Coelognathus

Coelognathus
Montane Trinket Snake (Coelognathus helena monticollaris)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Reptilia
Order:Squamata
Suborder:Serpentes
Family:Colubridae
Subfamily:Colubrinae
Genus:Coelognathus
Fitzinger, 1843
Indonesian ratsnake (Coelognathus subradiatus) in Baucau District, East Timor.

Coelognathus is a genus of 7 ratsnakes from South and South East Asia that were formerly assigned to the genus Elaphe. Based on morphological evidence and protein similarities, in 2001 Helfenberger re-validated the name Coelognathus that had originally been proposed by Leopold Fitzinger in 1843.[1] The distinction between Coelognathus and Elaphe was further supported by mitochondrial DNA sequence and additional morphological evidence in 2005.[2]

Species

The following species are recognized as being valid:[3]

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Coelognathus.

References

  1. ↑ Helfenberger N. (2001). "Phylogenetic relationships of Old World ratsnakes based on visceral organ topography, osteology, and allozyme variation". Russian Journal of Herpetology. 8: 1–62.
  2. ↑ Utiger U, Schätti B, Helfenberger N (2005). "The Oriental colubrine genus Coelognathus Fitzinger, 1843, and classification of Old and New World racers and ratsnakes (Reptilia, Squamata, Colubridae, Colubrinae)" (PDF). Russian Journal of Herpetology. 12 (1): 32–53.
  3. ↑ "Coelognathus ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.

Further reading

  • Fitzinger L. 1843. Systema Reptilium, Fasciculus Primus, Amblyglossae. Vienna: Braumüller & Seidel. 106 pp. + indices. (Coelognathus, new genus, p. 26). (in Latin).


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