[1][3] The species was described by Frank N. Blanchard in 1920 and named after American herpetologist Alexander Grant Ruthven.

The red is always very vivid, and the black banding is relatively thick compared to that of the other Mexican kingsnakes.

[5] L. ruthveni is found in the Mexican states of Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Michoacán, and Querétaro.

It is collected for the international pet trade (sometimes illegally), and also habitat loss (deforestation) is a threat.

[1] Its preference for steep rocky hillsides is believed to protect some populations from encroaching agriculture, but the range as a whole is extremely fragmented.