Your opinion is indeed important, otherwise we wouldn't be having this great discussion. I think you've made some really good points here, and I'm glad I could be of help. Maybe if the taxonomists look at all the characters and more snakes, as you suggested, we would eventually come to the conclusion that the genus Pituophis is closer to some Pantherophis than any other genus. Maybe there are even some major differences bt. Pituophis species. Could Pantherophis vulpinus be closer to Pituophis lineaticolis, for instance, than P. lineaticolis is to Pituophis catenifer?

I think they should include other species in there study too, such as other Pantherophis species, and maybe some other Lampropeltines, to see how these closely related genera compare to each other. Some possibly very relevant information could come out of a study like that.

Thanks...Terry

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