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I found this guy under an old box in the back yard. I live in Northwest Arkansas. I'm leaning toward either rough earth snake or brown snake. What do yall think?

It looks almost identical to this one, except the marking behind the eye is more of a triangle instead of a line. the markings under the eye are the same. Is it also a intergrade?
Link

That is a brownsnake (Storeria dekayi).

Rough Earthsnakes don't have that much of a stripe or white flecking on the sides and have a more pointed snout. They are also a little smaller.

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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

Hey Chris,

I noticed in an earlier post about a texas rat snake that you used P. obsoleta instead of E. obsoleta. Is there a new genus for rat snakes?

just curious.

Red

North American Ratsnakes that used to be in Elaphe are now in the genus Pantherophis.
Of course Bogertophis and Senticollis are still valid genera.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

>>Hey Red

The reclassification of Elaphe to Pantherophis is advocated by the Center for North American Herpetology. However, they are not the final arbiters of scientific names. The International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature is.

Until and unless the Commission rules, the valid scientific name is still Elaphe. This does not mean that Pantherophis is incorrect, and many entities are already using this nomenclature when refering to the animals in question, since Commission rulings can take forever.

What it does mean, is that either name is correct for the time being. I prefer Elaphe, simply because I'm a disagreeable old phart. Other (younger?) individuals prefer Pantherophis. I admit "Pantherophis" does have a certain ring to it, but I just don't agree that its necessary.

Regards,

John D

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I am so not lesdysxic!

0.1 Creamsicle Cornsake "Yolanda"
1.0 Bairds Ratsnake "Steely Dan"
0.1 Desert Kingsnake "FATTY"
0.1 Black Rat (WV Rescue) "Roberta"

Ok, so they might change E. to P. Does that mean that all Elephae in the world will become Panthertrophis or just the American species? If all of them switch to Panthertrophis then what is the point of the new name?

>>Ok, so they might change E. to P. Does that mean that all Elephae in the world will become Panthertrophis or just the American species?

Just the US species (obsoleta, guttata, vulpina, and gloydi). There are half a dozen "new" genera of ratsnakes.
Here is part of the old world review -
Old World Ratsnake genera

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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

i believe this is in fact a brown snake.i live in central florida and have caught one of these near a sewer at night.the faded stripe down its spine is what it goes by.earth snakes have a more shovel/narrow snout for digging as well.some brown snakes are even in fact not brown at all,but a red/orange.they are a beautifull snake.awsome find!