GREAT PLAINS RATSNAKE Pantherophis (Elaphe) emoryi (Baird and Girard, 1853) 

STATUS:  Common

DOCUMENTED COUNTIES:  Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Hood, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, Somervell, Tarrant, and Wise

HABITAT:  Western Cross Timbers, Fort Worth Prairie, Mesquite Grand Prairie, Cedar-limestone Hills, Blackland Prairie, and Rolling Plains

COMMENTS:  The great plains rat snake is much more common in the western part of the Metroplex than it is in the east.