Gulf Coast Ribbon?

[Elliot]

Ok, I was looking at pictures of Ribbon snakes online, and now I'm starting to think my Ribbons are Gulf Coast Ribbons, instead of Westerns. The pictures of the two snakes look pretty much the same, but I live on the Gulf Coast of Texas, and both of my snakes are from this area. Here's a few pictures of my snakes, hopefully you guys can help me figure this out.

The female



The male

[adamanteus]

Sorry, Elliot. Apart from distribution ranges I'm pretty weak on Ribbons.

[Elliot]

Sorry, Elliot. Apart from distribution ranges I'm pretty weak on Ribbons.

Hopefully someone will know lol

[adamanteus]

Gulf Coast...That would be T. p. orarius? Right? I've checked through some of my books but I can't find anything outlining the morphological differences between this and the other proximus sub-species. However, looking at some distribution maps, I would say you are most probably right, Elliot.

[Elliot]

Could you give me a few links to distribution maps?

[adamanteus]

Could you give me a few links to distribution maps?

Sure...this book on the desk in front of me....page 48 Fig.3 (.com)

Have you seen this?
snakefinder

[Elliot]

Sure...this book on the desk in front of me....page 48 Fig.3 (.com)

Have you seen this?
snakefinder

It shows that I'm just barely in their range, it doesn't show where the subspecies are though. Would a Gulf Coast ribbon be a subspecies of a Western ribbon?

[adamanteus]

Damn...the sub-species buttons don't work on proximus! I guess you chose a snake that still needs some field study. That's a job for the holidays, Elliot!

[adamanteus]

Would a Gulf Coast ribbon be a subspecies of a Western ribbon?

Yes indeed, Thamnophis proximus orarius. The Western nominate form being Thamnophis proximus proximus.

[Elliot]

Damn...the sub-species buttons don't work on proximus! I guess you chose a snake that still needs some field study. That's a job for the holidays, Elliot!

Actually, I've seen strange things from them in the wild. On time when I was rabbit hunting in the woods by a lake, I heard a crackling noise in the leaves, I looked over, and I saw a ribbon that was easily 3 and a half feet, with a bulg the size of maybe a small bird or a bullfrog. Of course no one believes me when I tell them but I thought I'd share lol