Rat snake

Rat snake

Taxobox
name = Colubrids



image_width = 240px
image_caption = A yellow rat snake
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
subphylum = Vertebrata
classis = Sauropsida
subclassis = Diapsida
infraclassis = Lepidosauromorpha
superordo = Lepidosauria
ordo = Squamata
infraordo = Serpentes
familia = Colubridae

Rat snakes are a large, polyphyletic, group of snakes from the Colubrid subfamily Colubrinae. Many species tend to be very skittish and sometimes aggressive but the genus is nonvenomous and bites are usually superficial. A variety of species like "Elaphe guttata guttata" are known for the ease with which they are tamed and are common in the pet trade. There is considerable variation between different types of rat snake but most are medium to large, rodent eating snakes.

Previously most were assigned to the genus "Elaphe" but many have been since renamed. The validity of some genera is debatable but for the purpose of this article a more liberal taxonomic stance will be taken. Rat snakes have traditionally been divided into two groups, New World and Old World species.

Examples of snakes found in the "Elaphe" include:

*"Elaphe bairdi (Baird's rat snake)"
*"Elaph bimaculata (Twin-spotted rat snake)"
*"Elaphe carinata (King rat snake)"
*"Elaphe climacophora (Japanese rat snake)"
*"Elaph conspicillata (Japanese forest rat snake)"
*"Elaphe davidi (David's rat snake)"
*"Elaphe dione (Dione's rat snake)"
*"Elaphe emoryi (Great Plains rat snake)"
*"Elaphe erythrura (Philippine rat snake)"
*"Elaphe flavirufa (Mexican night snake)"
*"Elaphe flavolineata (Yellow-striped rat snake)"
*"Elaphe gloydi (Eastern fox snake)"
*"Elaphe guttata (Corn snake)"
*"Elaphe helena (Trinket snake)"
*"Elaphe hohenacker (Transcaucasian rat snake)"
*"Elaphe leonardi (Leonard's rat snake)"
*"Striped Aesculapian rat snake"
*"Elaphe longissima (Aesculapian snake)"
*"Elaphe maculata"
*"Elaphe mandarina (Mandarin rat snake)"
*"Elaphe moellendorfi (flower snake)"
*"Elaphe obsoleta (Black rat snake)"
*"Elaphe perlacea (Pearl-banded rat snake)"
*"Elaphe persica (Persian rat snake)"
*"Elaph porphyracea (Black-banded trinket snake)"
*"Elaph prasina (Green rat snake)"
*"Elaphe quadrivirgata (Japanese striped snake)"
*"Elaphe quatuorlineata (Four-lined snake)"
*"Elaphe radiata (Radiated rat snake)"
*"Elaphe rufodorsata (Red-backed rat snake)"
*"Elaphe scalaris (Ladder snake)"
*"Elaphe schrencki (Korean rat snake)"
*"Elaphe subradiata (Indonesian rat snake)"
*"Elaphe taeniura (Beauty rat snake)"
*"Elaphe vulpina (Fox snake)"

New World Rat Snakes

New World rat snakes belong to the Colubrine tribe Lampropeltinae, and as such are closely related to "Lampropeltis" (milk snakes and king snakes), "Pituophis" (gopher snakes, pine snakes and bull snakes), "Rhinocheilus" (longnose snakes), "Arizona" (glossy snakes) and "Stilosoma" (short-tailed snakes). The entire Lampropeltinid group is descended from Old World rat snakes that crossed the Bering Land Bridge sometime within the last twenty to thirty million years.

The New World rat snakes consist of the genera "Bogertophis" (Trans Pecos and Baja rat snakes), "Elaphe" (Corn snakes, Fox snakes and American rat snakes), "Pseudelaphe" (Central American rat snake) and "Senticolis" (Green rat snake).

Old World Rat Snakes

The Genera "Elaphe", "Euprepiophis", "Oreophis", "Orthriophis", "Ptyas", "Rhinechis", and "Zamenis" constitute Old-World rat snakes.See also: Persian Ratsnake

Additional Note

It is worth noting that, though the polyphyletic nature of the genus is almost undisputed, many species are conservatively referred to as "Elaphe" sp. See, for instance, Black Rat Snake and Grey Rat Snake, subspecies of "Elaphe obsoletus".

External links

* [http://www.exotic-pets.eu/snakes/ Information on a variety of Rat Snakes]
* [http://www.kentuckysnakes.org/snake_details.cfm?snake_number=33&option=non-posionous Pictures of Rat Snakes]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Rat snake — Rat Rat (r[a^]t), n. [AS. r[ae]t; akin to D. rat, OHG. rato, ratta, G. ratte, ratze, OLG. ratta, LG. & Dan. rotte, Sw. r[*a]tta, F. rat, Ir. & Gael radan, Armor. raz, of unknown origin. Cf. {Raccoon}.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) One of several species of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • rat snake — rat′ snake n. ram any of several harmless New and Old World snakes, of the genus Elaphe, that feed chiefly on small mammals and birds Also called chicken snake • Etymology: 1855–60 …   From formal English to slang

  • rat snake — ☆ rat snake n. any of several large, harmless, rodent eating colubrid snakes (genus Elaphe) of E and SW North America …   English World dictionary

  • rat snake — noun any of various nonvenomous rodent eating snakes of North America and Asia • Hypernyms: ↑colubrid snake, ↑colubrid • Hyponyms: ↑corn snake, ↑red rat snake, ↑Elaphe guttata, ↑black rat snake, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • rat snake — any of several New and Old World colubrid snakes, of the genus Elaphe, that feed chiefly on small mammals and birds. Also called house snake. [1855 60] * * * Any of 40–55 snake species in the genus Elaphe (family Colubridae) and similar forms,… …   Universalium

  • rat snake — noun Date: 1860 any of various large harmless chiefly rat eating colubrid snakes (especially genus Elaphe) called also chicken snake …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • rat snake — noun a harmless constricting snake that feeds on rats and other small mammals. [Elaphe obsoleta (N. America), Ptyas mucosus (Asia), and other species.] …   English new terms dictionary

  • Grey Rat Snake — Gray s Ratsnake is a name of another snake, Coluber ventromaculatus Taxobox name = Gray Rat Snake regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Reptilia ordo = Squamata familia = Colubridae genus = Elaphe species = E. obsoleta subspecies = E. o.… …   Wikipedia

  • Baja California Rat Snake — Taxobox name = Baja California Rat Snake image width = 192px regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Reptilia ordo = Squamata familia = Colubridae genus = Bogertophis species = B. rosaliae binomial = Bogertrophis rosaliae binomial authority …   Wikipedia

  • Beauty rat snake — Taiwanese Beauty Snake (Orthriophis taeniura friesi) Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia …   Wikipedia

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