Rat snake
241311
225451960
2008-07-13T19:39:42Z
68.159.23.7
/* Additional Note */
{{Taxobox
| name = Colubrids
| image = Yellowratsnake-1-.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = A yellow rat snake
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordata]]
| subphylum = [[Vertebrata]]
| classis = [[Sauropsid]]a
| subclassis = [[Diapsida]]
| infraclassis = [[Lepidosauromorpha]]
| superordo = [[Lepidosauria]]
| ordo = [[Squamata]]
| infraordo = [[Serpentes]]
| familia = [[Colubridae]]
}}
'''Rat snakes''' are a large, [[polyphyletic]], group of snakes from the [[Colubrid]] subfamily [[Colubrinae]]. Many species tend to be very skittish and sometimes aggressive but the genus is nonvenomous and bites are usually superficial. A variety of species like ''[[Elaphe guttata guttata]]'' are known for the ease with which they are tamed and are common in the pet trade. There is considerable variation between different types of rat snake but most are medium to large, rodent eating snakes.
Previously most were assigned to the genus ''Elaphe'' but many have been since renamed. The validity of some genera is debatable but for the purpose of this article a more liberal [[taxonomic]] stance will be taken. Rat snakes have traditionally been divided into two groups, New World and Old World species.
Examples of snakes found in the ''[[Elaphe]]'' include:
*''[[Pantherophis bairdi|Elaphe bairdi (Baird's rat snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe bimaculata|Elaph bimaculata (Twin-spotted rat snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe carinata|Elaphe carinata (King rat snake)]]''
*''[[Japanese Rat Snake|Elaphe climacophora (Japanese rat snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe conspicillata|Elaph conspicillata (Japanese forest rat snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe davidi (David's rat snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe dione (Dione's rat snake)]]''
*''[[Great Plains Rat Snake|Elaphe emoryi (Great Plains rat snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe erythrura|Elaphe erythrura (Philippine rat snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe flavirufa|Elaphe flavirufa (Mexican night snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe flavolineata (Yellow-striped rat snake)]]''
*''[[Pantherophis gloydi|Elaphe gloydi (Eastern fox snake)]]''
*''[[Corn Snake|Elaphe guttata (Corn snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe helena|Elaphe helena (Trinket snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe hohenackeri|Elaphe hohenacker (Transcaucasian rat snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe leonardi|Elaphe leonardi (Leonard's rat snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe lineata|Striped Aesculapian rat snake]]''
*''[[Aesculapian Snake|Elaphe longissima (Aesculapian snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe maculata]]''
*''[[Elaphe mandarina|Elaphe mandarina (Mandarin rat snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe moellendorfi|Elaphe moellendorfi (flower snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe obsoleta|Elaphe obsoleta (Black rat snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe perlacea|Elaphe perlacea (Pearl-banded rat snake)]]''
*''[[Persian Ratsnake|Elaphe persica (Persian rat snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe porphyracea|Elaph porphyracea (Black-banded trinket snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe prasina|Elaph prasina (Green rat snake)]]''
*''[[Japanese striped snake|Elaphe quadrivirgata (Japanese striped snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe quatuorlineata|Elaphe quatuorlineata (Four-lined snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe radiata|Elaphe radiata (Radiated rat snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe rufodorsata (Red-backed rat snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe scalaris|Elaphe scalaris (Ladder snake)]]''
*''[[Elaphe schrenckii|Elaphe schrencki (Korean rat snake)]]''
<!-- ''Elaphe situla'' is now ''Zamenis situla'' -->
*''[[Elaphe subradiata|Elaphe subradiata (Indonesian rat snake)]]''
*''[[Beauty rat snake|Elaphe taeniura (Beauty rat snake)]]''
*''[[Fox Snake|Elaphe vulpina (Fox snake)]]''
[[Image:Elaphe obsoleta quadrivittata.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Yellow rat snake ''Elaphe obsoleta quadrivittata''.]]
=== New World Rat Snakes ===
New [[World]] rat snakes belong to the Colubrine tribe [[Lampropeltinae]], and as such are closely related to ''[[Lampropeltis]]'' ([[milk snake]]s and [[king snake]]s), ''Pituophis'' ([[gopher snake]]s, [[pine snake]]s and [[Bull Snake|bull snake]]s), ''[[Rhinocheilus]]'' (longnose snakes), ''[[Arizona (snake)|Arizona]]'' (glossy snakes) and ''[[Stilosoma]]'' (short-tailed snakes). The entire [[Lampropeltinid]] group is descended from Old World rat snakes that crossed the [[Bering Land Bridge]] sometime within the last twenty to thirty million years.
The New World rat snakes consist of the genera ''[[Bogertophis]]'' (Trans Pecos and Baja rat snakes), ''[[Elaphe]]'' ([[Corn snake]]s, [[Fox snake]]s and [[American rat snake]]s), ''[[Pseudelaphe]]'' (Central American rat snake) and ''[[Senticolis]]'' (Green rat snake).
=== Old World Rat Snakes ===
The Genera ''[[Elaphe]]'', ''[[Euprepiophis]]'', ''[[Oreophis]]'', ''[[Orthriophis]]'', ''[[Ptyas]]'', ''[[Rhinechis]]'', and ''[[Zamenis]]'' constitute Old-World rat snakes.
See also: [[Elaphe persica|Persian Ratsnake]]
===Additional Note===
It is worth noting that, though the polyphyletic nature of the genus is almost undisputed, many species are conservatively referred to as ''Elaphe'' sp. See, for instance, [[Black Rat Snake]] and [[Grey Rat Snake]], subspecies of ''Elaphe obsoletus''.
==External links==
* [http://www.exotic-pets.eu/snakes/ Information on a variety of Rat Snakes]
* [http://www.kentuckysnakes.org/snake_details.cfm?snake_number=33&option=non-posionous Pictures of Rat Snakes]
[[Category:Rat snakes|*]]
[[Category:Colubrids]]
[[is:Rottusnákar]]
[[ml:ചേര]]
[[sk:Pantherophis]]
[[sv:Råttsnokar]]