Coloration

Coloration:

Head: Gray-bands have a well define head with large protuberant eyes. Usually a post-ocular stripe is evident, although it is greatly reduced in some alterna morph specimens. Head color ranges from black tipped, or speckled, to nearly black, or rarely entirely gray.

Dorsal: L. alterna is a highly variable species that sometimes boasts outrageous combinations of bizarre patterned and brilliantly colored specimens. Despite the fact that some animals are clearly intermediate between the "Blair" and "Alterna" morphs, this terminology is still used to describe these reptiles because the variations of color and pattern can be so dramatic that they defy descriptions of any other generalized form. "Blairi" or the wide banded morph refers to the form with large orange saddles and relatively few or no alternate markings, and "alterna" morph refers to the form with reduced primary markings that may or may not be split with orange or red and usually accompanied by alternate markings. "Dark" or "light" phase refers to the general tone of the ground color, which is a highly variable shade of gray.

Ventral: Ventral patterns are equally variable ranging from no pattern (almost white) to almost entirely black, or mottled black and white.