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Pituophis ruthveni STULL, 1929

IUCN Red List - Pituophis ruthveni - Endangered, EN
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Higher TaxaColubridae, Colubrinae, Lampropeltini, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Louisiana Pine Snake 
SynonymPituophis ruthveni STULL 1929: 1
Pituophis melanoleucus ruthveni — STULL 1940: 74
Pituophis catenifer ruthveni — FUGLER 1955: 24
Pituophis ruthveni — CONANT 1956: 28
Pituophis melanoleucus ruthveni — CONANT & COLLINS 1991: 203
Pituophis ruthveni — CROTHER 2000
Pituophis ruthveni — RUDOLPH et al. 2006
Pituophis ruthveni — WALLACH et al. 2014: 562 
DistributionUSA (Louisiana, E Texas, introduced to Florida)

Type locality: “Longleaf, Louisiana” = Rapides Parrish  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesHolotype: USNM 76278, a 1520 mm male (W. D. Harris, 24 March 1927). 
DiagnosisAdditional details, e.g. a detailed description or comparisons (418 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. 
CommentThis is a critically endangered rare species.

Principal component and discriminant-function analyses performed by Reichling (1995) indicate that ruthveni has diverged from the eastern species P. melanoleucus and is more closely related to P. sayi, suggesting an independent evolutionary pathway. In addition, no evidence exists of intergradation with the
nearest eastern populations of P. m. lodingi (Ernst & Ernst 2003). 
EtymologyNamed after Alexander Grant Ruthven (1882-1971), American herpetologist, and former president of the University of Michigan. 
References
  • Adams, C. S., J. B. Pierce, D. C. Rudolph, W. A. Ryberg, and T. J. Hibbitts. 2017. Pituophis ruthveni. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles (910): 1-16 - get paper here
  • Adams, Connor S.; Josh B. Pierce, D. Craig Rudolph, Wade A. Ryberg and Toby J. Hibbitts 2018. Resolving Questionable Records of Pituophis ruthveni (Louisiana Pinesnake). Southeastern Naturalist 17 (2):286-292 - get paper here
  • Beolens, Bo; Michael Watkins, and Michael Grayson 2011. The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, USA - get paper here
  • BROUSSARD, ALYSSA A.; JUSTIN D. HOFFMAN, EDDIE K. LYONS & FREDERICK LEMIEUX. 2022. Comparison of the Relative Abundance of Potential Prey to the Diet of the Louisiana Pine Snake (Pituophis ruthveni). Southeastern Naturalist 21(2): 93–106. - get paper here
  • Conant, Roger 1956. A review of two rare pine snakes from the Gulf Coastal Plain. American Museum Novitates (1781): 1-31 - get paper here
  • Conant,R. & Collins,J.T. 1991. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern/Central North America, 3rd ed. Houghton Mifflin (Boston/New York), xx + 450 p.
  • Crother, B. I. (ed.) 2012. Standard Common and Current Scientific Names for North American Amphibians, Turtles, Reptiles, and Crocodilians, Seventh Edition. Herpetological Circular 39: 1-92
  • Dixon, James R. 2000. Amphibians and reptiles of Texas, second edition. Texas A&M University Press, 421 pp.
  • Dundee, H.A., & Rossman, D.A. 1989. The amphibians and reptiles of Louisiana. Louisiana St. Univ. Press, Baton Rouge 300 pp.
  • Ealy, M.J., R.R. Fleet, and D.C. Rudolph 2004. Diel activity patterns of the Louisiana Pine Snake, Pituophis ruthveni. Texas Journal of Science 56:383–394 - get paper here
  • Fugler, Charles M. 1955. New locality records for the Louisiana pine snake, Pituophis catenifer ruthveni Stull. Herpetologica 11: 24 - get paper here
  • Hill, R L; Taylor, A; Niesen, T; Roe, C & Porter, S; 2019. Pituophis ruthveni (Louisiana Pine Snake) Twinning. Herpetological Review 50 (1): 88 - get paper here
  • Himes, J.G., L.M. Hardy, D.C. Rudolph, and S.J. Burgdorf 2006. Movement patterns and habitat selection by native and repatriated Louisiana Pine Snakes (Pituophis ruthveni): Implications for conservation. Herpetological Natural History 9: 103–116 - get paper here
  • Himes, J.G., L.M. Hardy, D.C. Rudolph, and S.J. Burgdorf 2006. Body temperature variations of the Louisiana Pine Snake (Pituophis ruthveni) in a longleaf pine ecosystem. Herpetological Natural History 9: 117–126.
  • Himes, J.G., L.M. Hardy, D.C. Rudolph, and S.J. Burgdorf. 2002. Growth rates and mortality of the Louisiana Pine Snake (Pituophis ruthveni). Journal of Herpetology 36 (4): 683–687 - get paper here
  • HNKSON, K. M., E. SMITH, S. REICHLING, J. PIERCE, C. RUDOLPH, M. KWIATKOWSKI, D. CASTELLANOS, G. HENLEY, D. BARBER, AND R. W. MENDYK 2020. Pituophis ruthveni (Louisiana Pinesnake). Reproduction In Repatriated Population. Herpetological Review 51: 625-626.
  • Klauber, L. M. 1941. Variations and relationships in the snakes of the genus Pituophis. Copeia 1941 (1): 57-60 - get paper here
  • Krysko KL, Smith DC, Rochford MR, Kieckhefer III GN, Nuñez LP. 2014. Confirmation of introduced Louisiana pinesnakes, Pituophis ruthveni, in Florida based on molecular analyses. Amphibian & Reptile Conservation 8 (2): 36–43
  • Mitchell, R. W.; Tinkle, D. W. 1960. Another Texas record for the Louisiana pine snake, Pituophis melanoleucus ruthveni Stull. Herpetologica 16: 143-144 - get paper here
  • Pierce, Josh B., D. Craig Rudolph, Beau Gregory and Christopher A. Melder. 2014. Pituophis ruthveni (Louisiana pinesnake) growth rates. Herpetological Review 45 (3): 519 - get paper here
  • Pierce, Josh B., D. Craig Rudolph, Christopher A. Melder and Beau B. Gregory. 2016. Pituophis ruthveni (Louisiana Pinesnake) Reproduction / Breeding phenology. Herpetological Review 47 (2): 315 - get paper here
  • Pyron, R.Alexander; Frank T. Burbrink 2009. Neogene diversification and taxonomic stability in the snake tribe Lampropeltini (Serpentes: Colubridae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 52 (2): 524-529 - get paper here
  • Reichling, S. B. 1995. The taxonomic status of the Louisiana pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus ruthveni) and ist relevance to the evolutionary species concept. Journal of Herpetology 29 (2): 186-198 - get paper here
  • Reichling, S.B. 1990. Reproductive traits of the Louisiana Pine Snake Pituophis melanoleucus ruthveni (Serpentes: Colubridae). Southwestern Naturalist 35: 221–222 - get paper here
  • Riemer, William J. 1958. Longitudinal striping as a pattern modification in the snake Pituophis melanoleucus. Natural History Miscellanea (165): 1-9
  • Rodríguez-Robles,J.A. & De Jesús-Escobar,J.M. 2000. Molecular Systematics of New World Gopher, Bull, and Pinesnakes (Pituophis: Colubridae), a transcontinental Species Complex. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 14 (1): 35-50 - get paper here
  • Rudolph, D C; Pierce, J B & Koerth, N E; 2018. The Louisiana pinesnake (Pituophis ruthveni): at risk of extinction? Herpetological Review 49 (4): 609-619 - get paper here
  • Rudolph, D. C., Melder, C. A., Pierce, J., Schaefer, R. R. & Gregory, B. 2012. Diet of the Louisiana pine snake (Pituophis ruthveni). Herpetological Review 43: 243-245 - get paper here
  • Rudolph, D. Craig; Shirley J. Burgdorf, Richard R. Schaefer, Richard N. Conner, and Ricky W. Maxey 2006. Status of Pituophis ruthveni (Louisiana Pine Snake). Southeastern Naturalist 5 (3): 463-472 - get paper here
  • Rudolph, D.C., R.R. Schaefer, S.J. Burgdorf, M. Duran & R.N. Conner 2007. Pine Snake (Pituophis ruthveni and Pituophis melanoleucus lodingi) Hibernacula Journal of Herpetology 41 (4): 560-565. - get paper here
  • Smith, Hobart M.;Kennedy, J. P. 1951. Pituophis melanoleucus ruthveni in eastern Texas and its bearing on the status of P. catenifer. Herpetologica 7 (3): 93-96 - get paper here
  • Stull, O.G. 1929. The description of a new subspecies of Pituophis melanoleucus from Louisiana. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology University of Michigan, No. 205: 1-3 - get paper here
  • Stull, Olive Griffith 1940. Variations and relationships in the snakes of the genus Pituophis. Bull. US Natl. Mus. (175): 1-225 - get paper here
  • Stull, Olive Griffth 1932. An annotated list of the forms of the genus Pituophis. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan (250): 1-5 - get paper here
  • Tennant, A. 2003. Snakes of North America - Eastern and Central Regions, revised edition. Lone Star Books, 605 pp.
  • Tennant, A. & Bartlett, R.D. 2000. Snakes of North America - Eastern and Central Regions. Gulf Publishing, Houston, TX, 588 pp.
  • Thomas,R.A.; Davis,B.J. & Culbertson,M.R. 1976. Notes on variation and range of the Louisiana Pine Snake, Pituophis melanoleucus ruthveni Stull (Reptilia, Serpentes, Colubridae). Journal of Herpetology 10: 252-254 - get paper here
  • Wallach, Van; Kenneth L. Williams , Jeff Boundy 2014. Snakes of the World: A Catalogue of Living and Extinct Species. [type catalogue] Taylor and Francis, CRC Press, 1237 pp.
  • Weidler, J M 2019. Protected areas of Texas in relation to Texas reptiles. Herpetological Review 50 (3): 462-473 - get paper here
  • Werler, John E. & James R. Dixon 2000. Texas Snakes. University of Texas Press, 544 pages
  • Williams, Avery A.;Cordes, James E. 1996. Geographic Distribution. Pituophis ruthveni. Herpetological Review 27 (1): 35 - get paper here
  • Young, R.A., and T.L. Vandeventer 1988. Recent observations on the Louisiana Pine Snake, Pituophis melanoleucus ruthveni (Stull). Bull. Chicago Herp. Soc. 23:203–207. - get paper here
 
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