Coelognathus is a genus of seven species of rat snakes in the subfamily Colubrinae of the family Colubridae.

Based on morphological evidence and protein similarities, in 2001, Helfenberger revalidated the name Coelognathus that had originally been proposed by Leopold Fitzinger in 1843.

[1] The distinction between Coelognathus and Elaphe was further supported by mitochondrial DNA sequence and additional morphological evidence in 2005.

[2] These species are recognized as being valid:[3] Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Coelognathus.

This article relating to Colubrinae is a stub.