Re: What is a Deckert's Rat Snake?

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Posted by T Dance on July 05, 1999 at 21:34:58:

In Reply to: What is a Deckert's Rat Snake? posted by Mick on July 05, 1999 at 09:55:49:

: I've heard that a Deckert's (or Keys) rat snake is some sort of yellow rat snake variant. Is it a local population color morph or an integrade or what? TIA
: ---Mick
This is one of these problematical subtypes of the yellow rat. They occur as a local variant found in the upper Florida Keys. A friend of mine collected one 7' 2' long on Elliott Key, a barrier island in Biscayne Bay about 30 years ago. I have also seen a couple of specimens from Key Largo. They somewhat retain their juvenile blotches,but do develop their four stripes. The tongues are totally black, no orange on them at all. Other than that, the few that I have seen look like many of the yellows typical to South Florida. I believe this is a situation where a gene pool has developed due to isolation on an island chain. The racers on Elliott Key are jet black, similar in appearance to the black racers in Central and Northern Florida, while the Everglades Racers(Coluber c. paludicola)found on the mainland are typically bluish-gray. I hope this helps you out.

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Thanks! (nm) Mick 7/06/99 (0)

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: : : I've heard that a Deckert's (or Keys) rat snake is some sort of yellow rat snake variant. Is it a local population color morph or an integrade or what? TIA : : ---Mick : This is one of these problematical subtypes of the yellow rat. They occur as a local variant found in the upper Florida Keys. A friend of mine collected one 7' 2' long on Elliott Key, a barrier island in Biscayne Bay about 30 years ago. I have also seen a couple of specimens from Key Largo. They somewhat retain their juvenile blotches,but do develop their four stripes. The tongues are totally black, no orange on them at all. Other than that, the few that I have seen look like many of the yellows typical to South Florida. I believe this is a situation where a gene pool has developed due to isolation on an island chain. The racers on Elliott Key are jet black, similar in appearance to the black racers in Central and Northern Florida, while the Everglades Racers(Coluber c. paludicola)found on the mainland are typically bluish-gray. I hope this helps you out.

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