![]() ![]() leonis’s greatest threat is human development and habitat destruction. Like most reptiles and amphibians today, L.m. Due to their wide distribution, they are presumed to have large populations and are currently listed as a species of least concern. Species of the Lampropeltis mexicana complex are rare and secretive, but their populations appear to be stable. In the wild, they are associated with clutch sizes of 3 to 5 eggs however much larger clutches have been observed in captivity. They eat mainly amphibians, other reptiles, and small mammals. leonis reside under rocks or fallen tree trunks and debris and can be found on the periphery of disturbed areas. leonis is present in diverse habitats from desert scrub along the Chihuanhuan interface to pine-oak and subtropical regions moving southeast across the range.īehavior and Natural History: L.m. This region borders the Chihuauan desert to the northwest, creating dry to semi-arid climates, with sub-humid climates in the southern and coastal areas. ![]() The species is most commonly found in the states of Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, and Coahuila in northeastern Mexico. Size: Hatchlings range from 6-9 inches and adults can grow up to 24-38 inchesĭistribution and Habitat: Lampropeltis mexicana leonis is endemic to the dry and sub-humid regions of the Sierra Madre Oriental. The species is variably known by the common names Variable Kingsnake, Thayer’s Kingsnake, and Nuevo Leon Kingsnake. It was described again in 1924 as Lampropeltis thayeri (Loveridge, 1924) and once determined to be the same species, found its taxonomic home in the Lampropeltis mexicana complex in 1962 under the subspecific nomenclature leonis (Gehlbach and Baker, 1962). The species was first described in 1893 and named Lampropeltis leonis (Gunther, 1893). ![]() As the name suggests, the Variable Kingnsnake is an an exceptionally diverse species with a taxonomic history that is rivaled only by its wide variety of color and patterns. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |