''Platyceps'' is a genus of snakes of 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 ...

endemic to Eurasia.

Taxonomy

The genus was erected in 1860 by

Edward Blyth Edward Blyth (23 December 1810 – 27 December 1873) was an English zoologist who worked for most of his life in India as a curator of zoology at the Asiatic Society, Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal in Calcutta. He set about updating the museum ...

, allying species previously described. The genus name ''Platyceps'' was inadvertently used for a fossil species in 1877, now recognised as ''

Platycepsion wilkinsoni ''Platycepsion wilksoni'' is an extinct species of prehistoric amphibian, known from partial skeleton deposited in shale at the Gosford Quarry site of the Terrigal Formation in Australia. This specimen may represent a larval stage, as denoted by ...

''.

Species

The following 30

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

are recognized as being valid. *''

Platyceps afarensis ''Platyceps afarensis'', the Afar racer, is a species of snake of the family Colubridae. The snake is found in Djibouti Djibouti, officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south ...

'' Schätti & Ineich, 2004 - Afar racer *''

Platyceps atayevi ''Platyceps atayevi'' is a species of snake of the family 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 famil ...

'' ( Tuniyev & Shammakov, 1993) *''

Platyceps bholanathi ''Platyceps bholanathi'', also known as the Nagarjun Sagar racer, Nagarjunasagar racer, Nagarjuna racer, Bhola Nath's racer, or Sharma's racer, is a species of colubrid snake. It is found in peninsular India, in the Eastern Ghats and the Deccan ...

'' (

Sharma Sharma‌ is a Hindu Brahmin surname. ‌The Sanskrit stem‌ ( nom. ) ‌can ‌mean '‌joyfulness', 'comfort‌', 'happiness'. Sarma and Sarmah are alternative English spellings of the name, commonly used by Assamese Brahmins. Origin Acco ...

, 1976) - Sharma's racer, Nagarjunasagar racer *''

Platyceps brevis The short racer (''Platyceps brevis''), is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to northeastern Africa. Geographic range ''P. brevis'' is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania.. www.reptile-database.org. ...

'' ( Boulenger, 1895) - short racer *''

Platyceps collaris The red whip snake or collared dwarf racer (''Platyceps collaris'') is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. Native to the Middle East, its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rocky areas, arable land, pastureland, ...

'' ( F. Müller, 1878) - red whip snake, collared dwarf racer *''

Platyceps elegantissimus ''Platyceps elegantissimus'' is a species of snake of the family Colubridae. It is commonly known as the elegant racer. Geographic range The snake is found along the southern Israel-Jordan border from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba, in the sou ...

'' ( Günther, 1878) - elegant racer *''

Platyceps florulentus ''Platyceps florulentus'', the flowered racer or Geoffroy's racer, is a species of snake of the family Colubridae Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from , 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake fa ...

'' ( I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1827) - flowered racer, Geoffroy's racer *'' Platyceps gracilis'' - graceful racer, slender racer *''

Platyceps insulanus ''Platyceps insulanus'' is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. It is commonly known as the Sarso Island racer. Geographic range The snake is found on Sarso Island in the Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi ...

'' (

Mertens __NOTOC__ Mertens () is a surname of Flanders, Flemish origin, meaning "son of Merten" (Martin (name), Martin). It is the fifth most common name in Belgium with 18,518 people in 2008. Geographical distribution As of 2014, 43.4% of all known bearer ...

, 1965) - Sarso Island racer *''

Platyceps josephi ''Platyceps josephi'', Joseph’s racer, is a species of snake discovered in 2021 in Tamil Nadu, India. The species faces a number of threats including habitat destruction due to grasslands in southern Tamil Nadu being converted into plantations, ...

Deepak Deepak ( / ) is a Hindi word meaning "lamp", from the Sanskrit source word for light. The name Deepak symbolizes a bright future. In the twentieth century, it became very popular as a first name for male Hindus. Names like ''Deepa'' (now commonl ...

, Narayanan,

Mohapatra Mahapatra or Mohapatra or Mahapatro () is originally a Hindu family surname belonging to the Indian states of Odisha. This surname can be found among the Utkala Brahmin, Utkala Brahmins and Karan (caste), Karana community of Odisha. Social Status a ...

Dutta __NOTOC__ Dutta, also spelled Datta (), is an Indian surname. Its variation is Dutt. The surname is commonly found among Bengali Kayasthas, Suvarna Baniks, Gandhabaniks and some other castes in Bengal. The surname is also used by the Mohy ...

, Melvinselvan,

Khan Khan may refer to: * Khan (surname), including a list of people with the name * Khan (title), a royal title for a ruler in Mongol and Turkic languages and used by various ethnicities Art and entertainment * Khan (band), an English progressiv ...

, Mahlow & Tillack, 2021 -Joseph’s racer *''

Platyceps karelini ''Platyceps karelini'', the spotted desert racer, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Asia. Geographic range ''P. karelini'' is found in Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, a ...

'' (

Brandt Brandt may refer to: Places United States * Brandt, Ohio, an unincorporated community * Brandt, South Dakota, a town * Brandt Township, Polk County, Minnesota Elsewhere * Mount Brandt, Queen Maud Land, Antarctica * Brandt Cove, South Georgia Is ...

, 1838) - spotted desert racer *''

Platyceps ladacensis ''Platyceps ladacensis'', the braid snake or Jan's cliff racer, is a species of snake of the family Colubridae Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from , 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family ...

'' ( Anderson, 1871) - braid snake, Jan's cliff racer *'' Platyceps largeni'' (Schätti, 2001) - Dahlak racer *'' Platyceps messanai'' (Schätti &

Lanza Lanza may refer to: means "spear" or "lance" People Surname * Adam Lanza (1992–2012), perpetrator of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting * Alcides Lanza (1929–2024), Canadian composer * Andrew Lanza (born 1964), New York State senator * ...

, 1989) - Schätti's racer *''

Platyceps najadum ''Platyceps najadum'', also known Common name, commonly as Dahl's whip snake or the slender whip snake, is a species of non-venomous snake in the Family (biology), family Colubridae. The species is native to Eurasia. Four subspecies are recognize ...

'' (

Eichwald Eichwald may refer to: * Eichwald (surname) * Eichwald porcelain * part of the city of Kassel, Germany * part of the village of Schönborn, Germany * a fictitious village which is the setting of The White Ribbon. See also * Chalampé, Alsace, ...

, 1831) - Dahl's whip snake, the slender whip snake *''

Platyceps noeli ''Platyceps noeli'', the Brahui racer, is a species of snake of the family Colubridae. The snake is found in Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dep ...

'' Schätti, Tillack & Kucharzewski, 2014 - Brahui racer *'' Platyceps plinii'' (

Merrem Merrem may refer to: * Meropenem, an antibiotic initially marketed under the trade name Merrem * Blasius Merrem Blasius Merrem (4 February 1761 – 23 February 1824) was a German natural history, naturalist, zoologist, Ornithology, ornithologist ...

, 1820) *'' Platyceps rhodorachis'' (

Jan Jan, JaN or JAN may refer to: Acronyms * Jackson, Mississippi (Amtrak station), US, Amtrak station code JAN * Jackson-Evers International Airport, Mississippi, US, IATA code * Jabhat al-Nusra (JaN), a Syrian militant group * Japanese Article Num ...

, 1865) - common cliff racer, Wadi racer, desert racer, braid snake, Jan’s cliff racer *'' Platyceps rogersi'' - Rogers's racer *'' Platyceps saharicus'' Schätti & McCarthy, 2004 *'' Platyceps schmidtleri'' (Schätti & McCarthy, 2001) *'' Platyceps scortecci'' (Lanza, 1963) *'' Platyceps sinai'' (

Schmidt Schmidt may refer to: * Schmidt (surname), including list of people and fictional characters with the surname * Schmidt (singer) (born 1990), German pop and jazz singer * Schmidt (lunar crater), a small lunar impact crater * Schmidt (Martian c ...

Marx Karl Marx (; 5 May 1818 – 14 March 1883) was a German philosopher, political theorist, economist, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. He is best-known for the 1848 pamphlet '' The Communist Manifesto'' (written with Friedrich Engels) ...

, 1956) - Sinai racer, Sinai banded racer *'' Platyceps sindhensis'' Schätti, Tillack & Kucharzewski, 2014 - Sindh racer *'' Platyceps somalicus'' (Boulenger, 1896) - Ogaden racer, Audo racer *'' Platyceps taylori'' (

Parker Parker may refer to: People * Parker (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Parker (surname), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname Arts and entertainment * ''Parke ...

, 1949) - Taylor's racer *'' Platyceps thomasi'' (Parker, 1931) - Thomas's semi-banded racer *'' Platyceps variabilis'' (Boulenger, 1905) - variable snake, variable racer *'' Platyceps ventromaculatus'' (

Gray Grey (more frequent in British English) or gray (more frequent in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning that it has no chroma. It is the color of a cloud-covered s ...

, 1834) - Hardwicke's rat snake, glossy-bellied racer, Gray's rat snake, spotted bellied snake *'' Platyceps vittacaudatus'' ( Blyth, 1854) - striped-tailed racer ''

Nota bene ( ; plural: ) is the Latin language, Latin phrase meaning ''note well''. In manuscripts, ''nota bene'' is abbreviated in upper-case as NB and N.B., and in lower-case as n.b. and nb; the editorial usages of ''nota bene'' and ''notate bene'' fi ...

'': A

binomial authority In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, altho ...

in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Platyceps''.

Taxonomy

Species

References

Further reading