Unidentified Ratsnake

[BWSmith]

Now we know that it is an Elaphe, but what kind? We are stumped! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]






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[rar]

if im not mistaken thats a Great Plains Ratsnake (Elaphe emoryi) thought, i could be mistaken.

[addsig]

It looks like a Texas rat snake to me, although knowing where you're from, I guess it could be a grey/black intergrade?

Also, an excellent series of pics/views for aiding identification! Bravo! Not hard to tell when a field herper is posting the pics [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]
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[BWSmith]

Here is the info from the guy who found it in Eatonton, GA.

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE> It's definitely Elaphe. A couple of things I've noticed...

1. It was very well fed and in a business district nowhere near where it should be (concrete sidewalks and manicured lawns)
2. No markings on top of the head shouldn't exist at all.
3. No post-ocular stripe indicates guttata
4. Striped tail indicates guttata
5. If it were obsoleta it would be solid black by the time it was this size ... this one has no black.
6. When you hold a black rat it tends to wrap around your hand, while guttata tends to stay straightened out and just try to crawl. This one behaves more like guttata in that sense, it doesn't hold onto your arm like a tree branch the way obsoleta does... (I know, that's not scientific, but I think worth noting)

I'm gonna guess it's either:

1. black rat x corn cross (which should still have some head markings)
2. escaped great plains rat?
3. escaped texas rat?
4. some anerythristic or mixed up guttata?
5. *insert your guess here*
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

After spending most of the day running through every book we have and looking at every feature, it is very hard to tell. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]
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[rar]

check out this link, and click on 'great planes ratsnake (Elaphe guttata emoryi)':

http://www.coasttocoast.co.uk/live-stock.htm#ratsnakes

it says its a subspecies of corn, and it has the exact markings.


[addsig]

no markings on the head shouldn't exist at all?? Bull...the fox snake has no head markings...neither does the Texas rat snake .

One of the distinguishing characteristics of the Texas rat snake is dark blotches considerably larger than the space between them, thus my initial guess of Texas rat (plus the coloration is very close)

#6 is an interesting point...the anterior belly pattern does look kinda guttata...
[addsig]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE>check out this link, and click on 'great planes ratsnake (Elaphe guttata emoryi)':

http://www.coasttocoast.co.uk/live-stock.htm#ratsnakes

it says its a subspecies of corn, and it has the exact markings.
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

Which therefore should include the 'spearhead' pattern between the eyes, which this specimen lacks....
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[BWSmith]

Here is the reply form John Jenson, Head on Nongame Wildlife for Georgia Department of Natural Resources (and just a really cool guy [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] ):

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE> I agree - that doesn't look like a native Elaphe, unless it is a hybrid guttata x obsoleta (which I doubt). Probably would be best not to release it, just in case. Do you have any thoughts about what else to do with it? Any nature centers around you that would take it?
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

Another herping buddy of ours has found a few babies that appear to be the same species (or subspecies) in a different area. Maybe GA has a new subspecies [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]
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[BWSmith]

Riley,

no markings on the head should not exist in native GA Elaphe.
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