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| Gonyosoma | |
|---|---|
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| Gonyosoma oxycephalum at the Toronto Zoo | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Subfamily: | Colubrinae |
| Genus: | Gonyosoma Wagler, 1828 |
| Type species | |
| Gonyosoma oxycephalum | |
| Species | |
8 species, see text. | |
Gonyosoma is a genus of snakes in the family Colubridae. The genus is endemic to South Asia.
There are a few distinct morphological characteristics that distinguish Gonyosoma from Elaphe . In scutellation there are 2-3 supralabials that contact the eye, with typically two in G. oxycephalum, and three in G. jansenii. The supralabial at the posterior of the eye is highly arched around the back of the eye. The loreal scale is thin and elongate, and appears stretched between the preocular and the nasal. Other diagnostic features is an elongate left rudimentary lung (70–141 mm), and a distinct hemipenes structure. [1]
These snakes have the ability to laterally compress and inflate the first third of their bodies when threatened. The inflated region is typically recoiled into an S, which is elevated above the horizontal forming a typical striking position. The inflation of the body exposes the black and white diagonal bands of the interstitial skin, which is particularly distinct in G. oxycephalum (Schulz 1996). In combination these adaptations impose a most ominous threat!
The following 8 species are recognized as being valid. [2]
| Image | Scientific name | Common Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Gonyosoma boulengeri (Mocquard, 1897) | rhinoceros snake, rhino rat snake, and Vietnamese longnose snake | northern Vietnam to southern China |
 | Gonyosoma coeruleum Liu, Hou, Lwin, Wang, & Rao, 2021 | China, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Myanmar | |
 | Gonyosoma frenatum (Gray, 1853) | Khasi Hills trinket snake | Northeast India, southern China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. |
| Gonyosoma hainanense Peng, Zhang, Huang, Burbrink, & Wang, 2021 | Hainan rhinoceros snake | China | |
| Gonyosoma jansenii (Bleeker, 1859) | Celebes black-tailed ratsnake | Sulawesi in Indonesia | |
| Gonyosoma margaritatum (W. Peters, 1871) | rainbow tree snake and royal tree snake | Malaysia and Singapore. | |
 | Gonyosoma oxycephalum (F. Boie, 1827) | arboreal ratsnake, the red-tailed green ratsnake, and the red-tailed racer | Southeast Asia. |
 | Gonyosoma prasinum (Blyth, 1854) | green trinket snake, green bush rat snake or green ratsnake | Bangladesh, India (Darjeeling, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Burma (also known as Myanmar), northern Thailand, west Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam, China (Yunnan, Guizhou, Hainan) and Philippines. |
Nota bene : A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Gonyosoma.
The species formerly known as Gonyosoma cantoris and Gonyosoma hodgsoni have been assigned to the genus Othriophis as Othriophis cantoris and Othriophis hodgsoni, respectively.
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 Hemisphere. They feed primarily on rodents. Many species make attractive and docile pets and one, the corn snake, is one of the most popular reptile pets in the world. Like all snakes, they can be defensive when approached too closely, handled, or restrained. However, rat snake bites are not dangerous to humans. Like nearly all colubrids, rat snakes pose no threat to humans. Rat snakes were long believed to be completely nonvenomous, but recent studies have shown that some Old World species do possess small amounts of venom, though the amount is negligible relative to humans.
Pantherophis obsoletus, also known commonly as the western rat snake, black rat snake, pilot black snake, or simply black snake, is a nonvenomous species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to central North America. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid. Its color variations include the Texas rat snake. Along with other snakes of the eastern United States, like the eastern indigo snake and the eastern racer, it is called “black snake”.
The Aesculapian snake, is a species of nonvenomous snake native to Europe, a member of the Colubrinae subfamily of the family Colubridae. Growing up to 2 metres (6.6 ft) in length, it is among the largest European snakes, similar in size to the four-lined snake and the Montpellier snake. The Aesculapian snake has been of cultural and historical significance for its role in ancient Greek, Roman and Illyrian mythology and derived symbolism.
Elaphe is a genus of snakes in the family Colubridae. Elaphe is one of the main genera of the rat snakes, which are found in many regions of the northern hemisphere. Elaphe species are medium to large constrictors by nature. Although all of the species in Elaphe are nonvenomous, bites from rat snakes are still irritably painful and can potentially cause bacterial infections, especially due to the saliva.
Hardwicke's rat snake, also known commonly as the glossy-bellied racer, Gray's rat snake, and the spotted bellied snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to Asia. There are three recognized subspecies.
The common trinket snake is a nonvenomous constrictor species of colubrid snake native to south Central Asia.
The Mandarin rat snake is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake endemic to Asia. It is closely related to Euprepiophis conspicillata, the Japanese forest rat snake. Mandarin rat snakes are one of the most popular rat snakes found in the pet trade.
Oreocryptophis porphyraceus is a rat snake species, commonly called the black-banded trinket snake, red bamboo snake, Thai bamboo rat snake or red mountain racer, found in mid to upper-level elevations of forested hills in southeastern Asia, ranging from evergreen tropical to dry seasonal forests depending on the subspecies and locality. It is the only member of the genus Oreocryptophis, but it was formerly placed in Elaphe.
Gonyosoma prasinum is a species of colubrid snake found in Asia.
Coelognathus radiatus, commonly known as the radiated ratsnake, copperhead rat snake, or copper-headed trinket snake, is a nonvenomous species of colubrid snake.
The eastern trinket snake is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to South Asia.
Gonyosoma frenatum, common name Khasi Hills trinket snake, is a species of colubrid snake found in Northeast India, southern China, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
Elaphe hodgsoni, the Hodgson's rat snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is found in parts of Asia around the Himalayas.
Gonyosoma oxycephalum, known commonly as the arboreal ratsnake, the red-tailed green rat snake, and the red-tailed racer, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Southeast Asia.
Elaphe carinata, the king ratsnake, is a species of Colubrid snake found in Southeast and East Asia.
Psammophis is a genus of snakes in the family Psammophiidae. The genus comprises 33 species, which are found in Africa and Asia. Psammophis are diurnal and prey on lizards and rodents which they actively hunt. All species in the genus are venomous, and the venom is considered mild and not dangerous to humans.
Coelognathus helena monticollaris is subspecies of nonvenomous constricting snake in the family Colubridae. The subspecies is native to the Western ghats of India.
Senticolis is a genus of nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. The genus Senticolis is monotypic, containing the sole species Senticolis triaspis, also known as the green rat snake. The species is endemic to Central America, Mexico, southern Arizona, and southern New Mexico.
Uropeltis shorttii, also known commonly as the Shevaroy Hills earth snake and Shortt's shieldtail snake, is a species of non-venomous snake in the family Uropeltidae. The species is endemic to the southern Eastern Ghats of India. This species was first described as Silybura shorttii by British naturalist Richard Henry Beddome in 1863. It is found only in the Shevaroy Hills of Salem district in Tamil Nadu state in South India. For a long time, this species was misclassified into Uropeltis ceylanica, a snake endemic to the Western Ghats, till a recent taxonomic study proved it to be a distinct species with a very narrow geographic range. It is a burrowing snake, presumed to be nocturnal, feeding on soft-bodied worms. It becomes active during the rains. U. shorttii has most recently been assessed for The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2019, and is listed as "Critically Endangered" under criteria B1ab(iii).
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