Lampropeltis elapsoides

This taxon has long been regarded as a subspecies of L. triangulum. Armstrong et al. (2001) examined populations of L. trianugulum subspecies syspila and elapsoides in western Kentucky and adjacent Tennessee and concluded that the two taxa exist in sympatry with minimal, if any, gene flow between the populations. Based on multiple nuclear and mitochondrial genes, Pyron and Burbrink (2009) reported that elapsoides is well differentiated from L. triangulum. Consequently, Crother et al. (in Crother 2012) listed L. elapsoides as a distinct species. Conant and Collins (1991) mapped extensive areas of apparent intergradation between elapsoides and other triangulum subspecies, but Pyron and Burbrink (2009) did not delineate the range of L. elapsoides nor specify contact zones or discuss possible hybridization between elapsoides and populations of L. triangulum.

Analyses by Ruane et al. (2014) support the existence of seven distinct species previously considered to be L. triangulum, which they propose should be formally recognized. These seven taxa were all originally described as full species based on morphology (e.g., size, body form, color/pattern) before being synonymized with L. triangulum and are as follows: L. triangulum (Lacépède 1788), L. gentilis (Baird and Girard 1853), L. elapsoides (Holbrook 1838), L. annulata Kennicott 1861, L. polyzona Cope 1861, L. abnorma (Bocourt 1886), and L. micropholis Cope 1861.

Large range in southeastern United States; many occurrences; presumed large population size; probably relatively stable or at least not declining at a rapid rate.

Range extends from southeastern Virginia and the Coastal Plain of North and South Carolina southward through Georgia to southern Florida, and westward to eastern Louisiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky (Conant and Collins 1991, Pyron and Burbrink 2009). Distributional details along the northern and western edges of the range have not been precisely delineated. Suspected “intergrades” with L. triangulum from eastern Virginia to southern New Jersey are likely L. triangulum and not hybrids (Ruane et al. 2014).

The number of distinct occurrences has not been determined using consistent criteria, but this species is represented by a large number of collection sites and locations (as defined by IUCN).