return to main index

  mobile - desktop
follow us on facebook follow us on twitter follow us on YouTube link to us on LinkedIn
 
Click here for LLL Reptile & Supply
Mice, Rats, Rabbits, Chicks, Quail
Available Now at RodentPro.com!
Locate a business by name: click to list your business
search the classifieds. buy an account
events by zip code list an event
Search the forums             Search in:
News & Events: Herp Photo of the Day: False Coral Snake . . . . . . . . . .  Herp Photo of the Day: Bearded Dragon . . . . . . . . . .  Greater Cincinnati Herp Society Meeting - Apr 02, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  Calusa Herp Society Meeting - Apr 04, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  Southwestern Herp Society Meeting - Apr 06, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  Hamburg Reptile Show - Apr. 13, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  St. Louis Herpetological Society - Apr 14, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  San Diego Herp Society Meeting - Apr 16, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  Suncoast Herp Society Meeting - Apr 20, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  DFW Herp Society Meeting - Apr 20, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  Colorado Herp Society Meeting - Apr 20, 2024 . . . . . . . . . .  Chicago Herpetological Society Meeting - Apr 21, 2024 . . . . . . . . . . 
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research
full banner - advertise here .50¢/1000 views
click here for Healthy Herp
pool banner - $50 year

Making sense of ratsnake taxonomy

[ Login ] [ User Prefs ] [ Search Forums ] [ Back to Main Page ] [ Back to Rat Snakes ] [ Reply To This Message ]
[ Register to Post ]

Posted by: MikeMurphy at Fri Sep 20 08:33:45 2013  [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by MikeMurphy ]  
   

With all the changes in obsoletus ratsnake taxonomy over the years, I'm a bit confused as to what is the currently accepted nomenclature. From what I've seen, most people have accepted, for the most part, "Pantherophis" over "Elaphe" for the genus. But then some still cling to the old taxonomy of obsoletus with multiple subspecies. While others now split the subspecies (black, gray, texas, yellow) into geographic variations of just two species: allegenhiensis and obsoletus. Do I have that right? I've also seen a third, spiloides.

I'm confused What seems to be the most commonly accepted rule these days? It's hard to wrap my head around the idea that a "black" rat snake from Kansas is really a gray. Just seems like there isn't general agreement on this. Even the range map on the Ratsnake Foundation website looks similar to the one in Conant's Field Guide; the only really difference is replacing "Elaphe" with "Pantherophis".

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike


   

[ Reply To This Message ] [ Subscribe to this Thread ] [ Show Entire Thread ]


>> Next Message:  You are not alone in confusion! - Ameron, Fri Sep 20 10:19:43 2013
>> Next Message:  RE: Making sense of ratsnake taxonomy - Splitfire59, Fri Sep 20 17:42:35 2013