Pacific Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus amabilis)
Created: April 30th, 2020 - 09:15 PM
Last Modified: April 30th, 2020 - 09:18 PM Entered by: William Ferguson
Record 334659
Last Modified: April 30th, 2020 - 09:18 PM Entered by: William Ferguson
Record 334659
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Country: United States |
State: California |
County: Kern County |
Time: 2020-04-30 17:33:00 |
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Qty: 1 |
Age: Adult |
Sex: -- |
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Body Temperature: ----- |
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Notes
I tried uploading two picture files but the slow satellite connection failed to go through, then froze the entire submission. I had to re enter all of it. This Pacific Ringneck is way out of its range. It is in a canyon with intermittent stream. In a moist area of our garden. Greenish blue dorsally. Bright orange and red ventrum with rows of small black dots. Orange neck ring, 1 1/2 scales wide. Beautiful and unexpected find.
Vouchers
Comments
Distribution fits Coral-bellied but my old Field Guide(1966) description is more like the Pacific: neck ring 1 1/2 wide, ventral color on 1 1/2 rows of dorsal scales and many black spots on belly. The Guide states Coral does not have any black spots on neck ring and few to no black spots on belly. I don't have much experience and probably don't know what I am doing. I thought it fit Pacific best. Coral-bellied fits the overall impression better. The bluish-greenish dorsal color is not like the examples of the Pacific that I saw posted. Some of the Coral-bellied pictures have the lighter color. Should I change the amabilis to pulchellus?
Any particular reason you believe this to be a Pacific (amabilis) rather than a Coral-bellied (pulchellus) which is found in Kern County? The dorsal coloration and the way the orange extends up the sides reminds me more of a Coral-bellied Ring-neck.