Pantherophis

Pantherophis is a genus of nonvenomous colubrid snakes endemic to North America and Central America, commonly called rat snakes, fox snakes, and corn snakes. All are powerful constrictors and help control rodent populations. Some taxonomic classification systems have accepted the proposed classification, while others have not. Although Pantherophis was originally proposed in 1843, in more recent history, these species were placed in the genus Elaphe. In 2002, Utiger et al. raised a taxonomic suggestion to resurrect the genus Pantherophis based on mitochondrial DNA evidence suggesting the New World ratsnakes are more closely related to king snakes than to the Old World rat snakes. This was confirmed by later phylogenetic studies. However, the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature rejected the renaming, and thus Elaphe remains the more widely recognized and broadly accepted genus name. The ITIS now identifies all species names that use Pantherophis as 'valid' names – no longer using Elaphe. These species are included: Fitzinger designated P. guttatus as the type species for the genus Pantherophis. In recent years, some taxonomic controversy arose over the genus of North American ratsnakes. Based on mitochondrial DNA, Utiger et al. (2002) showed North American rat snakes of the genus Elaphe, along with closely related genera such as Pituophis and Lampropeltis, form a monophyletic group separate from Old World members of the genus. They therefore suggested the resurrection of the available name Pantherophis Fitzinger for all North American taxa (north of Mexico). The reception to the proposed reclassification has been mixed. In 2008, the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles accepted the taxonomic change to Pantherophis. NatureServe and GBIF use Pantherophis names. ITIS also now identifies all species names that use Pantherophis as 'valid' names. CITES recognizes Elaphe and does not recognize Pantherophis.