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Citation: Midtgaard, Rune. RepFocus - A Survey of the Reptiles of the World. (www.repfocus.dk).
Latest update: July 16th, 2024.


Taxonomy of the family Colubridae
Bibliography of the genus Platyceps
Biodiversity of the family Colubridae








Genus
Platyceps

Flat-headed Whip Snakes, (Racers)

Flachkopf-Zornnattern

Fladhovedede Pilsnoge

1840 Tyria Bonaparte [not Tyria Huebner 1819 (Insecta); not Tyria Fitzinger 1826 (Serpentes)] (type species: Coluber dahlii Schinz 1833)
1843 Dendrophilus Fitzinger [not Dendrophilus Leach 1817 (Insecta)] (type species: Tyria dahlii = Tyria najadum Eichwald 1831)
1857 Etairejus Jan [nomen oblitum] (type species: Zamenis rhodorachis Jan 1865; syn. Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014)
1857 Pseudoperiops Jan [nomen oblitum] (type species: Pseudoperiops persicus = Coluber ventromaculatus Gray & Hardwicke 1834; syn. Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014)
1860 Platyceps Blyth [nomen protectum] (type species: Platyceps semifasciatus) (Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014)
1895 Acanthocalyx Cope (type species: Coluber ventromaculatus Gray & Hardwicke 1834)
1895 Tylanthera Cope (type species: Coluber florulentus Geoffroy 1827)
1924 Argyrogena Werner (type species: Argyrogena rostrata Werner 1924; syn. Deepak, Narayanan, Mohapatra, Dutta, Melvinselvan, Khan, Mahlow & Tillack 2021)
Contents: 27 species, of which 11 (40.7%) are endemic.
Endemism: 0% 100%
Remarks: Formerly included in Coluber (e.g., Böhme (ed.) 1993; Smith 1943). Also the nominal genus Argyrogena was previously included in Coluber, then revalidated as a separate genus (Wilson 1967), but most recently synonymized with Platyceps. Another species, Mopanveldophis zebrinus, was formerly included in Platyceps.
Distribution: Africa, SE. Europe, Middle East, W. Asia.
Reported from: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Chad, Croatia, Cyprus, Djibouti, Egypt (incl. Sinai), Eritrea (incl. Dahlak Archipelago), Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece (incl. Aegean Islands [incl. Dodecanese Islands (incl. Rhodes)]), India (Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal), Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Montenegro, Nepal, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia (incl. Farasan Islands [Sarso Island]), Serbia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Turkey (incl. European Turkey), Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen.

Platyceps afarensis

Djibouti Whip Snake, Afar Racer

Djibouti-Zornnatter

Djibouti-pilsnog

2004 Platyceps afarensis Schätti & Ineich

Distribution: Djibouti.


Platyceps bholanathi

Nagarjunasagar Whip Snake

Nagarjunasagar-Zornnatter

Nagarjunasagar-pilsnog

1976 Coluber bholanathi Sharma
Eremiophis bholanathi Welch 1988
Argyrogena bholanathi Sanyal, Dattagupta & Gayen 1993
Platyceps bholanathi Schätti, Tillack & Kucharzewski 2014

Remarks: Probably a synonym of gracilis (Schätti & Utiger 2001).
Distribution: India (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana).


Platyceps brevis

Somali Dwarf Whip Snake, Somali Dwarf Racer, Somali Racer

Somalische Zwerg-Zornnatter

Somalisk Dværgpilsnog

1895 Zamenis brevis Boulenger
Coluber brevis Parker 1932
Haemorrhois brevis [sic] Welch 1982
Eremiophis brevis Welch 1983
Platyceps brevis Schätti & Utiger 2001
1895 Zamenis smithi Boulenger (Schätti & Charvet 2003)
Coluber smithi Parker 1932
Coluber florulentus smithii Loveridge 1945
Haemorrhois florulentus smithi [sic] Welch 1982
Coluber brevis smithi Schätti in Lanza 1990
Platyceps brevis smithi Schätti & Utiger 2001
Platyceps smithi Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014
1925 Zamenis tripraeocularis Werner (Schätti & Charvet 2003)
1930 Zamenis boschisi Scortecci (Schätti & Charvet 2003)
Coluber boschisi Parker 1932
Coluber brevis boschisi Lanza 1963
1935 Coronella semiornata fuscorosea Loveridge (Schätti & Charvet 2003)

Other common names:
smithi: Southern Flowered Whip Snake, (Smith's Racer)
Remarks: Wallach, Williams & Boundy (2014) and Spawls, Mazuch & Mohammad (2023) treated smithi as a separate species, but without discussion.
Distribution: Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania.


Platyceps collaris

Red Whip Snake, Reddish Whip Snake, Red-headed Whip Snake

Rötliche Zornnatter

Rødlig Pilsnog

1878 Zamenis dahlii var. collaris Müller [not Coluber collaris Menetries 1832]
Coluber najadum collaris Werner 1935
Coluber collaris Schätti, Baran & Maunoir 2001
Platyceps collaris Schätti & Utiger 2001
1919 Zamenis dahlii rubriceps Venzmer (Schätti, Baran & Maunoir 2001)
Coluber najadum rubriceps Mertens 1940
Coluber rubriceps Baran 1976
Platyceps collaris rubriceps Smíd, Aghová, Velenská, Moravec, Balej, Naumov, Popgeorgiev, Üzüm, Avci & Jablonski 2021
1985 Coluber rubriceps thracius Rehak (Schätti, Baran & Maunoir 2001; Smíd, Aghová, Velenská, Moravec, Balej, Naumov, Popgeorgiev, Üzüm, Avci & Jablonski 2021)

Distribution: Bulgaria, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey (incl. European Turkey).


Platyceps elegantissimus

Elegant Whip Snake, Most Beautiful Whip Snake, Elegant Racer

Pracht-Zornnatter

Pragtpilsnog

1878 Zamenis elegantissimus Günther
Coluber elegantissimus Flower 1933
Haemorrhois elegantissimus [sic] Welch 1983
Eremiophis elegantissimus Welch 1983
Platyceps elegantissimus Schätti & Utiger 2001

Distribution: Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia.


Platyceps florulentus

Egyptian Whip Snake, Flowered Snake, Flowered Racer, (Geoffroy's Racer)

Ägyptische Zornnatter

Ægyptisk Pilsnog

1827 Coluber florulentus Geoffroy
Zamenis florulentus Duméril, Bibron & Duméril 1854
Eremiophis florulentus Welch 1983
Platyceps florulentus Schätti & Utiger 2001
Haemorrhois florulentus Chirio & LeBreton 2007
1932 Coluber keniensis Parker (Schätti 1988)
Eremiophis keniensis Welch 1983
Coluber florulentus keniensis Schätti 1988
Platyceps florulentus keniensis Schätti & Utiger 2001

Other common names:
florulentus: Nile Flowered Snake
keniensis: Lake Baringo Whip Snake
Remarks: Previously included perreti. Martens' (1997) record from Syria is erroneous (Schätti 2004). North African records (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya) refer to Hemorrhois algirus, previously regarded as a subspecies of florulentus (e.g., Kramer & Schnurrenberger 1963).
Distribution: Chad, Egypt (incl. Sinai), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda.


Platyceps gracilis

Indian Slender Whip Snake, Graceful Rat Snake, Graceful Dhaman

Grazile Schlanknatter

Venus-pilsnog

1862 Zamenis gracilis Günther
Coluber gracilis Smith 1943
Eremiophis gracilis Welch 1988
Argyrogena gracilis Ingle 2001
Platyceps gracilis Schätti, Tillack & Kucharzewski 2014

Distribution: India (Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan).


Platyceps insulanus

Farasan Whip Snake, Farasan Racer

Farasan-Zornnatter

Farasan-pilsnog

1965 Coluber insulanus Mertens
Platyceps insulanus Cunningham 2010

Remarks: Recorded with certainty only from the island Sarso (=Sindi Sarso), but based on pieces of shed skin found on the neighbouring island Sarad Sarso, the species presumably occurs on that island as well (Mertens 1965).
Distribution: Saudi Arabia (Farasan Islands: Sindi Sarso Island).


Platyceps josephi

Tamil Nadu Whip Snake, (Joseph's Racer)

Tamil-Nadu-Zornnatter

Tamil Nadu-pilsnog

2021 Platyceps josephi Deepak, Narayanan, Mohapatra, Dutta, Melvinselvan, Khan, Mahlow & Tillack

Remarks: Previously regarded as the southernmost population of plinii (in older literature referred to as "Argyrogena fasciolatus").
Distribution: India (Tamil Nadu).





Platyceps karelini

Spotted Desert Whip Snake, Banded Desert Racer

Gebänderte Wüsten-Zornnatter

Båndet Ørkenpilsnog

1838 Coluber karelini Brandt
Zamenis karelinii Strauch 1873
Zamenis ventrimaculatus karelini [sic] Boettger 1888
Haemorrhois karelini [sic] Welch 1983
Eremiophis karelini Welch 1983
Platyceps karelini Schätti & Utiger 2001
1838 Coluber chesneii Anderson
Platyceps karelini chesneii Schätti, Kucharzewski, Masroor & Rastegar-Pouyani 2012
Platyceps "chesneii" Sindaco, Venchi & Grieco 2013

Remarks: Previously included mintonorum and rogersi. The taxon chesneii represents populations previously treated as ventromaculatus, but later transferred (as subspecies) to karelini, along with rogersi (Schätti, Kucharzewski, Masroor & Rastegar-Pouyani 2012). The inclusion of rogersi under karelini was subsequently rejected by Sinaiko, Magory-Cohen, Meiri & Dor (2018). All previous records of ventromaculatus from Iran westwards are now assigned to chesneii (except those which refer to rogersi). Both species are present in Pakistan.
Distribution: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan.


Platyceps largeni

Dahlak Whip Snake

Dahlak-Zornnatter

Dahlak-pilsnog

2001 Coluber largeni Schätti
Platyceps largeni Schätti & Utiger 2001

Distribution: Eritrea (Dahlak Archipelago).


Platyceps messanai

Nogal Valley Whip Snake, (Messana's Racer)

Nogal-Zornnatter

Nogal-pilsnog

1989 Coluber messanai Schätti & Lanza
Platyceps messanai Schätti & Charvet 2003

Distribution: Somalia.


Platyceps mintonorum

Chagai Whip Snake, (Mintons' Desert Racer)

Chagai-Zornnatter

Chagai-pilsnog

1969 Coluber karelini mintonorum Mertens
Platyceps karelini mintonorum Ananjeva, Orlov, Khalikov, Darevsky, Ryabov & Barabanov 2006
Platyceps mintonorum Schätti & Stutz 2005

Distribution: Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan.


Platyceps najadum

European Slender Whip Snake, Light Green Whip Snake, Olive Slender Racer

Europäische Schlanknatter

Slank Pilsnog, (Dahls Snog (P. n. dahli))

1831 Tyria najadum Eichwald
Coluber najadum Mertens & Müller 1928
Haemorrhois najadum [sic] Welch 1980
Eremiophis najadum Welch 1983
Platyceps najadum Schätti & Utiger 2001
1831 Tyria ocellata Eichwald (Böhme (ed.) 1993)
1832 Coluber olivaceus Dwigubskij (Böhme (ed.) 1993)
1833 Coluber dahlii Schinz
Coluber najadum dahlii Mertens & Wermuth 1960
Haemorrhois najadum dahlii [sic] Welch 1983
Platyceps najadum dahlii Schätti & Utiger 2001
1912 Zamenis dahlii immaculata Schreiber (Böhme (ed.) 1993)
1980 Coluber najadum kalymnensis Schneider
Haemorrhois najadum kalymnensis [sic] Welch 1983
Platyceps najadum kalymnensis Böhme 2010
1993 Coluber atayevi Tuniyev & Shammakov (Schätti 2004)
Platyceps najadum atayevi Schätti 2004
Platyceps atayevi Nagy, Lawson, Joger & Wink 2004
1994 Coluber najadum albitemporalis Darevsky & Orlov
2001 Coluber schmidtleri Schätti & McCarthy (Schätti & Schmitz 2006)
Platyceps schmidtleri Schätti & Utiger 2001
Platyceps najadum schmidtleri Schätti & Schmitz 2006

Other common names:
atayevi: Atayev's Whip Snake
dahli: Dahl's Whip Snake
schmidtleri: Red-bellied Slender Whip Snake
Remarks: Some authors regard atayevi as a separate species (e.g., Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014). Also schmidtleri is regarded by some as a separate species (e.g., Kamali 2020). Some records from Cyprus refer to Hierophis cypriensis (Baier, Sparrow & Wiedl 2009). Presence of najadum in Cyprus was first reported by Bucknill & Boulenger (1910), but regarded as questionable by Baier, Sparrow & Wiedl (2009), however, it was recently confirmed for the island (Göcmen, Atatur, Budak, Bahar, Yildiz & Alpagut-Keskin 2009; Sindaco, Venchi & Grieco 2013). Most of the old records of najadum from Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon might refer to collaris (Sindaco, Venchi & Grieco 2013).
Distribution: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece (incl. Aegean Islands [incl. Dodecanese Islands (incl. Rhodes)]), Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Russia, Serbia, Syria, Turkey (incl. European Turkey), Turkmenistan.


Platyceps najadum
© Henrik Bringsøe

Platyceps noeli

Quetta Whip Snake, Brahui Racer

Quetta-Zornnatter

Quetta-pilsnog

2014 Platyceps noeli Schätti, Tillack & Kucharzewski

Distribution: Pakistan.


Platyceps perreti

Cameroon Whip Snake

Kamerunische Zornnatter

Camerounsk Pilsnog

1988 Coluber florulentus perreti Schätti
Platyceps florulentus perreti Schätti & Utiger 2001
Haemorrhois florulentus perreti Chirio & LeBreton 2007
Platyceps perreti Schätti, Tillack & Kucharzewski 2014

Remarks: Chippaux & Jackson (2019) claimed the distribution to reach as far "west" (obviously east!) as Sudan. No other references have been found to support the presence of the species in neither Chad, nor Sudan.
Distribution: Cameroon, Nigeria.


Platyceps plinii

Banded Whip Snake, Banded Racer, Fasciolated Rat Snake, Banded Dhaman

Gebänderte Zornnatter, (Gefleckte Peitschennatter)

Båndet Pilsnog

1820 Natrix Plinii Merrem
Coluber plinii Boie 1827
Platyceps plinii Deepak, Narayanan, Mohapatra, Dutta, Melvinselvan, Khan, Mahlow & Tillack 2021
1839 Coluber curvirostris Cantor (syn. Deepak, Narayanan, Mohapatra, Dutta, Melvinselvan, Khan, Mahlow & Tillack 2021)
1924 Argyrogena rostrata Werner (syn. Deepak, Narayanan, Mohapatra, Dutta, Melvinselvan, Khan, Mahlow & Tillack 2021)

Remarks: In older literature known as "Argyrogena fasciolatus", or "Coluber fasciolatus", a name which now represents Lycodon fasciolatus. Presence in Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Uttarakhand is considered undocumented (Deepak, Narayanan, Mohapatra, Dutta, Melvinselvan, Khan, Mahlow & Tillack 2021). Previously included the population now assigned to josephi.
Distribution: Bangladesh, India (Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal), Pakistan.





Platyceps rhodorachis

Wadi Whip Snake, Wadi Racer, Cliff Whip Snake, Desert Racer, Red-striped Wood Snake, Braid Snake, (Jan's Cliff Racer, Jan's Whip Snake, Jan's Desert Whip Snake)

Wadi-Zornnatter

Wadi-pilsnog

1861 Platyceps semifasciatus Blyth [nomen oblitum] (Schätti, Tillack & Kucharzewski 2014)
1863 Zamenis rhodorachis Jan [nomen protectum] (Schätti, Tillack & Kucharzewski 2014)
Haemorrhois rhodorachis [sic] Welch 1983
Eremiophis rhodorachis Welch 1983
Argyrogena rhodorachis Sharma & Sharma 1976
Platyceps rhodorachis Schätti & Utiger 2001
1871 Gonyosoma dorsale Anderson (Smith 1943; Perry 2012)
1871 Zamenis ladacensis Anderson
Coluber rhodorachis ladacensis Nilson & Andrén 1981
Coluber ladacensis Das 2003
Platyceps rhodorachis ladacensis Khan 2004
Platyceps ladacensis Perry 2012
1893 Zamenis ladacensis subnigra Boettger (Schätti, Tillack & Kucharzewski 2014)
Coluber rhodorachis subniger Lanza 1988
Platyceps subnigra [sic] Perry 2012
2000 Coluber rhodorachis kashmirensis Khan & Khan
Platyceps rhodorachis kashmirensis Khan 2004

Other common names:
kashmirensis: Kashmir Cliff Racer
ladacensis: Ladakh Whip Snake, Ladakh Racer, Eastern Cliff Racer, Stripeless Wood Snake
Remarks: Previously included the populations now assigned to saharicus. Records from N. Africa, NW. Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel refer to saharicus (Baha el Din 2006; Schätti & McCarthy 2004; Perry 2012).
Distribution: Afghanistan, China (Tibet), Djibouti, Eritrea (incl. Dahlak Archipelago), Ethiopia, India (Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand), Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Pakistan, Somalia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen.


Platyceps rogersi

Helwan Desert Whip Snake, (Spotted Racer, Rogers' Racer)

Helwan-Zornnatter, (Andersons Pfeilnatter, Rogers Renner)

Helwan-pilsnog

1893 Zamenis rogersi Anderson
Coluber rogersi Flower 1933
Platyceps rogersi Inger & Clark 1943
Haemorrhois rogersi [sic] Welch 1982
Eremiophis rogersi Welch 1983
Platyceps karelini rogersi Schätti, Kucharzewski, Masroor & Rastegar-Pouyani 2012

Remarks: Taxonomic status uncertain. Downgraded from species status to subspecies of karelini by Schätti, Kucharzewski, Masroor & Rastegar-Pouyani (2012), although indicated already by Schätti (2006). Nevertheless, retained as a valid species by many authors (e.g., Ibrahim 2013; Geniez 2015; Werner 2016; Bauer, DeBoer & Taylor 2017). The inclusion of rogersi under karelini was rejected by Sinaiko, Magory-Cohen, Meiri & Dor (2018), who regarded the decision as unsupported. However, they suggested further research to resolve the status of rogersi. Records from Iraq are assumed to refer to karelini chesneii, following Schätti 2004 [as "cf. ventromaculatus"]).
Distribution: Egypt (incl. Sinai), Israel, Jordan, Libya, Syria.


Platyceps saharicus

Sarahan Cliff Racer, Sahara Racer

Sahara-Zornnatter

Sahara-pilsnog

1910 ? Zamenis rhodorhachis [sic] tessellata Werner "1909" (status uncertain; Schätti, Tillack & Kucharzewski 2014)
Platyceps tessellata Perry 2012
2004 Platyceps saharicus Schätti & McCarthy

Remarks: This species represents what was previously regarded as the African and some of the Arabian populations of rhodorachis. Status and origin of tessellata is uncertain (Schätti, Tillack & Kucharzewski 2014). Perry (2012) regarded it as conspecific with saharicus and synonymized saharicus with tessellata (as P. tessellatus), which was followed by Werner (2016).
Distribution: Algeria, Chad, Egypt (incl. Sinai), Eritrea (incl. Dahlak Archipelago), Ethiopia, Israel, Jordan, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Sudan.


Platyceps scorteccii

Dura Mareb Whip Snake, (Scortecci's Racer)

Dura-Zornnatter

Dura-pilsnog

1963 Coluber scorteccii Lanza
Eremiophis scorteccii Welch 1983
Platyceps scortecci [sic] Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014

Distribution: Somalia.


Platyceps sinai

Sinai Whip Snake, Sinai Banded Snake, Sinai Banded Racer

Sinai-Zornnatter

Sinai-pilsnog

1956 Lytorhynchus sinai Schmidt & Marx
Coluber sinai Schätti & Wilson 1986
Haemorrhois sinai [sic] Welch 1983
Hemorrhois sinai Schlüter 2005
Platyceps sinai Baha el Din 2006

Distribution: Egypt (Sinai), Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia.


Platyceps sindhensis

Sindh Whip Snake

Sindh-Zornnatter

Sindh-pilsnog

2014 Platyceps sindhensis Schätti, Tillack & Kucharzewski

Distribution: Pakistan.


Platyceps somalicus

Ogaden Whip Snake, Ogaden Racer, Audo Racer

Ogaden-Zornnatter

Ogaden-pilsnog

1896 Zamenis somalicus Boulenger
Coluber somalicus Parker 1932
Haemorrhois somalicus [sic] Welch 1982
Eremiophis somalicus Welch 1983
Platyceps somalicus Schätti & Charvet 2003

Remarks: Listed as a Somali species by Welch (1982), but in spite of its name, somalicus is known only from Ethiopia (Lanza 1990; Largen & Rasmussen 1993; Schätti & Charvet 2003).
Distribution: Ethiopia.


Platyceps taylori

Somali Whip Snake, (Taylor's Whip Snake, Taylor's Racer)

Somalische Zornnatter

Somalisk Pilsnog

1949 Coluber taylori Parker
Eremiophis taylori Welch 1983
Platyceps taylori Schätti & Utiger 2001

Distribution: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia.


Platyceps variabilis

Arabian Whip Snake, Variable Racer

Arabische Zornnatter

Arabisk Pilsnog

1905 Zamenis variabilis Boulenger
Coluber variabilis Scortecci 1932
Haemorrhois variabilis [sic] Welch 1983
Eremiophis variabilis Welch 1983
Platyceps variabilis Schätti & Utiger 2001
1931 Coluber thomasi Parker (Schätti, Tillack & Kucharzewski 2014)
Haemorrhois thomasi [sic] Welch 1983
Eremiophis thomasi Welch 1983
Platyceps thomasi Egan 2007
Platyceps variabilis thomasi Schätti, Tillack & Kucharzewski 2014
1986 Coluber manseri Leviton (Schätti, Tillack & Kucharzewski 2014)
Coluber variabilis manseri Schätti & Gasperetti 1994
Platyceps manseri Egan 2007
Platyceps variabilis manseri Schätti, Tillack & Kucharzewski 2014

Distribution: Oman, Saudi Arabia, Yemen.


Platyceps ventromaculatus

Spotted Whip Snake, Glossy-bellied Whip Snake, Glossy-bellied Racer, (Gray's Racer, Hardwick's Rat Snake)

Gefleckte Zornnatter

Plettet Pilsnog

1834 Coluber ventromaculatus Gray & Hardwicke
Zamenis ventrimaculatus [sic] Günther 1858
Tyria ventrimaculata [sic] Cope 1862
Platyceps ventromaculatus Inger & Clark 1943
Haemorrhois ventromaculatus [sic] Welch 1983
Eremiophis ventromaculatus Welch 1983
Argyrogena ventromaculatus Murthy 1985
2000 Coluber ventromaculatus bengalensis Khan & Khan [not Coluber bengalensis Gray 1842] (Schätti & Schmitz 2006)
Platyceps ventromaculatus bengalensis Khan 2004
2000 Coluber ventromaculatus indusai Khan & Khan (Schätti & Schmitz 2006)
Platyceps ventromaculatus indusai Khan 2004
2002 Coluber ventromaculatus khanorum Barabanov [substitute name for Coluber ventromaculatus bengalensis Khan & Khan 2000]

Other common names:
bengalensis: Bengal Racer
indusai: (Sind Racer)
Remarks: Now restricted to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India (Schätti 2006; Jablonski, Basit, Farooqi & Masroor 2022). Records from Iran and westwards refer to rogersi and karelini chesneii (Schätti 2006; Schätti, Kucharzewski, Masroor & Rastegar-Pouyani 2012), although perpetuated by some authors (e.g., Safaei-Mahroo & al. 2015). Records from Uzbekistan (e.g.; Biswas & Sanyal 1977, Minton 1966, Smith 1943) refer to rhodorhachis (Terentjev & Chernov 1949; Schätti & Schmitz 2006). Records from Jammu & Kashmir (India) and Nepal are regarded as erroneous (Schätti 2006; Sindaco, Venchi & Grieco 2013). Records from Himachal Pradesh and possibly Uttarakhand (India) need confirmation (Schätti 2006). The latter are provisionally included herein.
Distribution: Afghanistan, India (Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand), Pakistan.