Sonoran mountain kingsnake

Description

This snake is medium sized with a maximum length of 105 cm, although the majority are much shorter. It is cylindrical with a very broad head. The two back teeth of the maxilla are normally longer and sharper than the rest. The snout is white or yellowish with some black spots. The head has a large black area covering the eyes. The dorsal pattern consists of pairs of black-yellow-black rings separated by more than 40 white rings. The black bands often disappear on the flanks. Scales are flat and there are 23 to 25 rows of scales at the middle of the body and 210 ventral scales. The anal scale is not divided.
Four subspecies are distinguished, distributed throughout North America: L.p. infralabialis, found in northern Arizona, central Utah and eastern Nevada; L.p. knoblochi, in the Mexican region of Mojarachic Chihuahua; L.p. pyromelana, in Chihuahua and Sonora, Mexico, and Arizona, and L.p. woodini, restricted to the Huachuca Mountains, southern Arizona and the border area with Mexico.
They tend to be found in mountainous regions. They inhabit areas at heights between 1000 and 2700 m, in pine, fir and juniper forests and chaparrals.  They frequent flowing waters and tend to be found close to piles of rocks, where they can hide. They have also been found in prairies, normally next to watercourses. They prefer hotter climates than other similar colubrids.
They are discrete, preferring to come out in the first hours of the day or at twilight. They are active from the end of April until the end of September. Surface activity seems to increase after rains.
They feed on lizards, small mammals and probably other snakes, which they kill by constriction. The reproductive period tends to start at the beginning of April and finish at the end of May. Copulation lasts less than 5 minutes. The egg formation period lasts about two months, with clutches from 3 to 6 eggs. In captivity at 27 degrees, the eggs hatch after some 70 days.
They are the prey of mammals and birds of prey and humans hunt them, mistaking them for coral snakes. Many are smashed by cars on roads and uncontrolled collection has made their numbers shrink.