Which two species, now classified separately within Pantherophis, were once included in the broader Elaphe obsoleta complex?
Answer
P. alleghaniensis and P. spiloides
The historical species concept for *Elaphe obsoleta* was considerably broader than the current definition for *Pantherophis obsoletus*. Modern genetic work revealed that this former collective group contained organisms now recognized as distinct species. Specifically mentioned as having been included within that wide historical definition are the Eastern Rat Snake (*P. alleghaniensis*) and the Gray Rat Snake (*P. spiloides*). This past conflation illustrates how regional variation was initially treated as intraspecific variation until genetic tools allowed researchers to establish clear boundaries between evolving lineages within the genus *Pantherophis*.
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