Kingsnake

Kingsnakes are colubrid snakes. They are members of the genus Lampropeltis, which include milk snakes and four other species. There are many subspecies, and experts differ on their classification. These snakes are mostly found in North America and Central America.

Kingsnakes
Temporal range: [1]
Scarlet kingsnake (Lampropeltis elapsoides)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Tribe: Lampropeltini
Genus: Lampropeltis
Fitzinger, 1843
Synonyms

Ablabes, Anguis, Bellophis, Calamaria, Coronella, Herpetodryas, Natrix, Ophibolus, Osceola, Phibolus, Pseudelaps, Zacholus[2]

They use constriction to kill their prey. They prey on other snakes, including venomous snakes. They are immune to the venom. They also eat lizards, rodents, birds, and eggs.[3]

Their colouration is an example of Batesian mimicry, because it is very similar to venomous coral snakes living in the same areas. This gives the kingsnakes protection from the birds which prey on them.[4]

References

Media related to Lampropeltis at Wikimedia Commons

  1. "Fossilworks: Lampropeltis". Archived from the original on 2018-12-02. Retrieved 2020-01-07.
  2. Wright A.H. and A.A. Wright. 1957. Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada. Comstock. Ithaca and London. 1,105 pp. (in 2 volumes) (Genus Lampropeltis, p. 330.)
  3. Conant R. 1975. A field guide to reptiles and amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. 2nd ed, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, genus Lampropeltis, p. 201. ISBN 0-395-19977-8
  4. Kikuchi, David W. & Pfennig, David W. 2010. Predator cognition permits imperfect coral snake mimicry. The American Naturalist. 176 (6): 830–834.


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