Origin of the Kentucky Cornsnakes

[Jarrod]

This corn was WC in Hart County Kentucky last week, from what everyone down there says the population is pretty large. My question is...Does this snake not greatly resemble a South carolina corn? Is the population natural or introduced? I am not looking for a definate answer here just opening up a discussion here. All Kentucky herp society members are invited to harass me now because I have even mentioned that the population might not be natural..(they are trying to get subspecies status for the kentucky line)

Does anyone have any experience with the eastern KY populations.........?

[Khaman]

I live in Warren County KY and do a lot of herping in Barren, Edmonson, Todd and Trigg Counties, but if you are finding these beauties up there I am just going to have to make a road trip.

[CowBoyWay]

Kentucky is famous for its corn whiskey, not its Corn snakes :)
Keep finding specimens like that, and that may change ;)

very nice.

[CAV]

So, would "corn squeezins'" be something you drink during Derby or something you find on KY highways in the spring? :confused: :D

[CowBoyWay]

Whats that all about?
Doing some D.N.A. work are they?
Be curious to see how that pans out...

related subject: New Corn Snake Species Recognized
They've recently recognized the
"Kisatchie" or "Slowinski's" Cornsnake (Elaphe slowinskii)

Another distinguishable color phase, hailing from a region of eastern Louisiana.
This is the area where E. g. guttata overlaps the range of E. g. emoryi, and was thought to be an intergrade between the two forms.
However, many keepers of these animals insisted for years that this was not the case. Admittedly, they do look rather distinctive.
Recent DNA analysis has revealed their true origins!

These unusual snakes have been described as a full species - the first discovered in the United States in decades!
http://www.vmsherp.com/LCCornVariation.htm

Corn Squeezins, your cracking me up. hehe :)

[Dwight Good]

<i>This corn was WC in Hart County Kentucky last week, from what everyone down there says the population is pretty large. My question is...Does this snake not greatly resemble a South carolina corn? Is the population natural or introduced? </i>

Jarrod,
I seriously doubt these animals are introduced. Corn snakes have been known from this area since at least the 50's...see the range map in Wright & Wright's, <i>Handbook of Snakes</i>, Vol. 1 on page 223. This book was originally published in 1957 and clearly shows corns in the area. Although this does NOT discount the notion that the population was introduced, it does make this highly improbable.

Just my thoughts on the idea that this population was introduced.

Take care,
dg

[Jarrod]

Haha, I knew I would get a rise outta somebody.....I never said they were introduced...Actually I am trying, at this point, to convince myself ( and a friend) they are natural. The simple fact is, I am so "out of the loop" on these things that I don't have enough info to make that decision. I have been talking to phil about them the last day and he said subspecies status was not (in his mind) warranted. I guess thats just coming from a couple of the other guys. I would guess phil has done more reserch on them than anyone else so he should know.

Hey Dwight, settle down buddy, I was just trying to be thought provoking! Don't worry, even though I have found a few KY corns now, your still my favorite inhabitant of western KY. BTW, did you find that pine you posted on the other board or someone else..If you did, your now my hero...

[Jarrod]

In defence of the natural population option, Most of the corns I have seen photographed from that area are much different than this one. A lot of the ones they are finding are really dark with almost black tails......So probably they are something different.....

[Dwight Good]

LOL. you didn't get me riled up, don't worry about that.

The pine in the pic below was found in Calloway County last summer. I was present when she was released back into the wild where she was found, but unfortunately I wasn't the lucky one that found her.

<img src="http://www.kingsnake.com/obsoleta/temp/KYpine2.jpg">

Later,
dg

[CowBoyWay]

A great concept many fisherman are practicing these days.
Herpers too. Cool.
Magnificent snake.

:)

[louis]

I have never found any corns in kentucky actually. Only garters, northern water snakes, cottonmouths, and copperheads. I want to catch a corn in the wild though, that would be awesome.




Originally posted by CowBoyWay
Kentucky is famous for its corn whiskey, not its Corn snakes :)
Keep finding specimens like that, and that may change ;)

very nice.


Speaking of whiskey, I'm going to Burbon Fest this weekend:D :D