Average ventral scale counts were slightly higher in females (233.4 ± 7.3, 214-272, n = 50) than in males Relative to total length was higher in males (ave. Males attained longer total lengths (to 2,028 mm) than females (to 1,884 mm). Sexual Dimorphism: There are no sexual differences in color or pattern. The body in imaginary cross section is shaped like Portion of venter of neck plain white white pigment also occurs on lower half of Pattern in younger individuals chin and anterior Gray in older adults but a black-and-white pepper Ventral pattern fades posteriorly becoming all With pink replacing white in some individuals Pattern incompletely obscured (see below) venter with an irregular black-and-whiteĬhecker-board pattern interspersed with black smudges, N = 229), 2+2/2+3 (13.1%), 2+2/2+2 (10.5%), 2+4/ 2+3 (10.0%), or other combinations of 1-3/2-6 (14./4%).Ĭoloration and Pattern: Body uniformly blackĭorsally in adults some individuals with faintīlack stripes on a gray-black body or with juvenile =ģ12.1 ± 9.3, n = 201) dorsal scales smooth laterally and weakly keeled middorsally, scale Snout-vent length (SVL) is 1,710 mm (67.3 in.) and maximum total length is 2,028 mm (79.8 in.). Known total length of 2,565 mm (101.0 inches) (Conant and Collins, 1991). alleghaniensis is the only species found in Virginia.ĭescription: A large, stout snake reaching a maximum Monogr.ġ5: 1–53) and mitochondrial data (Burbrink et al., 2000, Evolution 54: 2107–2118), Burbrinkĭivided P. Based on the congruence of morphological (Burbrink, 2001, Herpetol. Obsoletus was used for this species by Hay (1902), following The name was laterĬonsidered a junior synonym of E.

Others from New York and the Carolina mountains were the first Eastern Ratsnakes he saw that The Blue Ridge in Virginia.' This specimen and In 1836, Holbrook described Coluber alleghaniensis from a specimen found 'on the summit of To use the genus Elaphe for this species but spelled River.' Schmidt (1953) restricted the type locality 'Isle au Vache to Council Bluffs on the Missouri Thomas Say in 1823 from a specimen collected at Systematics: Originally described as Coluber

Black snake with white stripes