Bottom line...common names are not scientific names...and common names are often not invented by herpetologists who understand the animals' habits etc. That's why we have binomial nomenclature.

And the surname ratsnake refers more to a Colubrid's body shape and size than it does a diet. Or a phylogenetic tree, for that matter...

And Toby, both Bogertophis and Senticolis have been found in trees, bushes, and in stuff like acacia. But, you're right -- it isn't very common (and usually there isn't a tree in sight where subocs are found anyway). If they were named for their habits, Bogeys would be called Desert Rock-dwelling Snakes and Green Rats would be called Beneath-Boulder Snakes.

DR
Suboc.com

[ Hide Replies ]

• Not Rat Snakes; They are Tree Snakes - Ameron, Tue Oct 28 23:36:06 2008
• RE: Not Rat Snakes; They are Tree Snakes - Evil_Hybrid, Wed Oct 29 10:10:21 2008
• Reply - Ameron, Wed Oct 29 10:41:37 2008
• RE: Reply - Elaphefan, Wed Oct 29 18:39:54 2008
• RE: Reply - draybar, Wed Oct 29 19:50:02 2008
• RE: Reply - Evil_Hybrid, Thu Oct 30 04:49:49 2008
• RE: Reply - Trolligans, Thu Oct 30 09:45:24 2008
• They are Tree Snakes? - jyohe, Wed Oct 29 20:33:29 2008
• timing........ - jyohe, Wed Oct 29 20:48:09 2008
• RE: They are Tree Snakes? - jhnscrg, Thu Oct 30 19:14:15 2008
• RE: Not Rat Snakes; They are Tree Snakes - tbrock, Wed Oct 29 21:47:45 2008
• Great Reply, Thanks - Ameron, Thu Oct 30 13:26:34 2008
• RE: Not Rat Snakes; They are Tree Snakes - dustyrhoads, Wed Oct 29 23:03:16 2008
• RE: Not Rat Snakes; They are Tree Snakes - tbrock, Thu Oct 30 06:55:20 2008
• common names' history - dustyrhoads, Wed Oct 29 23:13:36 2008
• Good Points, and Interesting - Ameron, Thu Oct 30 13:28:14 2008
• RE: Not Rat Snakes; They are Tree Snakes - tspuckler, Thu Oct 30 08:33:41 2008
• RE: Not Rat Snakes; They are Tree Snakes - jhnscrg, Thu Oct 30 19:10:44 2008
• Ground snakes - guttersnacks, Fri Oct 31 00:12:33 2008
• How Often Do You Hunt In Trees? - Ameron, Sat Nov 1 11:48:17 2008
• RE: How Often Do You Hunt In Trees? - draybar, Sat Nov 1 14:18:53 2008
• RE: How Often Do You Hunt In Trees? - draybar, Sat Nov 1 14:20:48 2008
• And Kingsnakes don't wear crowns.... - garweft, Sun Nov 2 14:40:28 2008
• RE: And Kingsnakes don't wear crowns.... - orangudan, Mon Nov 24 21:54:44 2008