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Ptyas

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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.

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