate subspecies In biological classification, subspecies (: subspecies) is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics ( morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. ...

described here. All of these taxa had originally been described as distinct species and recognized as such for up to 101 years.

Description

Adult specimens of the speckled kingsnake, ''L. g. holbrooki'', are the smallest race at in snout-to-vent length (SVL) on average, while ''L. g. getula'' is the largest at SVL on average. Specimens up to in total length (including tail) have been recorded. Weight can vary from in a small specimen of in total length, to in large specimens, of over in total length. The color pattern consists of a glossy black, blue black, or dark brown ground color, overlaid with a series of 23-52 white chain-like rings. Wright AH, Wright AA (1957). ''Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada''. 2 volumes. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publishing Associates. (7th printing, 1985). 1,105 pp. . (''Lampropeltis getulus getulus'', pp. 372-376). Variation is found in their patterns across geographic ranges. Kingsnakes from the coastal plains have wider bands, while those found in mountainous areas have thinner bands or may be completely black.

Common names

Common names for ''L. getula'' include eastern kingsnake, common kingsnake, chain kingsnake, kingsnake, Carolina kingsnake, chain snake, bastard horn snake, black kingsnake, black moccasin, common chain snake, cow sucker, horse racer, master snake, North American kingsnake, oakleaf rattler, pied snake, pine snake, racer, rattlesnake pilot, thunder-and-lightning snake, thunderbolt, thunder snake, wamper, wampum snake.

Geographic range

''L. getula'' is found in the

southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also known as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical List of regions in the United States, region of the United States located in the eastern portion of the Southern United States and t ...

from southern

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

Habitat

The preferred

habitat In ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ...

s of ''L. getula'' are open areas, particularly grassland, but also chaparral, oak woodland, abandoned farms, desert, low mountains, sand, and any type of riparian zone, including swamps, canals, and streams. A study on the habitat use of the Eastern Kingsnake found that overall they prefer and can be found in sites with thick layer of

leaf litter Plant litter (also leaf litter, tree litter, soil litter, litterfall, or duff) is dead plant material (such as leaves, bark, needles, twigs, and cladodes) that has fallen to the ground. This detritus or dead organic material and its constituen ...

and dense shrubbery. From their observations throughout the course of research, they found that 79% of their tracked specimen spent the majority of their time concealed under the cover of soil and leaf litter. Although commonly described as diurnal, some reports suggest that the Eastern Kingsnake are crepuscular or nocturnal during the hottest parts of the year. They will often retreat into rodent burrows as nocturnal retreats. It has been found that Eastern Kingsnake home ranges often show little-to-no overlap. Some studies show that Eastern Kingsnakes (''L. g. getula''), especially males, are territorial, and will engage invading snakes in combat if their territory is threatened.

Diet

''L. getula'' eats other snakes, including venomous snakes such as copperheads (''

Agkistrodon contortrix The eastern copperhead (''Agkistrodon contortrix''), also known simply as the copperhead, is a widespread species of venomous snake, a pit viper, endemic to eastern North America; it is a member of the subfamily Crotalinae in the Family (biology ...

''), which are responsible for more venomous snakebites than any other in the United States, as well as coral snakes (''

Micruroides ''Micruroides'' is a genus of venomous coral snake in the family Elapidae. The genus is monotypic, containing only the species ''Micruroides euryxanthus''. ''Micruroides euryxanthus'', commonly known as the Sonoran coral snake, western coral sn ...

'' and ''

Micrurus ''Micrurus'' is a genus of venomous coral snakes of the family Elapidae. Geographic range Species in the genus ''Micrurus'' are endemic to the Americas. Species The following 82 species are recognized as being valid. *'' Micrurus albicinctus' ...

''), massasaugas (''

Sistrurus catenatus The eastern massasauga (''Sistrurus catenatus'') is a rattlesnake species found in central and eastern North America from southern Ontario in Canada and throughout the Midwestern and Eastern United States. Like all rattlesnakes, it is a pit vip ...

''), and other rattlesnakes (''

Crotalus ''Crotalus'' is a genus of pit vipers, Common name, commonly known as rattlesnakes or rattlers,Albert Hazen WWright AH, species:Anna Allen WWright AA (1957). ''Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada''. Ithaca and London: Comstock Pub ...

'' and ''

Sistrurus :''Common names: ground rattlesnakes, pygmy rattlesnakes, massasaugas''Albert Hazen WWright AH, Wright AA (1957). ''Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada''. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publishing Associates, a Division of Cornell Uni ...

''). Among the non-venomous snakes preyed upon include common garter snakes ('' Thamnophis sirtalis''), common watersnakes ('' Nerodia sipedon''), ring-necked snakes (''

Diadophis punctatus ''Diadophis punctatus'', commonly known as the ring-necked snake or ringneck snake, is a small, harmless species of colubrid snake found throughout much of the United States, as well as south in Central Mexico and as far north as Quebec, Canada ...

''), smooth earth snakes ('' Virginia valeriae''), and worm snakes (''

Carphophis amoenus ''Carphophis amoenus'', commonly known as the worm snake, is a species of nonvenomous Colubridae, colubrid snake Endemism, endemic to the eastern United States. ''C. amoenus'' can be found east of the Mississippi, from southwest Massachusetts sout ...

''). It has developed a hunting technique to avoid being bitten by clamping down on the jaws of the venomous prey, but even if envenomated, it is immune. It also eats amphibians, turtle eggs, bird eggs (including those of the northern bobwhite 'Colinus virginianus''">Colinus_virginianus.html" ;"title="'Colinus virginianus">'Colinus virginianus'', lizards (such as five-lined skinks [''Plestiodon fasciatus'']), and small mammals (such as white-footed mice [''Peromyscus leucopus'']), which it kills by constriction. Due to their diet of eating other snake species, kingsnakes are a key factor in the spread of ophidiomycosis. This is a relatively new snake fungal disease originating from the fungus, ''

Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola ''Ophidiomyces ophidiicola'' (formerly ''Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola'') is the cause of ophidiomycosis also known as snake fungal disease or SFD in some species of snakes. It is a keratinophilic fungus from the family Onygenaceae of the order Onyg ...

''. This disease has a variety of impacts on snakes and the extent of this impact is still being researched.

Reproduction

''L. getula'' is

oviparous Oviparous animals are animals that reproduce by depositing fertilized zygotes outside the body (i.e., by laying or spawning) in metabolically independent incubation organs known as eggs, which nurture the embryo into moving offsprings kno ...

. Adult females lay up to several dozen eggs that hatch after 2.0-2.5 months of incubation. Hatchlings are brightly colored and feed on small snakes, lizards, and rodents. Eastern Kingsnakes (''L. g. getula'') are active from April–October in most parts of their habitat range and breeding occurs in the spring months. Neck-biting is a common behavior when mating.

In captivity

Long a favorite among collectors, ''L. getula'' does well in captivity, living to 25 years or more. Some of the most popular subspecies of the common kingsnake kept in captivity are the

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

, Brooks',

, and Mexican black kingsnakes.

Subspecies

References

External links

*
Eastern Kingsnake
at th
Florida Museum of Natural History
Accessed June 29, 2008. {{Taxonbar, from=Q747093 getula Fauna of the Eastern United States Reptiles of the United States Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Reptiles described in 1766 Reptiles of the Canary Islands