Re: Seem like they're more aligned . . >

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Posted by Terry Cox on December 30, 2001 at 11:47:22:

In Reply to: Seem like they're more aligned . . > posted by Terry Parks on December 30, 2001 at 08:28:29:

: with racers. Spilotes and Ptyas seem to have racer like behavior and looks. Several of the snakes listed in my rat snake book (ie. Spalerosophis etc.) could be easily classified with racers. The ones in the wild get really huge, but the cb don't seem to get that big. What do you guys think?

Terry, some good points. The ratsnakes, Elaphe, are aligned with tropical forms, that arene't called Elaphe anymore. For instance, Gonyosoma oxycephala is similar to the Elaphe in some respects, as is radiata, whatever the new genus name is. My point, some of these species are racer-like and also ratsnake-like. Heck, even taeniura is a ratsnake that's racer-like. What's gone on in the tropics is a mystery, but surely there's been an exchange of genes between different genera, as well as species. In other words, who's to say that Ptyas doesn't have "racer" genes, as well as some "ratsnake" genes? I believe that the tropical forms hold the key to evolution of other forms, and there are some relationships bt. the tropical forms. Wonder what DNA testing would show??

I think the large size of tropical forms is related to the tropical conditions which are more favorable to growth, i.e. more efficient activity periods. Small size in captivity is probably related to the change in conditions, in which animals are unable to grow at a rate they are capable of in the wild. IMHO, TC.

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Thanks for the info . . .> Terry Parks 12/30/01 (0)

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: : with racers. Spilotes and Ptyas seem to have racer like behavior and looks. Several of the snakes listed in my rat snake book (ie. Spalerosophis etc.) could be easily classified with racers. The ones in the wild get really huge, but the cb don't seem to get that big. What do you guys think? : : Terry, some good points. The ratsnakes, Elaphe, are aligned with tropical forms, that arene't called Elaphe anymore. For instance, Gonyosoma oxycephala is similar to the Elaphe in some respects, as is radiata, whatever the new genus name is. My point, some of these species are racer-like and also ratsnake-like. Heck, even taeniura is a ratsnake that's racer-like. What's gone on in the tropics is a mystery, but surely there's been an exchange of genes between different genera, as well as species. In other words, who's to say that Ptyas doesn't have "racer" genes, as well as some "ratsnake" genes? I believe that the tropical forms hold the key to evolution of other forms, and there are some relationships bt. the tropical forms. Wonder what DNA testing would show?? : I think the large size of tropical forms is related to the tropical conditions which are more favorable to growth, i.e. more efficient activity periods. Small size in captivity is probably related to the change in conditions, in which animals are unable to grow at a rate they are capable of in the wild. IMHO, TC.

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