Ptyas is a genus of snakes, family Colubridae, subfamily Colubrinae, comprising 13 recognized species, one of several colubrid genera colloquially called rat snakes. The generic name comes from Ancient Greek for spitter, referring to a mythical snake once believed to spit venom, though no actual Ptyas species has that ability. The genus ranges across Asia, including India, Indonesia including Sulawesi, China, Vietnam, the Philippines and the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, and its species list includes former members of the genera Cyclophiops and Zaocys, now treated as synonyms.
Facts
Taxonomic Rank Member Count Band Classification
Living or Extinct Sources
1. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)
Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ2326607, descriptionView the Source 2. Wikipedia: Ptyas
- Taxonomic rank (Wikipedia confirms the entity; rank from slug/structure-wave classification)
In Group: Snake Genera, Lead
Ptyas is a genus of colubrid snakes. This genus is one of several colubrid genera colloquially called "rat snakes" or "ratsnakes".
View the Source3. Catalogue of Life (ChecklistBank): Taxon metrics for Ptyas
Catalogue of Life (ChecklistBank)Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCountQuote, Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCount
"speciesExtantCount": 14
Wikidata: Ptyas
Wikidata Q2326607, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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