Pseudagkistrodon:from Greek "pseudes", "false", and "Agkistrodon", a genus of American pit vipers. The name Agkistrodon comes from the Greek words ankistron ('fishhook') and odon 'tooth' and is likely a reference to the fangs.
Hans
The etymology of old generic names can be tough to determine without a fluency in ancient Greek or Latin, that is, those that were created prior to the relatively recent requirement to provide an etymology in the manuscript.
Hypsiscopus comes from the Greek Hypsi (high or lofty) and scopus (view) in reference to the location of the eyes atop the head in those snakes.
Gonyosoma comes from Wagler, who, like Stejneger, were rare 19th -century authors who provided greek etymologies. In the present case - gony (angle), soma (body), probably in reference to the sharply angled ventrolateral junction that is characteristic of so many "rat" snakes.
In his original description of Fowlea, Theobald states "Captured by E. Fowle, Esq., who is one of the very few who have liberally aided me in the study of our Indian reptiles."
It's really case-by-case.
Jeff
Wow, JEFF! That is beyond awesome. I imagine you're fluent in both Latin and Greek? My Latin is rather unfluent, although over the years and due to my interest in biology, my vocabulary has increased from my high school days when my most hated subject was Latin. And boy, was I bad at it. My father had forced me to choose it over French, insisting that it would be more beneficial later in life. (Of course, he was right, and I thank him every day) Greek wasn't offered at my high school, so the few words I know are mostly from the menus in gyros restaurants....
Hans
I'm not even fluent in pig latin, but a long interest in etymology has deposited much nomenclatural strata in the brain pan.
If I don't know the etymology I start with the original description for clues.
Jeff