SECTION 2 - LISTING OF SPECIES: The following is a tabulation of the species available from dealers and the number of dealers offering them. It is tempting to make comparisons between the data of last year and the present set. Such comparisons may not be appropriate for a number of species, however, since criteria for listing them were different. Last year a species was listed regardless of whether the animals offered were aberrant color morphs. This year, animals were only considered if they are genetically “wild type” and for some species this makes comparisons invalid. For example, there are a number of dealers who sell albino and/or piebald ball pythons exclusively but this information is not tabulated. The same thing applies to corn snakes and the endless stream of attempted improvements on nature, Burmese pythons, and Nelson’s milk snakes (which seem to be more common as albinos than as normal). It should also be noted that we did not consider animals that are heterozygous (“het”) for any cultivar trait regardless of appearance. Very obviously, no note has ever been taken of inter-species crosses.
There is a single species in this family of basal snakes, found four
times in the listings.
Pythons: The following is a list of species (scientific and common names)
found for sale, followed by the number of dealers offering these species:
As was the case last year, of the 24 species of pythons listed in Ross
and Marzac, 22 (92%) are available from dealers. Again, the Oenpelli
and keeled scale pythons (Morelia oenpelliensis and M. carinata) were not
found. There were some interesting changes in availability from last
year’s compilation to this one. A year ago, the most commonly listed
snake in this group was the ball python (22% of the dealers). The
next three species in terms of availability were the green tree python
(20%), the jungle carpet (18%), and the Burmese (17%). This year
the listings are quite different. The most commonly offered python
was the green tree python (27%), which represents a considerable increase
in the number of dealers. The ball and jungle carpet pythons remained
present on 20% and 23% of the listings respectively. The Burmese
python was found on 14% of dealer’s lists although this reduction may simply
reflect the omission of a number of dealers who only offered cultivar varieties.
Three other species were noted on 15%+ of the dealers’ lists: the spotted
python, water python, and the reticulated python.
Scientific name
Common Name
Number of dealers selling animal
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Antaresia stimsoni
Stimson’s
4
perthensis
Perth pygmy
1
maculosa
spotted
40
childreni
Children’s
33
Aspiditis ramsayi
woma
23
melanocephalus black-headed
13
Bothrochilus boa
ringed
23
Calabaria reinhardtii
African burrowing
9
Liasis olivaceus
olive
7
papuana
Papuan
11
mackloti
mackloti Indonesian water
38
savuensis Savu Island
31
dunni
Dunn’s
3
albertisii
white lipped or D’Albert’s 31
fuscus
brown water
7
Morelia spilota spilota
diamond
23
cheynei jungle carpet
61
mcdowelli coastal carpet
13
variegata carpet
15
bredli
centralian
3
amesthistna
amethystine or scrub
14
boeleni
Boelen’s
6
viridis
green tree
71
Python reticulatus
reticulated
38
molurus bivitattus Burmese
36
pimbura Ceylon
7
molurus Indian
2
regius
ball
53
sebae sebae
African rock
20
natalensis
Natal rock
2
curtus brongersmai Malayan blood
16
breitensteini Borneo blood
28
curtus
Sumatran blood
15
timoriensis
Timor
10
anchietae
Angolan
5
Boas: Excluding members of the family Tropidophidae (listed below), Ross and Marzac list 36 generally accepted species, of which 26 (72%) are available from dealers. Of the 10 species not found, 3 are sand boas in the genus Eryx, and 5 are insular Epicrates species. The most commonly offered species is the Brazilian rainbow boa (Epicrates cenchria cenchria) and over 28% of the lists have this species. The boa constrictors are similar in degree of popularity. The common boa constrictor is offered on 27% of the dealers’ lists. It should be noted that there are a profusion of common names for this species, and these are often impossible to place in a given subspecies with any certainty. Two other popular species are the Kenyan sand boa (Eryx colubrinus loveridgei) (14% of the dealers) and the rosy boas (Lichanura trivirgata ssp.) (11%). The latter species is a variable one and is available from a wide variety of specific localities.
Acrantophis dumerili
Dumeril’s ground
54
madagascariensis Madagascar ground
4
Boa constrictor constrictor
Common or Surinam 71
(boa constrictor) imperator
Colombian
28
occidentalis Argentine
30
ortonii
Peruvian
9
amarili
South Brazilian
9
longicauda
Peruvian long-tailed
1
nebulosa
clouded
1
“Hog Island”
33
Candoia carinata carinata
Pacific or New Guinea tree 6
paulsoni Solomon Islands ground
18
bibroni
Solomon Islands or Fiji Islands tree 6
aspera
viper
11
Charina bottae
Rocky Mountain rubber 5
Corallus annulatus
annulated
6
hortulanus hortulanus Amazon tree
21
cookii Cook’s tree
8
caninus
Emerald tree
36
Epicrates cenchria cenchria
Brazilian
75
(rainbow boas) alvarezi
Argentine
7
maurus Colombian
23
gaigei Guyana
2
assisi Campina
Grande
1
angulifer
Cuban
7
fordi
Ford’s
1
inornatus
Puerto Rican
1
striatus striatus
Haitian
3
fosteri
Bimini
4
Eryx conicus (sand boas)
rough-scaled
16
tataricus
Tartar
1
jaculus jaculus
javelin
2
turcicus
Turkish
2
jayakari
Arabian
1
johni johnii
smooth scaled
2
persicus
Persian smooth scaled
1
colubrinus loveridgei
Kenyan
38
miliaris miliaris
Mongolian or Russian
3
nagaiorum black
1
Eunectes murinus
green anaconda
17
notaeus
yellow anaconda
12
Lichanura trivirgata trivirgata
Mexican or Mexican chocolate 29
(rosy boas)
roseofusca San Gabriel or California coastal
27
myriolepis Central Baja
27
saslowi Mid-Baja
21
gracia
California or Arizona desert
26
Sanzinia madagascariensis
Madagascar tree
8
TROPIDOPHIDAE (dwarf or ground boas):
The boas in the family Tropidophidae are rarely found on breeder’s lists. This may be due to a combination of factors including their diminutive size, feeding requirements (many species eat only lizards), and in some cases, their rarity. The EMBL data base lists 4 genera and 22 species in this group. Three species in 2 genera were noted once on the dealer’s lists. It is interesting to note that many of these species appear to be relatively rare and/or restricted to small ranges. If one has access to proper foods for these animals they do not appear to pose extraordinary problems in terms of their husbandry and members of three genera have been successfully bred.
Tropidophis canus
Bahamian ground 1
melanurus Cuban ground
1
Ungaliophis panamensis Panamanian
dwarf 1
This small family of aquatic snakes contains a single genus with 3 species.
The little file snake (Chersydrus granulatus) was found once in the listings.
The Colubridae contain far more species than any other family of snakes.
The number of species we noted this year was almost twice the number found
in the last listing. There were a total of 121 species for sale as
compared to 67 in last year’s lists. This still represents only a
very small percentage of the species in this family (between 4 and 5%),
a much smaller percentage than the available boa and python species.
As was the case last year, a majority of the species (and subspecies) are
members of three genera – Lampropeltis (kingsnakes and milk snakes), Pituophis
(pine snakes and bullsnakes), and Elaphe (corn snakes and rat snakes).
One major difference between last year’s list and the current one concerns
the genus Elaphe. In the last list there were 21 species available.
This number has increased to 29 in the current list, and appears to reflect
and increased interest in Asian and European forms. More detailed
comments will appear below.
The genus Lampropeltis is probably the most commonly encountered on the sale lists. All 8 species are available, as are numerous subspecies and varieties. The 8 species are discussed individually below.
All seven of the generally recognized subspecies of kingsnakes (L. getula)
are obtainable, and the California kingsnake was very commonly encountered
during our search with some 30% of the lists offering this species.
Another popular subspecies is the Mexican black kingsnake (16%).
There are also a number of forms considered to be intergrades or color
variants of subspecies that are regularly listed and these are listed below
the recognized subspecies.
Lampropeltis getula californiae
California
80
(kingsnakes)
floridana Florida
26
getula
Eastern or chain 25
holbrooki Speckled
13
niger
Eastern black 1
nigritus Mexican
black 43
splendida Sonoran Desert
23
brooksi South Florida
26
goini
Appalachicola or blotched 21
nitida
Baja or Cape 8
sticticeps outer banks
2
yumensis Yuma
2
Lampropeltis triangulum, the milk snake, is very widely distributed
and ranges from the Northeastern United States into Colombia and Ecuador
in South America. There are numerous described subspecies, although
it is generally agreed that some of these are problematical. Of the
26 subspecies recognized by Williams (’78) and Quinn (’83), 21 are available
from dealers. As was the case last year, four of the subspecies (annulata
(20%), campbelli (29%), hondurensis (29%), and sinaloae (26%) were among
the most commonly listed snakes. The 5 subspecies not available at
this time are L. t. blanchardi, dixoni, micropholis, multistrata, and smithi.
Multistrata and smithi were seen on lists last year, so they probably remain
within the hobby.
Lampropeltis triangulum abnorma
Guatemalan
4
(milksnakes)
amaura
Louisiana
8
andesiana Andean
22
annulata
Mexican
54
arcifera
Jalisco
23
celaenops New Mexico
14
campbelli Pueblan
78
conanti
Conant’s
6
elapsoides scarlet kingsnake
10
gaigeae
black
19
gentilus
central plains 6
hondurensis Honduran
78
nelsoni
Nelson’s
14
oligozona Pacific
Central 1
polyzona Veracruz
3
sinaloae
Sinaloan
68
stuarti
Stuart’s or Costa Rican 14
sypsila
red
4
taylori
Utah
1
temporalis coastal
plains 4
triangulum Eastern
1
As was the case last year, all 7 of the L. zonata subspecies are available
from dealers. Two of them (L. zonata zonata and L. z. herrerae) are
found only once in the listings.
Lampropeltis zonata agalma
Baja
15
(mountain kingsnakes) herrerae Todos
Santos Island 1
multicincta Sierra
4
multifasciata Coastal
3
parvirubra San Bernadino 5
pulchra San Diego
8
zonata St.
Helena 1
The Lampropeltis mexicana group is an extremely popular one, and many
dealers offer numerous varieties. Of all the species listed by dealers,
the most common was L. alterna being found on 35% of the dealer’s lists.
It is available in numerous locality-specific forms. L. ruthveni
and L. mexicana are also readily available with the latter species generally
being sold as one of three forms (or subspecies) – greeri, thayeri (found
on 23% of the listings), and mexicana.
Lampropeltis alterna
gray-banded 92
(kingsnakes) ruthveni
Queretaro
7
mexicana greeri Durango
Mountain 30
thayeri Nuevo Leon
62
mexicana San Luis Potosi 38
There are 4 subspecies of L. pyromelana generally recognized, one of
which (L. p. infralabialis) does not appear to be available.
Lampropeltis pyromelana knoblochi
Tarahumara
33
(mountain kingsnake) pyromelana
Arizona or Sonoran 36
woodini Chiricahua or Huachuca
14
The prairie or mole kingsnake, Lampropeltis calligaster is a smaller
species in the genus. The two subspecies are available, as is a third,
newly described form (L. c. occipitolineata).
Lampropeltis calligaster calligaster
prairie
5
(kingsnake)
rhombomaculata mole
9
occipitolineata South Florida mole
1
The genus Pituophis contains the pine and gopher snakes. This
is a relatively popular group and many subspecies are available.
Of the 17 species and subspecies listed in the EMBL database, 14 (82%)
are found on dealer’s lists.
Pituophis catenifer affinis
Sonoran gopher
10
annectans
San Diego gopher
8
bimaris
Mid-Baja gopher
2
catenifer
Pacific gopher
2
deserticola
Great basin gopher
6
pumilus
Santa Cruz Island gopher
2
sayi
bull snake
11
vertebralis
Baja gopher or cape gopher 13
deppei jani
Mexican or East Mexican bullsnake 9
deppei
Mexican gopher or bullsnake 5
melanoleucus lodingi
black pine
16
melanoleucus Northern pine
14
mugitus Southern
or Florida pine 12
ruthveni Louisiana
pine
6
The genus Elaphe has numerous species distributed worldwide. The
EMBL database lists approximately 40 species of which 29 were found on
price lists (73%). This represents a significant increase from the
percentage of species available last year and may reflect increased interest
and availability of Asian and European forms. Many of the species
offered are still not common within the hobby and 11 of the species listed
were seen only once or twice. The most popular species remains the
corn snake (E. g. gutatta) and it was found on 29% of the dealers’ lists.
This percentage is an underestimate of the popularity of this species,
since there is a multitude of color morphs available and many dealers offer
numerous types.
Elaphe bairdi
Baird’s rat
22
bimaculata Chinese twin-spotted
rat 10
carinata
king rat
2
climacaphora Kunisir Island or Japanese rat
9
conspicillata
2
dione
Chinese dione
4
emoryi
Great Plains rat
15
flavirufa flavirufa Tamaulipan rat
2
pardalina Honduran rat
1
flavolineata
Indonesian rat
2
frenata
2
gutatta gutatta corn
77
rosacea rosy rat
9
helena
trinket
10
hohenackeri
1
janseni
1
mandarina
mandarin rat
16
moellendorffi hundred flower
or red-headed 4
obsoleta quadrivitatta yellow rat
22
obsoleta black rat
10
deckerti Deckert’s
rat 3
lindheimerii Texas rat
12
rossalleni everglades
rat 16
spiloides gray
rat
10
williamsi Gulf
hammock 2
persica
Persian rat
4
porphyracea coxi
1
vaillanti red bamboo rat
2
prasina
green bush rat
3
quatuorlineata
four-lined
3
radiata
radiated rat
13
rufodorsata
2
scalaris
ladder snake
2
schrenckii schrenckii Russian rat
13
anomala Korean rat
2
situla
leopard rat
6
subradiata
Timor rat
2
taeniura friesei
Taiwan beauty
20
mocquardi South China or Hainan Island rat 4
vaillanti Vietnamese beauty
4
taeniura Chinese rat
2
yunnanensis Yunnan beauty
5
ridleyi
cave dwelling rat
7
vulpina
fox snake
5
The remaining species of Colubrids found on lists totaled 82 species
as compared with 38 species last year. It is doubtful whether this
is a significant change since many of the species were found on the lists
of one or two companies outside the United States that advertise the importation
of species. We could find no information concerning these companies,
and as in the case of other dealers that we have no knowledge of, they
are included in the listings. Of the 82 species, 52 (63%) were
only listed once or twice. It will be interesting to see how many
of these seldom seen species will actually become part of the herpetocultural
world, and how many will continue to remain as occasional WC listings.
Ahaetulla prasina
green vine
3
mycterizans
green vine
1
nasuta
long-nose vine
1
Amphiesma piscator keelback
1
Arizona elegans
glossy
7
Bogertophis subocularis Trans Pecos rat
25
rosaliae Baja rat
3
Boiga dendrophila
mangrove
2
nigriceps
black mangrove 3
multomaculata
marbled cat
1
Cemophora coccinea scarlet snake
1
Cerberus rynchops dog-faced
water snake 1
Chionactis occipitalis Western shovel-nosed
2
Coluber constrictor constrictor Northern black
racer 4
latrunculus black-masked racer
1
priapus Southern
black racer 2
mormon Western yellow-bellied
racer 1
Dasypeltis scabra
egg-eating
7
Dendrelaphis pictus
bronze-back
2
Diadophis punctatus
ringneck
2
Dinodon rufozonatum
1
Drymarchon corais couperi Eastern
indigo 10
melanurus black-tailed cribo 8
erebennus Texas indigo
5
corais yellow-tail cribo
9
rubidus Mexican indigo
2
unicolor unicolor cribo
1
Drymobius margaritiferus speckled
racer
1
Eirenis collaris collared
dwarf racer
1
punctatolineatis
1
Erythrolamprus aesculapii false coral
1
Farancia abacura
mud
2
erythrogamma rainbow
2
Gonyosoma oxycephalus red-tailed
rat
12
Heterodon nasicus nasicus Western hognose
24
kennerlyi Mexican hognose
1
platyrhinos
Eastern hognose 3
simus
Southern hognose 1
Hydrodynastes gigas
false water cobra 9
Hypsiglena torquata deserticola night
1
Langaha nasuta
Madagascan twig mimic 2
Lamprophis aurora
aurora house snake 1
fuliginosis
African house snake 13
Leioheterodon madagascariensis Madgascan hognose
3
geayi
1
modestus
1
Lycodon laoensis
Asian wolf
1
Lystrophis semicinctus
tri-color hognose
2
Lytorhynchus diadema
long-nosed sand
1
maynardi long-nosed sand
1
Macropisthodon rudis
1
Masticophis flagellum flagellum Eastern coachwhip
1
testaceus central coachwhip 4
piceus red coachwhip
1
mentovarius
1
taeniatus
striped whipsnake 2
Natrix tesselata
dice
1
trianguligera
red-spotted keelback 1
Nerodia clarkii compressicauda
mangrove water 1
erythrogaster erythrogaster redbelly water
2
fasciata pictiventris
banded water 5
cyclopion
green water 3
taxispilota
brown water 2
Opheodrys aestiva
rough green
10
vernalis
smooth green
2
Oxybelis fulgidus
vine
3
Oxyrophis rhombifer
flame
1
Philothamnus semivariegatus green bush
1
Phyllorhynchus decurtatus parkinsi western
leafnose 3
Pseudaspis cana
mole
1
Ptyas korros
Chinese ratsnake 1
mucosus
Dhaman ratsnake 1
Rhinocheilus lecontei lecontei western longnose
6
Rhynchophis boulengeri
Asiatic vine snake 1
Salvadora grahaminae lineata Texas patch-nosed
1
hexalepis mojavensis Mojave patch-nosed 1
deserticola Big Bend
patch-nosed 1
Senticolis triaspis
green rat
5
Sphalerosophis diadema atriceps diadem or Pakistani
rat 12
cliffordi
2
Spilotes pullatus
tropical or tiger rat 7
Storeria dekayi
DeKay’s or earth 3
occipitomaculata
red-bellied
1
Tantilla coronata
crowned
1
Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
Eastern garter 8
concinnus red-spotted garter 1
parietalis red-sided garter
3
fitchi
valley garter
2
similis blue-sided
garter 1
pickeringii Puget Sound
1
marcianus
checkered garter 3
ordinoides
Northwestern garter 1
radix
plains garter
2
sauritus sauritus Eastern ribbon
7
nitae blue-stripe
ribbon 1
proximus
Western ribbon 2
sackeni
Southern ribbon 5
couchii
Western aquatic garter 2
elegans vagrans wandering
garter 3
Trimorphodon biscutatis lambda Sonoran lyre
1
Xenochrophis piscator
checkered keelback 2
vittata
Indonesian garter 3