Kingsnake

Lampropeltis alterna

The King Snakes ( Lampropeltis ) constitute a genus in the family of snakes ( Colubridae ).

Distribution and habitat

The genus Lampropeltis comes mainly in the U.S. and Mexico, a few ( sub) species but also in South America and Canada, as well as sporadically in Asia. It prefers dry to moderately moist areas, mostly in the vicinity of grain fields, as they are easy to get there food.

Appearance and behavior

King snakes reach a height of 50 cm to 2 m in general. They have a relatively thin body with a striking color. This is on some sub-species of venomous coral snake ( Micrurus sp.) Similar to what presumably to protect them from enemies serves ( Batesian mimicry ). They differ from these, however, by the color sequence, which you can remember with a simple rule of thumb: If white follows red, you're dead! (English translation: Follows white on red, you're dead! ) When King snakes are white and red with a black stripe separated. Another method of defense is to produce the same sound as that of the rattlesnakes (Crotalus sp., Cerastes sp.). They shake their tail and hit him against an object in order to produce a sound. Amazingly, king snakes are immune to the venom of poisonous snakes that occur in their area. So King snakes have been observed feeding on poisonous snakes, which several bites of the victim could not harm. Depending on the area of ​​distribution keep the king snakes for several weeks to several months of hibernation.

In nature, in addition to rodents, birds, frogs, including lizards, snakes and eggs for prey spectrum of Lampropelten. The preferred food of the young are small lizards. In the terrarium, it can, especially among young animals come to cannibalism, which is rather rare in nature.

System

  • Graugebänderte Kingsnake ( Lampropeltis alterna ) ( subspecies: L. a alternative and blairi )
  • Prairie Kingsnake ( Lampropeltis calli gaster ) ( subspecies: Lamprophelis c calli gaster; rhombomaculata; occipitolineata. )
  • Common Kingsnake, Kingsnake ( Lampropeltis getula ) ( subspecies: L. g califoniae; floridana; getula; holbrooki; nigra; nigrita and splendida )
  • Mexican Kingsnake ( Lampropeltis mexicana ) ( subspecies: L. mexicana m; thayeri and greeri. )
  • Mountain King Snake ( Lampropeltis pyromelana ) ( subspecies: L. p knoblochi and pyromelana. )
  • Ruthven's Kingsnake ( Lampropeltis ruthveni )
  • Milk snake, and milk snake called ( Lampropeltis triangulum ) ( subspecies: . L. t abnorma; amaura; andesiana; annulata; arctifera; blanc hardi; campbelli; celaenops; conanti; dixoni; elapsoides; gaigae; gentilis; hondurensis; micropholis; multistriata; nelsoni; oligozona; polyzona; sinaloae; smithi; Stuarti; syspila; taylori and triangulum )
  • Coral king snake ( Lampropeltis zonata ) ( subspecies: L. for agalma; herrerae; multicineta; multifasciata; parvirubra; pulchra and zonata )

Hazardous situation

The World Conservation Union IUCN leads ten species of this genus in the Red List of Threatened Species. The enumerated as a subspecies in Chapter systematics coral king snake ( Lampropeltis zonata herrerae ) is listed as a separate species ( Lampropeltis herrerae ) and judged to be at risk of extinction ( Critically Endangered ). Another type - Ruthven's Kingsnake ( Lampropeltis ruthveni ) - is considered Near Threatened ( Near Threatened ), six species are considered not at risk (Least Concern ) and are two species remain unjudged because of insufficient data available (Data Deficient ).

Squamata Leopold Fitzinger
484363
de