Speckled Kingsnake
Lampropeltis holbrooki
Summary 5
The speckled kingsnake (Lampropeltis holbrooki) is a nonvenomous species of kingsnake which is endemic to the United States.
Description 6
NOT venomous. Head and neck appear to be the same size as the body,smooth scales, round pupils. Uniformly cylindrical body is black with yellow to white spots on each scale. Belly is yellow checkered with dark blotches. Typically 3 to 4 feet (91 to 120cm) in length. (J. R. Dixon and J. E. Werler, Texas Snakes: A Field Guide, University of Texas Press, 2000.)
Behavior 7
When threatened, the speckled kingsnake will shake its tail like a rattlesnake to deter predators. It frequently will expel musk and feces or bite when threatened.
It is usually docile, often striking only one or two times after capture, and is frequently kept as a pet. It is commonly captive bred.
Habitat 7
The speckled kingsnake prefers wetter habitats than other kingsnakes, like swamps and rivers, but it does commonly venture to dry areas like woodlands and grassy fields.
Geographic range 7
The speckled kingsnake is found in the central and southern United States from southern Iowa to the Gulf of Mexico. Its range overlaps that of the desert kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula splendida, and it is known to intergrade with that subspecies.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Royal Tyler, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by Royal Tyler
- (c) Cullen Hanks, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Cullen Hanks
- (c) Chris Harrison, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Chris Harrison
- (c) Kenneth Bader, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Kenneth Bader
- (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lampropeltis_holbrooki
- (c) Amber Leung, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/494750
- (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speckled_kingsnake
