need info about Lampropeltis getula nigrita ..

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Daniel.Iversen
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Location: Riva del Garda, Italy

need info about Lampropeltis getula nigrita ..

Post by Daniel.Iversen »

Hello everyone and thank you for accepting me in this forum ! :)

I joined because I wish to read some biological , distributional and behavioral informations about the specific kingSnake subspecie "nigrita". I don't know where to start to search because if I google it the only thing I find are caresheets and something very "less" scientific.
Maybe I could also buy some books if you'll suggest me some.

Another thing Im curious to see are some images of the habitat the black mexican kingsnake lives in, or maybe, also pictures of the animals in the wild. Could someone help me?

Thank you very much , have a good day and greetings from Lake Garda in Italy ! :)
Daniel
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Noah M
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Re: need info about Lampropeltis getula nigrita ..

Post by Noah M »

Have you tried google scholar?
Kfen
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Re: need info about Lampropeltis getula nigrita ..

Post by Kfen »

Daniel.Iversen
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Re: need info about Lampropeltis getula nigrita ..

Post by Daniel.Iversen »

captainjack0000 wrote:Have you tried google scholar?
thanks, I'll try now ! :)

I thought it could be a good idea to ask some field herper like you guys to show me some habitat pictures
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Noah M
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Re: need info about Lampropeltis getula nigrita ..

Post by Noah M »

Google scholar may not produce results with pictures of habitats, but you can often find great scientific articles related to, "biological , distributional and behavioral information". Some of the articles may cost some money unless you have friends at a university. Other articles may be free. Just search your species name and see what comes up.
Jimi
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Re: need info about Lampropeltis getula nigrita ..

Post by Jimi »

show me some habitat pictures
How familiar are you with the geography and landcover of the SW USA? Specifically within the range of this animal? I ask because it is just about the opposite of a habitat specialist. Basically anything below about 5500' (I'm pretty sure...) is fair game. Pinyon juniper all the way down to the rivers. Irrigated land - in orchards or alfalfa especially - is not out of bounds either - far from it. Grassy situations and near water (e.g., along the Rio Grande valley in NM) are great situations.

So get yourself a range map, then get on Google Earth and look at photos within that range, below that elevation. You'll be looking at places nigrita lives.

Or just buy Hubbs' book. I'm rather surprised two of us have beat him to that suggestion, actually. Ha ha ha.

cheers,
Jimi
Daniel.Iversen
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Re: need info about Lampropeltis getula nigrita ..

Post by Daniel.Iversen »

thank you very much Jimi , I will take a look on google earth, as on google street view as well ! :)

I wish to see pictures take by some of you on field, where can i find some?
I saw someone who posted pictures of a nigrita in the wild, maybe the same person has a pic of the habitat too ..

for example, this is a picture in made in center Italy , of a Podarcis siculus, male, in his habitat.. if you zoom maybe can you see the lizard on the olive tree

Image
Jimi
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Re: need info about Lampropeltis getula nigrita ..

Post by Jimi »

Hi Daniel I just realized I've mixed up SW kingsnakes in my head - in far S AZ they are very diverse-looking and you can get ones that look (to my "non-lampro-dork" eye, ha ha - "I lack the fine appreciation for them") just like the "splendida" in NM. As well as "pure blacks", and everything in between plus some stuff "off to the side"! But you asked only about the blacks.

Nevertheless the common king, rangewide, is a habitat generalist. I think their distribution is more about recent geologic history, and their physiological tolerances, than the "habitat" per se. So within their distribution, they can turn up just about anywhere. In any particular part of the distribution there are some places you can turn up more individuals, and more easily, and in many cases, those are places with some human modification of the environment (which usually appears to have led to more food and cover - rodents and persistent garbage). Kingsnakes do great in "the wilderness" but they also do great around people, to a point. Just like many herps in Europe, as I understand it.

The photo you posted from central Italy looks very much like a good place - the general landscape, and also the immediate site (grassy understory, open canopy, a little soil moisture from irrigating the fruit trees, and maybe some typical farm junk like piles of old boards) - to hunt and find kings in the SW USA, including right along the Sonora/Arizona border.

Hubb's book has lots of photos and great information. I'm not avoiding your photo request, I just don't take many pictures (and post even fewer on the internet...), so I have none to share.

cheers,
Jimi
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Mike VanValen
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Re: need info about Lampropeltis getula nigrita ..

Post by Mike VanValen »

Daniel, are you on Facebook? If so, please look up the group called "North American Field Herping Association". Join the group and ask for photos of the black kingsnake. You will have a much better, and quicker, response.
Daniel.Iversen
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Re: need info about Lampropeltis getula nigrita ..

Post by Daniel.Iversen »

Mike VanValen wrote:Daniel, are you on Facebook? If so, please look up the group called "North American Field Herping Association". Join the group and ask for photos of the black kingsnake. You will have a much better, and quicker, response.
Ooook, I think so, thank youu
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: need info about Lampropeltis getula nigrita ..

Post by Brian Hubbs »

Well, I'm late to the party as usual...so let me clarify a few things. Yes, Black Kings are habitat generalists, but it is still open as to whether they even occur in the U.S. in pure form. I think, and my book explains this, that the purest Western Black Kings occur in Sonora closer to the coast. If they occur in AZ in pure form at all, it is only within a small portion of the Pajarito Mtns, and I have a picture of that habitat in my book. I hope that helps a little, and like several others have suggested, you would do well to read my book. 436 pgs. of nothing but getula info and photos...what could be better than that? 8-)
ramblon
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Re: need info about Lampropeltis getula nigrita ..

Post by ramblon »

Brian, what would you consider the purest form? I found an individual well east of the Pajarito's lacking any pigment, certainly resembling the Sonora animals in appearance.
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justinm
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Re: need info about Lampropeltis getula nigrita ..

Post by justinm »

Brian,

Would you say these are Hubbscommon, or rare?
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: need info about Lampropeltis getula nigrita ..

Post by Brian Hubbs »

ramblon: you obviously don't know the definition of intergrade if you think one black individual among 100s of splendida morphs means it's a pure population. :lol: Not to be rude or anything, but ...c'mon...a pure population is one that consists of all black kings, not a hodgepodge of intergrade morphs. I thought you had my book...you know, it's more than just pretty pictures. :o

justinm: I'm just going to ignore that question... :)
ramblon
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Re: need info about Lampropeltis getula nigrita ..

Post by ramblon »

I didn't ask for the definition of the term intergrade. And I don't recall insinuating that one individual in Santa Cruz County represents a pure population.

Wasn't really looking for a snarky response either, but I guess that's the one you get if you're not a prospective book buyer...

I'm also not looking for some back and forth internet dork fight Brain :sleep: life is short, take it easy bud.
ramblon
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Re: need info about Lampropeltis getula nigrita ..

Post by ramblon »

Daniel, if you're still with us, here's a bad shot of the king I mentioned.
Both subject and photographer weren't feeling the whole photo shoot thing at the time.

Image

There's a faint undertone of color around the neck and venter in strong light, but otherwise it was quite nigrita looking to the naked eye.
Others have been found in the area like this. But as Brain stated, the area is a melting pot of forms...

I'd have to dig up photos of Sonora habitat, I'll look around.
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: need info about Lampropeltis getula nigrita ..

Post by Brian Hubbs »

ramblon wrote:I didn't ask for the definition of the term intergrade. And I don't recall insinuating that one individual in Santa Cruz County represents a pure population.

Wasn't really looking for a snarky response either, but I guess that's the one you get if you're not a prospective book buyer...

I'm also not looking for some back and forth internet dork fight Brain :sleep: life is short, take it easy bud.
Dude, it wasn't snarky...it was supposed to be funny and a little snarky...and you did mention a black individual far east of the Pajaritos...so what was i supposed to think. and it's Brian, not Brain...I know, that's a common mistake...I really thought you had the book. Sorry if I seemed rude. :sleep: Here, this would be a rude statement: "You're an "insert profanity here" who must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed today"... :thumb: :D
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Kelly Mc
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Re: need info about Lampropeltis getula nigrita ..

Post by Kelly Mc »

Brian Hubbs wrote:
ramblon wrote:I didn't ask for the definition of the term intergrade. And I don't recall insinuating that one individual in Santa Cruz County represents a pure population.

Wasn't really looking for a snarky response either, but I guess that's the one you get if you're not a prospective book buyer...

I'm also not looking for some back and forth internet dork fight Brain :sleep: life is short, take it easy bud.
Dude, it wasn't snarky...it was supposed to be funny and a little snarky...and you did mention a black individual far east of the Pajaritos...so what was i supposed to think. and it's Brian, not Brain...I know, that's a common mistake...I really thought you had the book. Sorry if I seemed rude. :sleep: Here, this would be a rude statement: "You're an "insert profanity here" who must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed today"... :thumb: :D

GVB - (Grinning Very Broadly) I appreciate you so much Brain. Your data and your humor. I was going to pm you this comment because I had a worry of appearing as tho I was kissing up. But then I thought, So What.

My mother taught me that people are stingy with compliments and that to not be shy with them because they make the world a little warmer. So when it comes to well deserved praise, I sir, am Unhubbashed :D
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: need info about Lampropeltis getula nigrita ..

Post by Brian Hubbs »

Well, thank you. I appreciate your sense of humor, but it's Brian, not Brain... ;)
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