This is my first KS blog, so forgive any potentially awkward composition.

Two years ago, I obtained a beautiful young adult corn that was captured in 2007 in South Carolina. I bought it with the hope its phenotype would reproducible, and this year, I was excited to hatch more of these beautiful mutants in F2 productions.



They obviously resemble leucistic mutants found in other serpent species (overall white and pigment-less coloration with silver/blue irises), with the exception of the random displays of color. It appears that there are several different expressions of color (some color splashes are not relegated to individual scales, some scales exhibit one color that is confined to that scale, some scales have a smoky gray "shadow" margin, and some scales have many colors that appear to be expressed in more than one way). The latter-mentioned scales exhibit heavily color-saturated specks with sharp profiles, while - often in the same scale - color smudges have indistinct and fading profiles. The random distribution of color areas renders a pleasing and interesting aggregate. Of course, shocking white serpents with dark eyes have always impressed most snake lovers.



The hatchlings average 5 grams in weight, and 8.9" (23cm) in length -- the extremes of which are 8.1" to 9.6" (21-25cm) and 4-6 grams. Scale counts are more appropriate for the Cornsnake Pantherophis guttatus species than the only other suspect species found in South Carolina, the Black Rat Snake Pantherophis obsoletus - though these two cousin species have some overlapping scale count zones. Head shape is not like that of the Black Rat - in that the jaw/neck intersection is not pronounced. Demeanor of the hatchlings - as well as that of the only known adult - is remarkably and utterly mild, in so much as not one single specimen has ever struck or otherwise shown any human intolerance (the opposite predominant temperament of the Black Rat species). Other features that distinguish the Palmetto as being a pure corn snake are semen color and a cross-cut body profile more cornsnake-like, regarding its more rounded ventral keel. There is no doubt in my mind that the demonstrated characteristics of all the Palmettos reproduced (and of the only adult specimen) point to this mutation being purely cornsnake. The odds of a NEW leucistic rat snake variation consistently exhibiting so many color anomalies existing in the wild OR in captivity is rare enough, but the notion that such a heretofore unseen and unique mutant variation suddenly entering herpetoculture in the form of a cornsnake, surely decreases the likelihood of this being an inter-species hybrid between Black Rat Snake and Cornsnake. The seven people that I know have handled the adult all instantly discounted the possibility of it being a rat snake. I only emphasize these observations because hybridization between species (and genera) in our hobby is so prevalent lately, it is inherent for someone to suspect that ANY new snake phenotype that is dramatically atypical for one species - could be a man-made, inter-species (or inter-genera) hybrid.



Suffice to say, we're excited about this latest - and most unusually colored - cornsnake mutation, and we hope you will agree that the Palmetto rivals even the most astonishingly beautiful boa and python mutants in herpetoculture.