Which synonym reflects the original description designation placing the snake under Coluber?
Answer
Coluber obsoletus
The taxonomic history of the Western Rat Snake shows that its classification evolved significantly over time, resulting in several recognized synonyms listed in databases like the Reptile Database. The designation *Coluber obsoletus* is specifically identified as the original description designation. This early classification placed the species into the genus *Coluber*, which is historically associated with whip snakes. This initial placement reflects the understanding of morphology available at the time of the first scientific description, long before molecular data prompted the reorganization into the modern *Pantherophis* genus.
Related Questions
What Class defines Pantherophis obsoletus by possessing scales and being ectothermic?The Western Rat Snake is a member of which large snake Family?Before genetic analysis refined taxonomy, P. obsoletus and relatives were often grouped under which genus?What defines members of the reptile Order Squamata regarding body covering?What is the Latin meaning associated with the specific epithet obsoletus?What Global Rank (G5) has NatureServe assigned to Pantherophis obsoletus?What imprecise term is sometimes used to refer to snakes in the Family Colubridae?What structural feature distinguishes the Phylum Chordata, which includes Pantherophis obsoletus?Which synonym reflects the original description designation placing the snake under Coluber?The genus Pantherophis signifies a lineage separate from which Eurasian counterparts?Which two species, now classified separately within Pantherophis, were once included in the broader Elaphe obsoleta complex?