for
Lampropeltis triangulum (Lacépède) — Eastern Milksnake
and
Lampropeltis elapsoides (Holbrook) — Scarlet Kingsnake
Click on Map for Enlarged View Click for photos of L. triangulum and L. elapsoides
|
Click on Map for Enlarged View Click for photos of L. triangulum and L. elapsoides |
*Symbols accompanied by an asterisk represent known or reported localities for
L. triangulum elapsoides (now
L. elapsoides) or intergrades (now
hybrids) involving L. elapsoides and
one or more subspecies of L. triangulum.
|
Legend
|
|
 |
Exact locality, based on specimen(s) or photographs examined |
 |
Exact locality, based on literature record believed valid |
 |
Approximate locality based on specimen(s) or photographs examined |
 |
Approximate locality based on literature record believed valid |
 |
County record only, based on specimens or photographs examined |
 |
County record only, based on literature report believed valid |
 |
Type locality |
| ? | Questionable and/or problematic record |
Taxonomy:
The results of a recent study (Ruane et al. 2014) using coalescent species
delimitation indicate that L. triangulum
is not monophyletic; rather, it is a complex of seven species, two of which (L.
triangulum and L. elapsoides)
occur in Tennessee. Previously, the taxon was considered a single species with
nine subspecies occurring in North America north of Mexico (Crother et al.
2008), three of which (L. t. triangulum,
Eastern Milksnake; L. t. syspila,
Red Milksnake; and L. t. elapsoides,
Scarlet Kingsnake) occurred in Tennessee (Conant and Collins 1998).
Lampropeltis t. syspila and any
intergrades of the three former subspecies occurring in Tennessee were
synonymized with L. triangulum in the
taxonomic revision by Ruane et al. (2014). Other recent studies recognizing
L. elapsoides as a distinct species
include those of Pyron and Burbrink (2009b, 2009c). Although Ruane et al. (2014)
did not include Tennessee specimens in their analysis, we accept their
conclusions, but still treat the species complex in a single account until more
data are available on the Tennessee distributions of
L. triangulum and
L. elapsoides.
Distribution:
Eastern
Milksnakes, including any intergrade populations of the recently discarded
subspecies (i.e. L. t. triangulum and
L. t syspila), are known from
throughout the state, with the greatest concentration of records coming from
East and Middle Tennessee. Scarlet
Kingsnakes, whose range is poorly understood in Tennessee, have been reported
from Blount, Coffee, Decatur, Franklin, Hardeman, Humphreys, Knox, Marion,
McMinn, Polk, Sevier, Shelby, and Stewart counties. A record (not plotted) also
exist from Reelfoot Lake without a county designation (Baker 1957). Museum
records and literature sources below that are accompanied by an asterisk
represent known or contain reported localities for L. t. elapsoides (now
L. elapsoides) or intergrades (now hybrids) with other subspecies of
L. triangulum.
Museum Records by Counties: Bledsoe—FLMNH
10823.
Benton—APSU
19876.
Blount—GSMNP
4013 ,
4020, 4021.
Campbell— FLMNH 10825.
Cannon—MTSU 42S, 117S.
Carter—LSUMZ 47033; USNM 44340, 44341.
Cheatham—APSU 19282, 19285.
Cocke— APSU 1421; FLMNH 10832;
USNM 168253, 184320.
Cumberland—APSU
19832.
Davidson—APSU 2127, 4512; CMNH R1630; LSUMZ 34899, 43941; TTU
uncataloged.
Decatur—UMMZ 72253*.
DeKalb—TTU uncataloged.
Dyer—APSU 19498, 19499.
Franklin—MCZ 60851*, 60853, 127729; USNM 56471.
Giles—APSU 17721.
Grainger—UMMZ 99084.
Greene—UMMZ 103577.
Grundy—LSUMZ 44003; MCZ 60852.
Hamilton—USNM
142042.
Hardeman—APSU 16871*; LSUMZ 44002.
Houston—APSU 3266, 17575.
Humphreys—APSU 17648.
Johnson—UMMZ 116312.
Knox—MCZ 3945, 14007*; USNM
226575; UTKVZC 4176.
Lake—APSU 5672; CMNH 21728; NCSM 8142.
Lawrence—APSU
19954.
Lewis—UMMZ 155659.
Lincoln—NCSM 15055.
Madison—LSUMZ 43950.
Marion—MCZ 60850*.
Marshall—APSU
19211.
Maury—APSU 19220.
McMinn—FLMNH 10833*; NCSM 8171*, 8172*.
Monroe—FLMNH 10824, 10826, 10827,
10829-10831; NCSM 8176, 8182, 8311-8318; USNM 523614, RH 79-119.
Montgomery—APSU 2128, 3508, 5164,
6125.
Morgan—TTU uncataloged.
Obion—MTSU 164S; UIMNH 21.
Polk—NCSM 8427.
Rutherford—MTSU 74S.
Scott—APSU 6147.
Sevier—FLMNH 10828; GSMNP 4014, 4022-4024, 10905; INHS 6635*; USNM
123341.
Shelby—APSU 13341, 13343, 13344; CMNH 125779*.
Stewart—APSU 285, 547, 555, 559,
3731, 4746, 4747, 5073, 18102, 18969*.
Tipton—APSU 19582.
Trousdale—APSU 18180.
Wilson—TTU 575, 577, 778.
Literature Sources by Counties:
Anderson—Johnson (1964), Byrd and Fox (2017).
Benton—Hromada et al (2018).
Bledsoe—Williams (1988).
Blount—King (1939)*.
Campbell—Williams (1988).
Cheatham—Hopkins (2013), Hopkins (2014b).
Claiborne—Grisnik et al. (2018).
Cocke—Williams (1988).
Coffee—Reynolds
and Niemiller (2013h)*.
Cumberland—Rapier et al. (2019).
Davidson—Rhoads (1895), Blanchard (1921), Williams (1988), Armstrong et
al. (2001).
Decatur—Dury and Gessing (1940)*,
Williams (1988)*, Reynolds and Niemiller (2013h)*.
DeKalb—Harris (1967).
Franklin—Blanchard (1921),
McCrady and Rodarmor (1967), Cameron and McCrady (1978), Williams (1988)*,
Reynolds and Niemiller (2013h)*.
Grainger—Williams (1988).
Greene—Williams (1988).
Grundy—Williams (1988).
Hardeman—Norton (1971)*, Norton and Harvey (1975)*.
Henry—Gentry (1956).
Humphreys—Reynolds and Niemiller
(2013h)*.
Johnson—Williams (1988).
Knox—Blanchard (1921)*, Williams (1988)*.
Lake—Williams (1988).
Lawrence—Smith
and Miller (2019).
Marion—Williams (1988)*.
Marshall—Williams
and Foster (2012b).
Maury—Foster and Conway
(2012c).
McMinn—Williams (1988)*.
Monroe—Williams (1988).
Montgomery—Scott
(1967),
Scott and Snyder (1968), Zirkle (1993), Armstrong et al.
(2001).
Obion—Parker (1948), Tanner and Loomis (1957), Williams (1988).
Overton—DeLottelle (1976).
Polk—Ash (1945)*.
Roane—Johnson (1964).
Rutherford—Spiess
(2004), Niemiller et al. (2011).
Sevier—Bishop (1928), Necker
(1934), King (1939)*, Williams (1988)*, Reynolds and Niemiller (2013h)*.
Shelby—Parker (1948), Hassell
(1961), Reynolds and Niemiller (2013h)*.
Stewart—Williams (1988), Scott
(1990), Armstrong et al. (2001),
Davenport (2005), Davenport and Scott (2009), Reynolds and Niemiller (2013h)*.
Tipton—Colvin (2015a).
Trousdale—Glorioso and Pruett
(2007).
Unicoi—Williams (1988).
Van Buren—Reynolds and Niemiller (2013d).
Wilson—Jordan et al.
(1968), Jordan (1986), Niemiller et al.
(2011).
Questionable and/or Erroneous Records:
Two intergradient specimens (APSU [DHS] 555 and 559) involving
L. t. triangulum
and L. t. syspila were erroneously
reported from Houston County by Williams (1988). Both specimens are in the David H. Snyder Museum of Zoology at Austin Peay State University, and both were
taken by Snyder from the Stewart County portion of Land Between The Lakes during
his survey of the area’s herpetofauna. William (1988) also cited a specimen of L. t.elapsoides (MCZ 60850) from Franklin County that is listed in the
MCZ catalog as coming from “Tennessee: Jump Off, Sewanee.” The Jump Off area is
six to seven miles southeast of Sewanee in Marion County, not Franklin County.
Conservation Status:
None.
Posted: 27 March 2009
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