Species Hierarchy
Kingdom ANIMAL (ANIMALIA)
Phylum BACKBONED ANIMALS (CHORDATA)
Class REPTILES (REPTILIA)
Order LIZARDS AND SNAKES (SQUAMATA)
Family SNAKES (COLUBRIDAE)
SubFamily SNAKES - COLUBRIDS - NORTH AMERICA (COLUBRIDAE - NEARCTIC)
Common name: KINGSNAKE - COMMON CALIFORNIA
Scentific name: LAMPROPELTIS GETULUS CALIFORNIAE

HABITAT VIEW
Location: CALIFORNIA, USA

Species Info:

This lifeform is found from north-central California south to San Diego. This lifeform is found in Mexico. This lifeform is common in suitable environments.

Kingsnakes (Lampropeltis getulus) are found from Virginia and Florida west to California and south into Mexico. This is the subspecies californiae which is found in Arizona, southern Nevada, and much of California. This snake is also found in Baja California. This subspecies has alternate dark (black or brown or dark purple) and light (white or yellow) bands.

Lampropeltis genus (king snakes and milk snakes) contains eight species native to the New World. Seven of these species occur in North America. This genus includes many colorful snakes with ring patterns.

Family Colubridae contains the vast majority (70% of all snakes) of the world's species of snakes. The number is estimated to be over 1,850 and possibly up to 2,500.

Lizards and Snakes (Squamata Order) share many common characteristics and consequently they are grouped in a single order. There are greater differences between some groups of lizards than there are between other groups of lizards and snakes. The same is true of snakes. Lizards and snakes share a common skull shape.

Reptiles (Class Reptilia) are an ancient group of scaled  chordates. These scales may be permanently joined, as in the  turtles, or flexible, as in the snakes. Reptiles are land-based. Their eggs are laid on land and the young are air breathing.

Backboned Animals (Phylum Chordata) are the most advanced group of animals on earth. These animals are characterized by having a spinal cord or backbone. Most members have a clearly defined brain that controls the organism through a spinal cord. Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are in this phylum.

Currently, some taxonomists believe that the fish should be divided into two groups (sharks and regular fishes) and that there are some other primitive groups in the phylum such as hagfish or lampreys.

Animal Kingdom contains numerous organisms that feed on other animals or plants. Included in the animal kingdom are the lower marine invertebrates such as sponges and corals, the jointed legged animals such as insects and spiders, and the backboned animals such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

 

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SNAKE - FOX
ELAPHE VULPINA
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KINGSNAKE - MEXICAN BLACK
LAMPROPELTIS GETULUS NIGRITUS
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LAMPROPELTIS GETULUS ALBINO
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MASTICOPHIS FLAGELLUM PICEUS
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