Ptyas nigromarginata

For another species called “green ratsnake”, see Gonyosoma prasinum.

Ptyas nigromarginata, commonly known as the green rat snake or black-bordered rat snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Asia.^[2]

Ptyas nigromarginata
Young green rat snake
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Genus:	Ptyas
Species:	P. nigromarginata
Binomial name
Ptyas nigromarginata (Blyth, 1854)[2]
Synonyms
Coluber nigromarginatus Blyth, 1854 Coryphodon carinatus Günther, 1858 (part) Zaocys nigromarginatus — Günther, 1864 Coryphodon dhumnades Jan, 1867 (non Cantor, 1842)[3] Ptyas nigromarginata — David & Das, 2004 Ptyas nigromarginata — Whitaker & Captain, 2004[2]

Geographic range

P. nigromarginata is found in Bhutan, Nepal, India (Darjeeling, Sikkim, Assam, Nagaland), northern Bangladesh, northern Myanmar (= Burma), China (Guizhou, Yunnan, southwestern Sichuan, southeastern Xizang [= Tibet]), and possibly northern Vietnam.^[2]

Description

A large snake, P. nigromarginata may attain a total length of 2.26 m (7.4 ft), which includes a tail 0.65 m (2.1 ft) long. Dorsally, it is green, with each dorsal scale edged in black. The top of the head is brownish. In adults, there are four broad black stripes on the posterior third of the body and on the tail. In juveniles the stripes extend the full length of the body and tail. Ventrally, it is greenish white.^[4]

Reproduction

P. nigromarginata is oviparous.^[2]

References

1. Wogan, G.; Vogel, G.; Nguyen, T.Q.; Tshewang, S.; Ghosh, A. (2021). "Ptyas nigromarginata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T192214A2056653. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T192214A2056653.en. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
2. Species Ptyas nigromarginata at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
3. Boulenger GA (1893). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume I., Containing the Families ... Colubridæ Aglyphæ, part. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 448 pp. + Plates I–XXVIII. (Zaocys nigromarginatus, p. 376).
4. Smith MA (1943). The Fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma, Including the Whole of the Indo-Chinese Sub-region. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. III.—Serpentes. London: Secretary of State for India. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 583 pp. (Zaocys nigromarginatus, pp. 165–166, Figure 50).

Further reading

• Blyth E (1854). "Notices and Descriptions of various Reptiles, new or little known [part 2]". Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Calcutta 23 (3): 287–302. (Coluber nigromarginatus, new species, pp. 290–291).
• David P, Das I (2004). "On the grammar of the gender of Ptyas Fitzinger, 1843 (Serpentes: Colubridae)". Hamadryad 28 (1 & 2): 113–116.
• Jan G, Sordelli F (1867). Iconographie générale des Ophidiens: Vingt-quatrième livraison. Paris: Baillière. Index + Plates I–VI (Coryphodon dhumnades [Jan non Cantor], Plate IV, Figure 1).
• Lazell JD, Keirans JE, Samuelson GA (1991). "The Sulawesi Black Racer, Coluber (Ptyas) dipsas, and a Remarkable Ectoparasitic Aggregation". Pacific Science 45 (4): 355–361.
• Lazell JD (1998). "Morphology and the status of the snake genus ″Ptyas″ ". Herpetological Review 29 (3): 134.