Kenneth L. Williams
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Lee Williams is a herpetologist and author of books on the subject of snake biology and classification. Williams retired from teaching in the Biology department of Northwestern State University
and received emeritus status in 2001. Williams is considered an authority on the milk snake
and the herpetology of the Honduran Cloud Forest.
Williams was born in Saybrook
, Illinois
, and served one tour of duty with the U.S. Army after high school. He received his bachelor's degree
and Masters
from the University of Illinois, and he received his doctorate
from Louisiana State University
in 1970. After teaching at Tulane University
in New Orleans and Millikin University
in Decatur, Illinois
, Williams came to Northwestern State University in 1966 as an assistant professor. He attained full professor status there in 1976.
During his career, he specialized in studying the milk snake .
In 1988, he published a book identifying 25 sub-species of Milk Snakes and which is considered seminal and cited by most papers on Milk Snakes.
Together with Hobart Muir Smith, he discovered a new snake species in Mexico
in the Geophis genus. They also identified the Southeastern Canyon Lizard subspecies of the Canyon Lizard
in 1960. In 1966 he co-discovered the Texas Scarlet Snake
. In 1968 he identified Cnemidophorus inornatus paululus, a subspecies of the Little Striped Whiptail
. He is also credited with the identification of the following Milk Snake subspecies in 1978: Andean Milksnake
, Conant's Milksnake, Honduran Milksnake
, Sinaloan Milksnake
, Smith's Milksnake, and Stuart's Milksnake.
Williams has concluded from his research that Lampropeltis triangulum temporalis are intermediate between the scarlet kingsnake
and the eastern milksnake and that therefore, these so called Coastal Plains phase milksnakes are intergrades and thus not a proper scientific designation.
In 2000, the species patronym Sceloporus merriami
williamsi was named to honor Williams for being a specialist in snake classification and the herpetology of Honduras
and Mexico.
Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University, known as NSU, is a four-year public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the University of Louisiana System.NSU was founded in 1884 as...
and received emeritus status in 2001. Williams is considered an authority on the milk snake
Milk Snake
The milk snake or milksnake is a species of king snake. There are 25 subspecies among the milk snakes, including the commonly named scarlet kingsnake...
and the herpetology of the Honduran Cloud Forest.
Williams was born in Saybrook
Saybrook, Illinois
Saybrook is a village in southeast McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 693 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, and served one tour of duty with the U.S. Army after high school. He received his bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
and Masters
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
from the University of Illinois, and he received his doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
from Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
in 1970. After teaching at Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
in New Orleans and Millikin University
Millikin University
Millikin University is an American co-educational, comprehensive, private, four-year university with traditional undergraduate programs in arts and sciences, business, fine arts, and professional studies, as well as non-traditional, adult degree-completion programs and graduate programs in...
in Decatur, Illinois
Decatur, Illinois
Decatur is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city, sometimes called "the Soybean Capital of the World", was founded in 1823 and is located along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Central Illinois. In 2000 the city population was 81,500,...
, Williams came to Northwestern State University in 1966 as an assistant professor. He attained full professor status there in 1976.
Work
Over the 35 years at Northwestern State University he authored or co-authored 147 professional publications and received both NSU's Distinguished Faculty Award and their Alumni Association's Excellence in Teaching Award.During his career, he specialized in studying the milk snake .
In 1988, he published a book identifying 25 sub-species of Milk Snakes and which is considered seminal and cited by most papers on Milk Snakes.
Together with Hobart Muir Smith, he discovered a new snake species in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
in the Geophis genus. They also identified the Southeastern Canyon Lizard subspecies of the Canyon Lizard
Sceloporus merriami
The canyon lizard is a species of phrynosomatid lizard native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico...
in 1960. In 1966 he co-discovered the Texas Scarlet Snake
Cemophora coccinea lineri
The Texas scarlet snake is a subspecies of nonvenomous colubrid snake native to the United States. The epithet lineri is in honor of American zoologist Ernest A. Liner, who collected the first specimen in 1963....
. In 1968 he identified Cnemidophorus inornatus paululus, a subspecies of the Little Striped Whiptail
Cnemidophorus inornatus
The Little Striped Whiptail is a species of lizard found in the United States, in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, and in northern Mexico in Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, and Nuevo León...
. He is also credited with the identification of the following Milk Snake subspecies in 1978: Andean Milksnake
Lampropeltis triangulum andesiana
The Andean Milksnake, Lampropeltis triangulum andesiana, is an alpine subspecies of milk snake. These colorful snakes are covered in stripes of red, black, and yellow, often with black speckles on each scale. At up to long, this is one of the two largest subspecies of milk snake.-Range:Milk...
, Conant's Milksnake, Honduran Milksnake
Lampropeltis triangulum hondurensis
The Honduran milk snake is an egg laying species of non-venomous colubrid snake. It is one of the more commonly bred milk snakes in captivity and is one of the larger milksnakes reaching a length of 5 feet.-Taxonomy:...
, Sinaloan Milksnake
Lampropeltis triangulum sinaloae
The Sinaloan milk snake is an egg laying species of non-venomous colubrid snake. It is one of the most commonly bred milk snakes in captivity. It is a fairly docile species and will rarely bite. If handled, it will discharge a pungent smelling exudate from the cloaca as a warning...
, Smith's Milksnake, and Stuart's Milksnake.
Williams has concluded from his research that Lampropeltis triangulum temporalis are intermediate between the scarlet kingsnake
Scarlet Kingsnake
The Scarlet kingsnake is a species of kingsnake found in the southeastern and eastern portions of the United States. They are found in pine flatwoods hardwood hammocks, prairies, cultivated fields, and suburban areas...
and the eastern milksnake and that therefore, these so called Coastal Plains phase milksnakes are intergrades and thus not a proper scientific designation.
In 2000, the species patronym Sceloporus merriami
Sceloporus merriami
The canyon lizard is a species of phrynosomatid lizard native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico...
williamsi was named to honor Williams for being a specialist in snake classification and the herpetology of Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
and Mexico.