{"elementGlobalId":103363,"circumscripConfidence":null,"classificationLevel":{"id":7,"classificationLevelNameEn":"Species","classificationLevelNameEs":"Especies","classificationLevelNameFr":"Espèce"},"classificationStatus":{"id":1,"classificationStatusDescEn":"Standard","classificationStatusDescEs":"Estándar","classificationStatusDescFr":"Standard"},"iucn":{"id":11,"iucnDescEn":"Least concern","iucnDescEs":"Menos preocupante","iucnDescFr":"Moins préoccupante","iucnCode":"LC"},"nameCategory":{"id":1,"nameCategoryDescEn":"Vertebrate Animal","nameCategoryDescEs":"Animal vertebrado","nameCategoryDescFr":"Animal vertébré","nameTypeCd":"A","nameTypeDesc":"Zoological"},"rankMethodUsed":{"id":6,"rankMethodUsedDescEn":"Legacy Rank calculation - Biotics v1","rankMethodUsedDescEs":null,"rankMethodUsedDescFr":null,"rankMethodUsedExternalDescEn":"Ranked by calculator","rankMethodUsedExternalDescEs":null,"rankMethodUsedExternalDescFr":null},"formattedScientificName":"<i>Pantherophis alleghaniensis</i>","scientificName":"Pantherophis alleghaniensis","scientificNameAuthor":"(Holbrook, 1836)","primaryCommonName":"Eastern Ratsnake","relatedItisNames":"<i>Elaphe alleghaniensis</i> (Holbrook, 1836) (TSN 683033)","uniqueId":"ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.103363","elcode":"ARADB13080","conceptRefFullCitation":"Burbrink, F. T. 2001. Systematics of the eastern ratsnake complex (<i>Elaphe obsoleta</i>). Herpetological Monographs 15:1-53.","conceptName":"<i>Elaphe alleghaniensis</i>","taxonomicComments":"Utiger et al. (2002) examined mtDNA variation in New World and Old World \"<i>Elaphe</i>\" and determined that North American rat snakes currently included in the genus <i>Elaphe </i>form a monophyletic limeage that is distinct from Old World snakes that also have been regarded as <i>Elaphe</i>. They resurrected the genus <i>Pantherophis </i>for the rat snakes north of Mexico, including the following species: <i>Pantherophis obsoletus</i> (and <i>P. alleghaniensis</i> and <i>P. spiloides</i>, if one recognizes those taxa as species), <i>P. guttatus</i>, <i>P. emoryi</i>, <i>P. vulpinus</i>, <i>P. gloydi</i>, and<i> P. bairdi</i>. Based on mtDNA and nuclear DNA data, Burbrink and Lawson (2007) determined that New World <i>Elaphe </i>are not closely related to Old World <i>Elaphe</i>. While further splitting of <i>Pantherophis </i>has been proposed (Collins and Taggart 2008), the use of <i>Pantherophis </i>has helped stabilize the classification of New World ratsnakes. Thus, Crother (2017) refrain from further division of the genus.","roundedGRank":"G4","conservationStatusFactorsEditionDate":"2016-04-14","conservationStatusFactorsEditionAuthors":"Hammerson, G.","primaryCommonNameLanguage":"EN","recordType":"SPECIES","elementNationals":[{"elementNationalId":167855,"classifConfidence":null,"nation":{"id":225,"nameEn":"United States","nameEs":"Estados Unidos","nameFr":"États-Unis","isoCode":"US","region":"United 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fungal disease. Better information is needed on distribution relative to <i>Pantherophis spiloides</i>.","grank":"G4G5","rankInfo":{"elementGlobalId":103363,"aooPercentGood":null,"enviromentalSpecificity":null,"intrinsicVulnerability":null,"longTermTrend":null,"numberEos":null,"numberGoodEos":null,"numberProtEos":null,"popSize":{"id":35,"popSizeDescEn":"100,000 to >1,000,000 individuals","popSizeDescEs":"De 100.000 a >1.000.000 de individuos","popSizeDescFr":"De 100 000 à >1 000 000 individus"},"rangeExtent":{"id":33,"rangeExtentDescEn":"200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)","rangeExtentDescEs":"200.000 a 2.500.000 kilómetros cuadrados (aproximadamente 80.000 a 1.000.000 millas cuadradas)","rangeExtentDescFr":"De 200 000 à 2 500 000 km carrés (de 80 000 à 1 000 000 miles carrés approximativement)"},"shortTermTrend":{"id":37,"shortTermTrendDescEn":"Decline of <30% to relatively stable","shortTermTrendDescEs":"Disminución de <30% a relativamente estable","shortTermTrendDescFr":"Diminution de <30 % à relativement stable"},"threatImpactAssigned":{"id":9,"threatImpactAssignedDescEn":"Medium - low","threatImpactAssignedDescEs":"Medio - bajo","threatImpactAssignedDescFr":"Moyen — faible"},"rangeExtentComments":"This species occurs in the eastern United States, from New England to southern Florida, east of the Appalachian Mountains, east of the Apalachicola River in Florida, and east of the Chattahoochee River in Georgia; western edge of range is poorly defined, and a large area of taxonomic uncertainty potentially involving hybridization with <i>P. spiloides</i> extends from eastern New York and New England to northern Georgia (Burbrink 2001). A ratsnake species has been introduced in the Bahamas (Abacos; Buckner and Franz, 1994, Herpetol. Rev. 25:166), but whether it represents this species or another is uncertain from information presented in the published record.","areaOfOccupancy":{"id":98,"areaOfOccupancyType":{"id":4,"areaOfOccupancyTypeDescEn":"4-km2 grid cells","areaOfOccupancyTypeDescEs":"Células de la cuadrícula de 4 km2","areaOfOccupancyTypeDescFr":"Cellules de grille de 4 km2"},"areaOfOccupancyDescEn":"2,501 to >12,500","areaOfOccupancyDescEs":"De 2.501 a >12.500","areaOfOccupancyDescFr":"De 2 501 à >12 500","bioticsKey":45},"areaOfOccupancyComments":"Area of occupancy is unknown but very large.","numberEosComments":"The number of distinct occurrences has not been determined using consistent criteria, but this species is represented by a very large number of collection sites and locations (as defined by IUCN).","popSizeComments":"Total adult population size is unknown but very large (presumably exceeds 100,000) This species is locally common in much of its range.","viabilityComments":null,"threatImpactComments":"Intensive agricultural development and urbanization have caused localized declines, and collectors probably have depleted some easily accessible populations, but in most areas this snake is not threatened by these factors. This species is vulnerable to snake fungal disease; the scope, severity, and population impact of this disease on <i>P. alleghaniensis</i> are uncertain but potentially significant.","shortTermTrendComments":"Trend over the past 10 years or three generations is uncertain, but extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, number of subpopulations, and population size probably have been relatively stable or slowly declining (however, see threats comments).","longTermTrendComments":null,"inventoryNeeds":null,"numberProtEosComments":"This species occurs in many protected areas.","protectionNeeds":null,"otherConsiderations":null,"intrinsicVulnerabilityComments":null,"enviromentalSpecificityComments":null},"animalCharacteristics":{"elementGlobalId":103363,"majorHabitat":{"id":3,"majorHabitatDescEn":"Terrestrial","majorHabitatDescEs":"Terrestre","majorHabitatDescFr":"Terrestre"},"nonMigrant":true,"localMigrant":true,"longDistanceMigrant":false,"mobilityMigrationComments":"May migrate in spring and fall between hibernaculum and summer range. Home range diameter was at least 500-600 m in Maryland (DeGraaf and Rudis 1983).","foodHabitsComments":"Eats birds and their eggs, small mammals, lizards, frogs, and invertebrates; adults eat mainly endotherms while young eat mainly ectotherms.","animalPhenologyComments":"Diurnal in spring and fall, nocturnal in summer (Behler and King 1979). Active late April to October in north, presumably longer in south.","colonialBreeder":false,"length":257,"width":null,"weight":null,"animalPhenologies":[{"animalCagPhenologyId":102398,"animalPhenology":{"id":1,"animalPhenologyDescEn":"Hibernates/aestivates","animalPhenologyDescEs":"Hibernación/Estivación","animalPhenologyDescFr":"Hiberne/estive","displayOrder":1},"adult":true,"immature":true},{"animalCagPhenologyId":102399,"animalPhenology":{"id":3,"animalPhenologyDescEn":"Diurnal","animalPhenologyDescEs":"Diurno","animalPhenologyDescFr":"Diurne","displayOrder":3},"adult":true,"immature":true},{"animalCagPhenologyId":102400,"animalPhenology":{"id":4,"animalPhenologyDescEn":"Nocturnal","animalPhenologyDescEs":"Nocturno","animalPhenologyDescFr":"Nocturne","displayOrder":4},"adult":true,"immature":true},{"animalCagPhenologyId":102401,"animalPhenology":{"id":5,"animalPhenologyDescEn":"Crepuscular","animalPhenologyDescEs":"Crepuscular","animalPhenologyDescFr":"Crépusculaire","displayOrder":5},"adult":true,"immature":true}],"animalFoodHabits":[{"animalCagFoodHabitsId":104469,"foodHabits":{"id":1,"foodHabitsDescEn":"Carnivore","foodHabitsDescEs":"Carnívoro","foodHabitsDescFr":"Carnivore","displayOrder":1},"adult":true,"immature":true}]},"occurrenceDelineations":[{"eoSpecsDetailId":1142,"locationUseClass":{"id":1,"locationUseClassDescEn":"Not applicable","locationUseClassDescEs":"No se aplica","locationUseClassDescFr":"Sans objet","displayOrder":1},"eoSpecGroupName":"Medium And Large Colubrid Snakes","subtypes":null,"inferredExtentDistance":0.5,"inferredExtentNotes":null,"minimumEoCriteria":"Occurrences are based on evidence of historical presence, or current and likely recurring presence, at a given location. Such evidence minimally includes collection or reliable observation and documentation of one or more individuals (including eggs) in or near appropriate habitat where the species is presumed to be established and  breeding.","mappingGuidance":null,"separationBarriers":"Busy highway or highway with obstructions such that snakes rarely if ever cross successfully; major river, lake, pond, or deep marsh (this barrier pertains only to upland species and does not apply to aquatic or wetland snakes); densely urbanized area dominated by buildings and pavement.","separationDistanceUnsuitableHabitatat":1.0,"separationDistanceSuitableHabitatat":10.0,"altSeparationProcedure":null,"separationJustification":"Available information on movements of colubrid snakes is limited to a small minority of species. These data indicate that nearly all species have home ranges smaller or much smaller than 25 ha (e.g., less than 3 ha, <i>Pituophis catenifer</i> in California, Rodriguez-Robles 2003), with some up to about 75 ha (<i>Heterodon platirhinos</i>, average 50 ha, Plummer and Mills 2000), and the largest up to 225 ha in the biggest colubrids (<i>Drymarchon</i>, summer mean 50-100 ha, USFWS 1998). <br><br>Radiotelemetry data for <i>Pantherophis </i>indicate that residents of hibernacula that are 1-2 km apart (with suitable intervening habitat) probably interbreed (Prior et al. 1997, Blouin-Demers and Weatherhead 2002). However, \"evidence of genetic structure even over short distances (e.g., 2-20 km) implies that gene flow among rat snake populations can be easily disrupted\" (Prior et al. 1997). Loughheed et al. (1999) found evidence of substantial genetic exchange among local hibernacula (< 6 km apart), but gene flow over distances of 10s of km appears to be substantially less. Based on extensive radio-tracking data, Blouin-Demers and Weatherhead (2002) found that home range size of <i>Pantherophis </i>averaged 18.5 ha and ranged up to 93 ha; based on the most mobile individuals, <i>Pantherophis </i>from hibernacula up to 8 km apart can come together for mating. <i>Pantherophis </i>and probably other colubrids exhibit high fidelity to hibernacula and shift even to nearby sites only rarely (Prior et al. 2001). <br><br>Many of the several studies that report small home ranges for colubrids did not employ methods (e.g., radio telemetry) suitable for detecting full annual or multi-annual home range size, dispersal, or other long-distance movements, so these may have yielded underestimates of home ranges or activity areas.  <br><br>At least some colubrids, including medium-sized species such as garter snakes, not uncommonly move between areas up to a few kilometers apart, and several species make extensive movements of up to several kilometers, so separation distances of 1-2 km for suitable habitat are too small for medium-sized and large colubrids.<br><br>A separation distance of 10 km for suitable habitat was selected as most appropriate for snakes assigned to this Specs Group because it seems generally unlikely that two locations separated by less than 10 km of suitable habitat would represent distinct occurrences.<br><br>For the purposes of these occurrence specifications, upland habitat is regarded as unsuitable habitat for aquatic and wetland snakes. For upland snakes, shallow or patchy wetlands are treated as unsuitable habitat whereas large deepwater habitats (subjective determination) are barriers.","versionDate":"2013-02-12","versionAuthor":"Hammerson, G.","versionNotes":"Separation distance for suitable habitat was changed from 5 km to 10 km based on comments from Dale Jackson (12 Feb 2013).","lastModified":"2020-04-30T02:04:05.987846Z"}],"plantCharacteristics":null,"elementManagement":{"elementGlobalId":103363,"eoManagementGroupName":null,"stewardshipOverview":null,"impacts":null,"restorationPotential":null,"siteConservationPlansConsidered":null,"managementMethods":null,"monitoringMethods":null,"managementProgramContacts":null,"monitoringProgramContacts":null,"managementResearchPrograms":null,"managementResearchNeeds":null,"biologicalResearchNeeds":null,"additionalTopics":null},"occurrenceViabilities":[{"eoRankSpecsDetailId":104847,"eoRankSpecsGroupName":null,"locationUseClass":{"id":1,"locationUseClassDescEn":"Not applicable","locationUseClassDescEs":"No se aplica","locationUseClassDescFr":"Sans objet","displayOrder":1},"excellentViability":null,"goodViability":null,"fairViability":null,"poorViability":null,"viabilityJustification":"Use the Generic Guidelines for the Application of Occurrence Ranks (2008).<br>The Key for Ranking Species Occurrences Using the Generic Approach provides a step-wise process for implementing this method.","versionDate":null,"versionAuthor":null,"versionNotes":null,"lastModified":"2020-05-14T02:23:54.054343Z"}],"references":[{"id":137372,"citation":"Behler, J. L., and F. W. King. 1979. The Audubon Society field guide to North American reptiles and amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. 719 pp.","shortCitationAuthor":"Behler and King","shortCitationYear":1979,"referenceCode":"B79BEH01NAUS","lastModified":"2020-02-25T14:38:24.173666Z"},{"id":145013,"citation":"Burbrink, F. T. 2001. Systematics of the eastern ratsnake complex (<i>Elaphe obsoleta</i>). Herpetological Monographs 15:1-53.","shortCitationAuthor":"Burbrink","shortCitationYear":2001,"referenceCode":"A01BUR01NAUS","lastModified":"2020-02-25T18:15:08.165934Z"},{"id":645550,"citation":"Burbrink, F. T., B. I. Crother and R. Lawson. 2007. The destabilization of North American Snake Taxonomy. Herpetological Review 38:273-278.","shortCitationAuthor":"Burbrink et al.","shortCitationYear":2007,"referenceCode":"A07BUR01NAUS","lastModified":"2020-02-25T18:12:09.428867Z"},{"id":125167,"citation":"Burbrink, F. T., R. Lawson, and J. B. Slowinski. 2000. Mitochondrial DNA phylogeography of the North American rat snake (<i>Elaphe obsoleta</i>): a critique of the subspecies concept. Evolution 54:2107-2114.","shortCitationAuthor":"Burbrink et al.","shortCitationYear":2000,"referenceCode":"A00BUR03NAUS","lastModified":"2020-02-25T18:15:08.165934Z"},{"id":1068022,"citation":"Collins, J. T., and T. W. Taggart. 2008. An alternative classification of the New World rat snakes (genus <i>Pantherophis</i> [Reptilia: Squamata: Colubridae]). Journal of Kansas Herpetology 26:16-18.","shortCitationAuthor":"Collins and Taggart","shortCitationYear":2008,"referenceCode":"A08COL02NAUS","lastModified":"2020-11-11T02:01:49.167852Z"},{"id":621810,"citation":"Crother, B. I. (editor). 2008. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. Sixth edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles Herpetological Circular 37:1-84. Online with updates at: http://www.ssarherps.org/pages/comm_names/Index.php","shortCitationAuthor":"Crother","shortCitationYear":2008,"referenceCode":"B08CRO01NAUS","lastModified":"2020-02-25T14:38:20.142383Z"},{"id":722484,"citation":"Crother, B. I. (editor). 2012. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 7th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 39:1-92.","shortCitationAuthor":"Crother","shortCitationYear":2012,"referenceCode":"B12CRO01NAUS","lastModified":"2020-02-25T18:11:51.08501Z"},{"id":943912,"citation":"Crother, B. I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 8th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 43:1-104. [Updates in SSAR North American Species Names Database at: https://ssarherps.org/cndb]","shortCitationAuthor":"Crother","shortCitationYear":2017,"referenceCode":"B17CRO01EHUS","lastModified":"2020-02-25T18:11:53.413199Z"},{"id":115940,"citation":"DeGraaf, R. M., and D. D. Rudis. 1983a. Amphibians and reptiles of New England. Habitats and natural history. Univ. Massachusetts Press. vii + 83 pp.","shortCitationAuthor":"DeGraaf and Rudis","shortCitationYear":1983,"referenceCode":"B83DEG01NAUS","lastModified":"2020-02-25T18:12:26.951601Z"},{"id":106832,"citation":"Fitch, H. S. 1970. Reproductive cycles of lizards and snakes. Univ. Kansas Museum Natural History Miscellaneous Publication 52:1-247.","shortCitationAuthor":"Fitch","shortCitationYear":1970,"referenceCode":"B70FIT01NAUS","lastModified":"2020-02-25T18:11:58.69455Z"},{"id":108406,"citation":"Hulse, A. C., C. J. McCoy, and E. Censky. 2001. Amphibians and reptiles of Pennsylvania and the Northeast. 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