Tantilla relicta
Telford, 1966
tan-TILL-ah — reh-LIK-tuh
SSAR 9th Edition Comments:
Schrey et al. (2015, Journal of Herpetology 49: 415–419), using mtDNA data, found a genetic, north-South split in mid-peninsular populations.
(Boundy, Jeff, Frank T. Burbrink, and Sara Ruane. 2025. Squamata (excluding lizards) – Snakes. Pages 38-54 in Kirsten E. Nicholson (Editor), Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding, 9th Edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Lawrence, Kansas. 87 pp.)
Errata/Changes: Page 52: "north-South" should be "north-south". — (4/10/2025)
Range maps are based on curated specimens and provided gratis by CNAH.
(Created by Travis W. Taggart; Version: 2023.04.10.13.42.11)
Download GeoJSON polygon range file: - 0.2 MB
Taxonomic Etymology:
A relict species believed to be isolated from other populations.
Tantilla — A diminutive form of Tantillus, itself likely derived from Latin tantus, meaning “so small” or “so little.” The name refers to the small size of these snakes.
relicta — From Latin relictus, meaning “left behind” or “abandoned.” Refers to its relictual distribution—geographically isolated in peninsular Florida, possibly a remnant of a once wider range.
First instance(s) of published English names:
No historic English names have been assigned to this taxon yet.
Catalog of American Amphibians and Reptiles
The Reptile Database
GenBank
USGS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database
Selected References:
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1938
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Blanchard, Frank N. Snakes of the genus Tantilla in the United States. Zoological Series of the Field Museum of Natural History 20(28):369-376
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1966
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Telford, Sam R., Jr. Variation among the southeastern crowned snakes, genus Tantilla. Bulletin of the Florida State Museum, Biological Sciences 10(7):261-304
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1980
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Telford, Sam R., Jr. Tantilla relicta. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles (257):1-2
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1982
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Wilson, Larry David. Tantilla. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles (307):1-4
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1991
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Collins, Joseph T. Viewpoint: A new taxonomic arrangement for some North American amphibins and reptiles Herpetological Review 22(2):42-43
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2014
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Crother, Brian I. The bold taxonomic hypotheses of Collins (1991): 23 years later. Herpetological Review 45(2):268-272
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2015
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Schrey, Aaron W., R. Kyle Evans, Megan Netherland, Kyle G. Ashton, Henry R. Mushinsky, and Earl D. McCoy. Phylogeography of the Peninsula Crowned Snake (Tantilla relicta relicta) on the Lake Wales Ridge in Central Florida. Journal of Herpetology 49(3):415-419
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