Mole snake

About the Mole snake

Lampropeltis rhombomaculata, commonly known as the mole kingsnake or the brown kingsnake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. It is a relatively medium-sized snake that occupies a variety of habitats from Baltimore, Maryland, south through the Florida Panhandle and west into Mississippi and Tennessee.

The mole kingsnake is found in the southeastern United States, but is absent from the Appalachian Mountains. Their home-range stretches from Maryland down to Florida and west to Mississippi. The generic name, Lampropeltis, is derived from Greek Lampros, meaning "shiny", and pelta, meaning "shield", likely in reference to the genus' smooth and shiny dorsal scales. The specific name, rhomomaculata, is a combination of the Greek word rhombos and Latin maculata to form "rhombus spotted", referring to the 52 rhomboidical dorsal blotches described in the species.

Lampropeltis rhombomaculata is generally light brown or gray in color, with dark brown, orange, or reddish-brown blotching down the length of its body. It is capable of growing to a total length (including tail) of 30–40 inches (76.2–101.6 cm). It is easily mistaken... Wikipedia →