Amphibians and Reptiles of Eastern Quebec

Abstract

Males possess distinct supra-anal keels. Of the total number of specimens examined (81), 29 (35.8%o) are males. COMPARISONs.-The character of the light bars on the neck, in my opinion, is of the greatest value in defining the subspecies. In the number of tail bars, 90.5 percent of the abacura males have 13 or more, while 81 percent of the reinwardtii males have 12 or less; 68.4 percent of the abacura females have 11 or more, while 9.5 percent of the reinwardtii females have 10 or less. The total overlap in either sex is considerably less than 20 percent. The differences between the markings of the young are most striking. The young of abacura have numerous complete or nearly complete light rings encircling the body, while the young of reinwardtii are like the adults of the same subspecies. INTERGRADES.-Only one specimen, which is referred to reinwardtii, have I considered an intergrade. This specimen (Cornell Univ. No. 1108) is fronr Auburn, Alabama. Another specimen from the same locality (Cornell Univ. No. 1107) is typical abacura. In the intergrade, the anterior light bars, except that immediately behind head, are very broad. However, they extend far toward the middorsum, separated from each other by only four or five scale rows. The extreme anterior light band is narrow, pointed, and lacks but three scale rows of being complete dorsally. DISTRIBUTION.-Extre e western Florida northward in the lowlands to southern Indiana and southeastern Missouri; westward along the coast to about the 97th meridian (Fig. 1).