Meeting Abstract
Color is used in a variety of ways by animals, from sexual selection to crypsis and warning coloration. Color variation within a species allows for a species to adapt to the environment and can be a major driver of speciation, as is reported for the western ribbon snake (Thamnophis proximus). The four recognized subspecies in Texas are distinguished by their color patterns and geographic distribution: western (T.p. proximus), gulf coast (T.p. orarius), arid land (T.p. diabolicus) and red stripe (T.p. rubirilineatus). The color morphs reportedly interbreed which suggests that the subspecies are not reproductively isolated based on color. Many color combinations exist outside of the four variations that are currently defined. To understand which mechanisms might be driving the geographic pattern of color morphs in Texas, we first need to have a solid understanding of the current geographic distribution of the various morphs. Using citizen science data from iNaturalist.com and recorded field observations of the color morphs, we remapped the current range of color morphs and quantified their geographic overlap using ArcGIS software. Analyzing this geographic distribution provides a foundation to explore potential environmental factors as mechanisms driving the persistence of multiple color morphs. Furthermore the current distribution of the defined morphs no longer matches the previous known distributions. Updated maps and color combinations provide a chance to look at changes in the distribution of the various color morphs both spatially and temporally.
