Need clarity on IDing the snake in the pic.

[Coyote B]

First of all, hello to all. I've been catching snakes for around 25 years. I consider myself a fairly experienced snake catcher/identifier of Texas snakes especially. However I have been having trouble while researching the snake in the attached picture. I know for sure its not a Texas rat, nor a prairie king (looks very very similar) I believe this is a Great Plains rat or what some call a Texas Corn. Can anyone confirm this? Is a Great Plains rat considered a corn? I know they are all in the rat family, but I want to know what I should be calling these guys. TIA!

[FWK]

You're on it, it is a Great Plains Rat Snake, aka Emory's Rat Snake (Pantherophis emoryi). It was at one time considered a subspecies of Corn Snakes under the nomenclature Elaphe guttata emoryi, but has since been elevated to species status. Corn Snakes (Pantherophis guttatus) can actually be found in some areas of east Texas and are locally referred to as Texas Corn Snakes, though I have heard people call Emory's Texas Corns as well.

[Coyote B]

Awesome, thanks for the reply. I had a few people tell me they were prairie kings. Although they look really similair there's a few things to tell them apart quick. One being the arrow point on the head like corns have.

Thanks again!

[FWK]

Anytime Coyote B, thanks for sharing. If you have any more pictures to share we'd love to see them, I never get tired of snake pictures. We even have a Field Herping section.

[jjhill001]

I believe the term is "generic Ratsnake"