western rat snake

noun

plural western rat snakes

: a large, nonvenomous rat snake (Pantherophis obsoletus synonym Pantherophis obsoleta synonym Elaphe obsoleta) of the central U.S. found west of the Mississippi River that is typically black with a white throat

Note: In an alternative classification system, the western rat snake is not considered a separate species but rather included within centrally distributed subspecies (Pantherophis obsoletus obsoletus and P. obsoletus lindheimeri) of a common rat snake.

compare eastern rat snake, gray rat snake

Word History

First Known Use

1975, in the meaning defined above