What's in a name?

[ivenner]

OK - please temper responses with the knowledge that this is a newbie asking these questions!

I have been looking at various corn snake site over the last few weeks, none as good as this I hasten to add, and have found two different taxonomical classifications for the corn snake, these are:

Pantherophis guttatus

and

Elaphe Guttata Guttata

Are these both correct? Or is there any difference between them, sub-species for example?

Any light on the subject would be gratefully received.

Cheers

Ian

 

[medusacoils]

I remember reading something somewhere about how some people want to have the latin named changed to Pantherophis guttatus because the name Elaphe Guttata Guttata is similar to Elaphe guttata emoryi which is a rat snake. They want a distinction between the two becuase they are different types of snakes.

Gosh, I wish I could remember where I read this. I would point you to that site. I'm having a total brain fhart right now. I could be way off base, but I don't think so.

Sorry I can't help more,

Wayne

 

[Nanci]

In the "old days" .... most species descriptions were based on morphology. In the case of snakes, this usually included such observations as the relative size and location of certain scales on the head, the number of rows of scales on the body, position and size/shape of the eyes, color patterns, etc. More recently, molecular/genetic factors have played an increasingly important role. .... Researchers using mtDNA technique presented evidence that North American Rat Snakes of the genus Elaphe differ from Old World members of the genus, and resurrected the available name Pantherophis for all North American (north of Mexico) species (see http://www.folium.ru/en/journals/rjh/contents/2002/2002-02.htm. A similar instance happened a few years ago when Asian species in the genus Agkistrodon were placed into Gloydius (mamushis, etc.) Agkistrodon now is limited to species in the Americas (copperheads, water moccasins, etc.).

Ref: http://tinyurl.com/cnp9ta

 

[medusacoils]

In the "old days" .... most species descriptions were based on morphology. In the case of snakes, this usually included such observations as the relative size and location of certain scales on the head, the number of rows of scales on the body, position and size/shape of the eyes, color patterns, etc. More recently, molecular/genetic factors have played an increasingly important role. .... Researchers using mtDNA technique presented evidence that North American Rat Snakes of the genus Elaphe differ from Old World members of the genus, and resurrected the available name Pantherophis for all North American (north of Mexico) species (see http://www.folium.ru/en/journals/rjh/contents/2002/2002-02.htm. A similar instance happened a few years ago when Asian species in the genus Agkistrodon were placed into Gloydius (mamushis, etc.) Agkistrodon now is limited to species in the Americas (copperheads, water moccasins, etc.).

Ref: http://tinyurl.com/cnp9ta

Thank you Nanci. I knew I had read about it somewhere and I couldn't for the life of me, remember where. It's been so long. I knew it had to do with distinguishing one from another, or something like that.

My head hurts, now!

Wayne

 

[ivenner]

Thanks for the clarification, from both of you. So technically both taxonomies are correct, with the 'Pantheropheris' being the more correct.

Cheers

Ian