`The whole group (minus the Lampropeltini and Senticolis) is Elaphe.'



There's also Rhinechis, Oocatochus, and Coronella. Rhinechis and Oocatochus being splits made by Helfenberger--I'd guess offhand that you disapprove of them, but I don't recall you mentioning it.



` The group is not polyphyletic; Elaphe is not polyphyletic.'



I await new data suggesting that this is the case.



`These authors are obviously wrong.'



That's one hell of a conclusion to jump to. Have you read the papers in question?



`Utiger et al. show that all species they study form a clade.'



No, they don't. See my other post in this thread for today.



`Besides, Utiger et al. fail to cite Lopez and Maxson (1995), who show that Old World Elaphe and New World Elaphe form a clade with the Lampropeltini.'



Well, so far it seems the non-Utiger papers are 4 to 1 in favor of Elaphe having been polyphyletic. Until I've either read the papers in question or have some other good reason to choose between them, I think I have to stick with the democratic result.



Patrick Alexander

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