''Ptyas dhumnades'', commonly known as Cantor's rat snake, is a species of snake in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Colubridae Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from , 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family. The earliest fossil species of the family date back to the Late Eocene epoch, with earlier origins suspected. C ...

. It is found in China, Vietnam, and Taiwan.

Distribution

The species is widespread in

South China South China ( zh, s=, p=Huá'nán, j=jyut6 naam4) is a geographical and cultural region that covers the southernmost part of China. Its precise meaning varies with context. A notable feature of South China in comparison to the rest of China is ...

(Anhui, Chongqin, Gansu, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Shanghai, Sichuan, Taiwan, Tianjin,Yunnan, Zhejiang),

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

, and

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

. It is found at elevations between 50 m and 2,000 m.

Description

It is often confused with other members of the genus

Ptyas ''Ptyas'' is a genus of colubrid snakes. This genus is one of several colubrid genera colloquially called " rat snakes" or "ratsnakes". The generic name derives from Ancient Greek πτυάς, meaning " spitter", which referred to a kind of snak ...

, particularly

Ptyas nigromarginata ''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 parts of Southeast Asia, including regions of China, India, Myanmar, and Viet ...

due to overlapping features but has distinct characteristics that set it apart. It is not entirely clear if these two species are sympatric.

Scalation

Dorsal scale rows: 16; Ventrals: 187–194; Subcaudals: 108-116; Loreals: 1; supralabials: 8; Subralabials entering eye 4-5; Number of dorsal scale rows at midbody keeled: 2 or 4 ; 9: Two distinct medial series of dorsal scales throughout: present ; 10: Distinct longitudinal stripes on lateral side at two-heads length before vent position: present; 11: Anterior part of body green: - false.

References

Ptyas Reptiles described in 1842 Reptiles of China Reptiles of Vietnam Reptiles of Taiwan Taxa named by Theodore Edward Cantor {{Colubrinae-stub