Approximately 3.5ft to 4ft in length. Found moving on open ground next to the bank of a pond. Wooded land in the immediate area.
Specimen hissed and rattled it's tail upon being picked up and maintained these defensive mannerisms for a few minutes before calming down. Defensive strikes were attempted but ultimately avoided. Was released in the exact same spot that it was found.
Lampropeltis nigra
Accidently ran over it with car
Yes, I know that this looks like holbrooki and yes I know that there are many people who don’t believe the science with this species complex, but I’m following the iNat taxonomy For consistency’s sake. The great thing about these observations is that the ID can be changed at a later date to reflect advancements in our understanding of these taxa.
Speckled individual of the Black Kingsnake. Along the Gulf Coast, Black Kingsnakes east of the Mississippi River are genetically distinct from similar-looking Speckled Kingsnakes west of the river. Black Kingsnakes become less speckled and more black to the north. Although it can be frustrating to learn new names for organisms that look the same, it’s also exciting to know how much biodiversity really exists, what features of the environment have been important to diversification, and that things aren’t always what they appear to be.