REVISION OF THE KING SNAKES. 221 



I.AMPROPELTIS RUTHVENI Blanrhard. 



Fig. 74. 



1920. Lampropdtis rulhveni Blanchard, Occ. Pap., Univ. Mich., no. 81, p. 8, 

 pi. 1, fig. 2 (type locality, Patzcuaro. Michoacan, Mexico; tj'pe specimen, 

 U. S. Nat. Mus., no. 46558; collected by E. W. Nelson, Aug. 2, 1802), 



Since the t^^pe specimen is the only one known, the original descrip- 

 tion is quoted in full: 



Diafjnosi.i. — A ringed form similar in coloration to L. polyzona Cope, L. triangnlum 

 nelsoni Blanchard, and L. midticincia (Yanow). From L. polyzona it (\iiierb in ih.e 

 complete absence of black lips on the red and •whitish scales, in the completely black 

 head, and in the low number of ventral plates, 189. From nelsoni it differs princi- 

 pally in the higher number of aunuli, 30, and the much narrower red rings, 2 to 3 

 scales in width. From L. multicincta it is distinguished by the low numbers of ven- 

 trals and annuli, by the fact that the black rings show scant, if any, tendency to 

 overspread the red areas dorsally, and by the mottling of the yellow rings with darker, 

 particularly on the sides. 



Range. — Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Mexico. 



Type Specimen. — United States National Museum No. 46558 (skin and head only); 

 Patzcuaro, ^Michoacan, Mexico; collected by E. W. Nelson, August 2, 1892. 



Description of type specimen. — Ventrals, 189; anal single and entire; caudal scutes 

 50 plus, divided (tip of tail missing); dorsal scale rows, 21 anteriorly, 23 on middle of 

 of body, and 19 posteriorly (formula therefore 21-23-21-19); upper labials 8 on left 

 side, 7 on right; lower labials 9; 1 preocular, 2 postoculars; temporals somewhat irreg- 

 ular, about 2+3+4, the upper left anterior temporals much reduced; loreal longer 

 than high; nasals injured on each side; anterior chin shields in contact with each 

 other and with the first four lower laljials; posterior chin shields shorter than the 

 anterior and separated from each other by 2 or 3 small scales; other head sluelds normal 

 for the genus. 



Total length (lip of tail missing), about 745 mm., tail length 112 mm. 



The dentition is as follows: Maxillary teeth, 14 on the left side, 15 on the right, 

 the last two distinctly enlarged; mandibular teeth, 14 on the left side 13 on the right, 

 decreasing slightly in size; palatine teeth, 13 on the left, 11 on the right; pterygoid 

 teeth, 21 on the right side. 



The color pattern is composed of 24 whitish rings on the body and 6 on the tail. 

 These rings are about 1^ scales wide on the middorsal line and 2 scales wide on the 

 first row of scales; on the sides and on the belly, posteriorly, they are mottled with 

 darker. Bordering the whitish rings are black annuli about 2 scales vide dorsally 

 and 1 scale vide on the belly. The black rings are separated by red rings, 2 to 3 

 scales in vidth. The actual colors can not be determined from so old a specimen, 

 but there are indications that the whitish rings may have been suffused \\ith pink. 



The head ia black nearly to the tips of the parietal shields, except for flecks of whitish 

 on the lower portions of some of the upper labials. The chin is whitish except for 

 some black on the first 5 or 6 of the lower labials. The ftrst black ring begins about 

 2 scales behind the parietals and is continuous across the tlu:oat. 



Remarks. — The status and significance of this form, represented as it is by only a 

 single specimen, must remain in doubt for the present. It appears, however, to be 

 more closely allied to L. vtuliidnda than to any other form in the genus. 



