Lampropeltis includes the Greek words for "shiny shield": lampro + pelt + . The name is given to them in reference to their smooth, enamel-like dorsal scales. Their common name of "kingsnake" derives from their habit of eating other snakes
Range and morphology
Kingsnake species inhabit the Americas from southeastern Canada to southern Ecuador. The several species vary widely in size and coloration. Adult scarlet kingsnakes are typically 40 to 50 cm in length, while the common kingsnake can grow to 1.8 m. Some kingsnakes are colored in muted browns to black, while others are brightly marked in white, reds, yellows, grays, and lavenders that form rings, longitudinal stripes, speckles, and saddle-shaped bands.
Behavior and diet
Kingsnakes use constriction to kill their prey and tend to be opportunistic in their diet; they eat other snakes, including venomous snakes. Kingsnakes also eat lizards, rodents, birds, and eggs. The common kingsnake is known to be immune to the venom of other snakes and does eat rattlesnakes, but it is not necessarily immune to the venom of snakes from different localities. The "king" in the name refers to its preying on other snakes. Kingsnakes such as the California kingsnake can exert twice as much constriction force relative to body size as rat snakes and pythons. Scientists believe such strong coils may be an adaptation to snake and other reptile prey, which can sustain lower blood-oxygen levels before asphyxiating.
Description
Most kingsnakes have quite vibrant patterns on their skins. Some species, such as the scarlet kingsnake, Mexican milk snake, and red milk snake, have coloration and patterning that can cause them to be confused with the highly venomous coral snakes. One of the mnemonic rhymes to help people distinguish between the coral snake and its nonvenomous lookalikes in the United States is "Red on black, friend of Jack; red on yellow, kill a fellow." Other variations include "Red on yellow kill a fellow. Red on black venom lack." and "Yellow, red, stop!", referencing the order of traffic lights. Both mnemonics apply only to coral snakes native to North America: Micrurus fulvius, Micrurus tener, and Micruroides euryxanthus, found in the southeastern and southwestern United States. Coral snakes found in other parts of the world can have distinctly different patterns, have red bands touching black bands, have only pink and blue bands, or have no bands at all.
Taxonomy
reclassification of the kingsnakes is an ongoing process and different sources often disagree, one source granting full species status to a group of these snakes that another source considers a subspecies group. In the case of Lampropeltis catalinensis, for example, only a single specimen exists, so classification is not necessarily finite. In addition, hybridization between species with overlapping geographic ranges is not uncommon, confusing taxonomists further.
Predators
Kingsnakes are often preyed upon by large vertebrates, such as birds of prey. Tarantulas also sometimes prey on them.
