I think it is really interesting to contemplate (and experience) the differences between taxa. There are the broad groups that we can make broad generalized comparisons between, such as the kings and mountain kings; another example is the different groups of boas: US natives vs the other terrestrial boas vs the arboreal boas. Another example is probably (I've kept none of these) the Australian pythons and the Asian pythons.
There stark differences even within a genus -- differences within Python, or within Lampropeltis, are vivid examples. Even between closely related species there are differences. The two rosy boa species (Lichanura trivirgata and L orcutti) are different in size and behavior/temperament, and even within L. orcutti there are those differences between the coastal and high desert locales. Outside of snakes, I think of Coelonyx (banded geckos) for intergeneric differences -- some species are rainforest dwellers, some in pretty harsh desert, and there are empirically established differences in physiology (preferred body temp; especially rate of evaporation).
This is one of the main reasons I like to keep a really broad range of herps -- to see how wildly different they all are, even in close relatives. Super interesting stuff.
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