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Conservation Messaging Opportunities
Conservation Messaging Opportunities
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Physical features
Physical features
A mole kingsnake can be from 75 to 100 cm (about 30-40 inches) long.
Light/dark brown to reddish color with a row of reddish brown elliptical spots down the entire length of the dorsum. Many specimens are an olive color with indistinct blotches.
Range and Habitat
Range and Habitat
Range – Eastern United States
Habitat – Oak and pine forests, woodlands, grasslands
Diet: Carnivore
Diet: Carnivore
Wild – Lizards, rodents, other snakes
Zoo – Mice, rats, quail chicks
Lifespan
Lifespan
Wild – 10-15 years
Zoo – 14-20 years
Reproduction
Reproduction
Females lay from 3-13 eggs in moist, loamy soil.
Mating takes place during the Spring
Young are about 12- 17 cm long and are often more boldly marked than adults.
Conservation: Not Evaluated
Conservation: Not Evaluated
This species appears to be stable throughout most of its range, although it is not very commonly encountered due to its secretive nature.
Some populations have declined due to intense habitat disturbance.
Interpretive Information
Interpretive Information
The mole kingsnake is a nocturnal, burrowing snake and is rarely seen.
The mole kingsnake was recently recognized as a distinct species ranging from southern Mississippi to the Florida panhandle and northwards through the Piedmont and Appalachian foothills of the eastern U.S.
References
References
Hammerson, G.A. 2007. Lampropeltis calligaster. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2007: e.T63826A12719786. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T63826A12719786.en. Accessed on 13 November 2023.
McKelvy, A. D., and F. T. Burbrink. "Ecological divergence in the yellow-bellied kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster) at two North American biodiversity hotspots." Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 106 (2017): 61-72.
Mole Kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster rhombomaculata). (n.d.). Retrieved January 26, 2015, from http://www.wildlifenorthamerica.com/Reptile/Mole-Kingsnake/Lampropeltis/calligaster-rhombomaculata.html
Mole Kingsnake. (2007, October 3). Retrieved January 26, 2015, from http://www.chattnaturecenter.org/includes/wildlife/factsheets/MoleKingsnake.pdf
Oguni, J. (n.d.). Mole Kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster). Retrieved January 26, 2015, from http://srelherp.uga.edu/snakes/lamcal.htm
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Updated September 2024
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