''Ptyas'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

colubrid Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from la, coluber, 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family. The earliest species of the family date back to the Oligocene epoch. Colubrid snakes are found on ever ...

snakes. This

is one of several

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...

colloquially called "

rat snake Rat snakes are members – along with kingsnakes, milk snakes, vine snakes and indigo snakes – of the subfamily Colubrinae of the family Colubridae. They are medium to large constrictors and are found throughout much of the Northern Hemisph ...

s" or "ratsnakes". The generic name derives from

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...

πτυάς, meaning " spitter", which referred to a kind of snake believed to spit venom in the eyes of humans, although in reality none of the ''Ptyas'' are known to spit venom.

Species

13 species are recognized: * ''

Ptyas carinata ''Ptyas carinata'', commonly known as the keeled rat snake, is a species of colubrid snake. It is found in Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia,India, Vietnam and Singapore. This little known species is probably the larg ...

'' ( Günther, 1858) – king korros * ''

Ptyas dhumnades ''Ptyas'' is a genus of colubrid snakes. This genus is one of several colubrid genera colloquially called "rat snakes" or "ratsnakes". The generic name derives from Ancient Greek πτυάς, meaning " spitter", which referred to a kind of snake ...

'' (

Cantor A cantor or chanter is a person who leads people in singing or sometimes in prayer. In formal Jewish worship, a cantor is a person who sings solo verses or passages to which the choir or congregation responds. In Judaism, a cantor sings and lead ...

, 1842) – Cantor's rat snake * ''

Ptyas dipsas ''Ptyas'' is a genus of colubrid snakes. This genus is one of several colubrid genera colloquially called "rat snakes" or "ratsnakes". The generic name derives from Ancient Greek πτυάς, meaning " spitter", which referred to a kind of snake ...

'' (

Schlegel Schlegel is a German occupational surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Anthony Schlegel (born 1981), former American football linebacker * August Wilhelm Schlegel (1767–1845), German poet, older brother of Friedrich * Brad Schlege ...

, 1837) * ''

Ptyas doriae Doria's green snake (''Ptyas doriae'') is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Asia. Etymology The specific name, ''doriae'', is in honor of Italian naturalist Giacomo Doria. Geographic range ''P. doriae'' is ...

Boulenger Boulenger is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Benjamin Boulenger (born 1990), French footballer * Edward George Boulenger (1888–1946), British zoologist, director of aquarium at London Zoo * George Albert Boulenger (1858–1 ...

, 1888 – Doria's green snake * ''

Ptyas fusca ''Ptyas fusca'', commonly known as the white-bellied rat snake or brown rat snake, is a species of colubrid snake. It is found in Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is ...

'' (Günther, 1858) * ''

Ptyas herminae The Sakishima green snake (''Ptyas herminae'') is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the Yaeyama Islands in the southern Ryukyu Islands of Japan. Etymology The specific name, ''herminae'', is in honor of Boe ...

'' ( Boettger, 1895) – Sakishima green snake * ''

Ptyas korros ''Ptyas korros'', commonly known as the Chinese ratsnake or Indo-Chinese rat snake, is a species of colubrid snake endemic to Southeast Asia. Description Snout obtuse, projecting; eye very large. Rostral visible from above; internasals shorter ...

'' (Schlegel, 1837) – Chinese ratsnake, Indo-Chinese ratsnake * ''

Ptyas luzonensis ''Ptyas luzonensis'', commonly known as the smooth-scaled mountain rat snake, is a species of Rat snake in the family Colubridae. This snake lives in mountainous area but they go for streams and rivers to hunt and drink. Their favourite or common ...

'' (Günther, 1873) * ''

Ptyas major The greater green snake or Chinese green snake (''Ptyas major'') is a snake of the family Colubridae. Distribution This species can be found in Central/South China (Hainan, Henan, Gansu, Anhui, Sichuan, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, ...

'' ( Günther, 1858) –

Greater green snake The greater green snake or Chinese green snake (''Ptyas major'') is a snake of the family Colubridae. Distribution This species can be found in Central/South China (Hainan, Henan, Gansu, Anhui, Sichuan, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hun ...

* ''

Ptyas mucosa ''Ptyas mucosa'', commonly known as the oriental ratsnake, Indian rat snake, ''darash'' or ''dhaman'', is a common non-venomous species of colubrid snake found in parts of South and Southeast Asia. Dhamans are large snakes. Typical mature total l ...

'' (

Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...

) – Oriental ratsnake, ''dhaman'' * ''

Ptyas multicincta ''Ptyas'' is a genus of colubrid snakes. This genus is one of several colubrid genera colloquially called "rat snakes" or "ratsnakes". The generic name derives from Ancient Greek πτυάς, meaning " spitter", which referred to a kind of snake ...

'' (

Roux Roux () is a mixture of flour and fat cooked together and used to thicken sauces. Roux is typically made from equal parts of flour and fat by weight. The flour is added to the melted fat or oil on the stove top, blended until smooth, and cooke ...

, 1907) – Many-banded green snake, North China green snake * ''

Ptyas nigromarginata ''Ptyas nigromarginata'', commonly known as the green rat snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Asia. www.reptile-database.org. Geographic range ''P. nigromarginata'' is found in Bhutan, Nepal, India ...

'' ( Blyth, 1854) – green ratsnake * ''

Ptyas semicarinata ''Ptyas'' is a genus of colubrid snakes. This genus is one of several colubrid genera colloquially called "rat snakes" or "ratsnakes". The generic name derives from Ancient Greek πτυάς, meaning " spitter", which referred to a kind of snake ...

'' ( Hallowell, 1861) – Ryukyu green snake

Species

References

Further reading