Genic Similarity in the Gray and Brown Color Morphs of the Snake Storeria occipitomaculata

• Published in: Journal of herpetology Vol. 25; no. 1; pp. 90 - 92
• Main Authors: Grudzien, Thaddeus A., Owens, Paul J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Saint Louis, MO Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles 01-03-1991
• Subjects: Alleles; Animal morphology; Biological and medical sciences; Electrophoresis; Evolution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene flow; Gene frequency; Genetic loci; Genetic variation; Lizards; Snakes; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution; North America; America; Vertebrata; Similarity; Color; Electrophoresis; Reptilia; Genetic distance; Ophidia; Polymorphism
• ISSN: 0022-1511; 1937-2418
• DOI: 10.2307/1564799

The red-bellied snake is a small natricine found in eastern North America. Two distinct dorsal color morphs occur sympatrically, light charcoal gray or medium brown. Natural populations vary in the proportion of brown and gray individuals, but there is no color variation within or integration between them. The disjunct nature of the morphs might be the result of positive assortative mating. If assortative mating occurred, decreased gene flow would tend to isolate newly acquired mutations within each morph. Should a fixed allelic difference be found between the morphs, lack of gene flow would be demonstrated. The purpose of this study was to use allozyme electrophoresis to investigate the possibility of morph-specific mating in Storeria occipitomaculata .