Ptyas
Encyclopedia
Ptyas is a genus
of colubrid
snakes. This genus
is one of several colubrid
genera
colloquially called "rat snake
s" or "ratsnakes".
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of colubrid
Colubrid
A colubrid is a member of the snake family Colubridae. This broad classification of snakes includes about two-thirds of all snake species on earth. The earliest species of the snake family date back to the Oligocene epoch. With 304 genera and 1,938 species, Colubridae is the largest snake family...
snakes. This genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
is one of several colubrid
Colubrid
A colubrid is a member of the snake family Colubridae. This broad classification of snakes includes about two-thirds of all snake species on earth. The earliest species of the snake family date back to the Oligocene epoch. With 304 genera and 1,938 species, Colubridae is the largest snake family...
genera
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
colloquially called "rat snake
Rat snake
Rat snakes are medium to large constrictors that can be found through a great portion of the northern hemisphere. They feed primarily on rodents and birds and, with some species exceeding 3 m , they can occupy top levels of some food chains. Many species make attractive and docile pets and one,...
s" or "ratsnakes".
Species
Eight species are recognized.- Ptyas carinata (Günther, 1858) – king korros
- Ptyas dhumnades (CantorTheodore Edward CantorTheodore Edward Cantor was a Danish physician, zoologist and botanist.Cantor worked for the British East India Company. He made natural history collections in Penang and Malacca...
, 1842) - Ptyas dipsas (SchlegelHermann SchlegelHermann Schlegel was a German ornithologist and herpetologist.-Early life and education:Schlegel was born at Altenburg, the son of a brassfounder. His father collected butterflies, which stimulated Schlegel's interest in natural history...
, 1837) - Ptyas fusca (Günther, 1858)
- Ptyas korrosPtyas korrosChinese Ratsnake or Indo-Chinese Rat Snake is a species of snake found in Southeast Asia.-Description:Snout obtuse, projecting; eye very large...
(SchlegelHermann SchlegelHermann Schlegel was a German ornithologist and herpetologist.-Early life and education:Schlegel was born at Altenburg, the son of a brassfounder. His father collected butterflies, which stimulated Schlegel's interest in natural history...
, 1837) – Chinese ratsnake, Indo-Chinese ratsnake - Ptyas luzonensis (Günther, 1873)
- Ptyas mucosaPtyas mucosusDhaman or Oriental Ratsnake Ptyas mucosus is a common species of colubrid snake found in parts of South and Southeast Asia. Growing to nearly two metres, they are large snakes and their colour varies from pale browns in dry regions to nearly black in moist forest areas...
(Linnaeus, 1758) – Oriental ratsnake, Dhaman - Ptyas nigromarginatusPtyas nigromarginatusGreen Rat Snake Ptyas nigromarginatus is a species of snake.Distribution:Nepal, India ,N Myanmar , N Vietnam ?China -External links:...
(BlythEdward BlythEdward Blyth was an English zoologist and pharmacist. He was one of the founders of zoology in India....
, 1854) – green ratsnake