128 Richard M. Blaney 



geographic variation in number of ventral scutes in L. getulus (Blaney 

 1977) shows that subspecies definitions relying on such counts are un- 

 reliable. Ecological influences on these counts must be considered. For 

 example, kingsnakes inhabiting the pinewoods of southeastern Louisiana 

 average 212 ventrals, while those inhabiting lowlands in the same 

 geograhic area average 206 ventrals. Such considerations would account 

 for the lower average number of ventrals (203) in the Outer Banks pop- 

 ulation than in mainland populations to the east (210) and north (209), 

 and certainly should not be compared with the average (215) of 

 kingsnakes from southern Florida. Ventral count comparisons are useful 

 only for delimiting populations, not subspecies. 



Thirdly, Lazell and Musick (1973) dismissed the biogeographic con- 

 cept (Blaney 1971, 1977) of dynamic populations in their statement, "It 

 would be remarkable if a southern form extended hundred [sic] of km 

 north of its present range during a presumably colder climatic regime." 

 Such northward expansion, however, might be possible along the exposed 

 continental shelf where any climate changes would be moderated by the 

 ocean. Nonetheless, it was not my contention that southern forms 

 migrated north and outcompeted northern forms to inhabit the exposed 

 continental shelf. Rather, I gave evidence (Blaney 1971, 1977) that L.g. 

 getulus was derived from primitive L.g. floridana stocks and suggested that 

 the nominate form differentiated in the northern part of its range to its 

 present characteristics. In certain isolated areas, such as the Outer Banks 

 of North Carolina, and Sapelo Island, Georgia, some of the genetic traits 

 of the parental form (L.g. floridana) persist. 



In summary, no characteristics exist in the Outer Banks population 

 described as L.g. sticticeps that make it unique enough for taxonomic 

 recognition. The characteristics present are only those of L.g. getulus and 

 L.g. floridana, and therefore it should be recognized as a probably relic- 

 tual, intermediate (= intergrade) population. 



LITERATURE CITED 



Barbour, T., and W.L. Engels. 1942. Two interesting new snakes. Proc. New 



England Zool. Club 7:101-104. 

 Blaney, R.M. 1971. Systematics of the Common Kingsnake, Lampropeltis getulus 



(Linnaeus). Ph.D. dissert., La. State Univ., Baton Rouge. 

 1977. Systematics of the Common Kingsnake, Lampropeltis getulus 



(Linnaeus). Tulane Stud. Zool. Bot. 79(3 & 4):47-103. 

 Lazell, J.D., Jr., and J. A. Musick. 1973. The kingsnake, Lampropeltis getulus 



sticticeps, and the ecology of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Copeia 



1973(3) :497-503. 

 Wright, A.H., and A. A. Wright. 1957. Handbook of snakes of the United States 



and Canada. Vol 1. Comstock, Ithaca. 564 pp. 



Accepted 22 November 1978 



