Colubridae
| Colubridae Temporal range: Oligocene to Recent | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Caspian whipsnake, Coluber caspius | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Superfamily: | Colubroidea |
| Family: | Colubridae Oppel, 1811 |
Colubridae (from Latin coluber, snake) is a family of snakes. With 524 genera and approximately 1,760 species,[1] it is the largest snake family, and includes just over 51% of all known living snake species. The earliest species of the family date back to the Oligocene epoch. Colubrid snakes are found on every continent except Antarctica.[2]
Contents
1 Description
2 Classification
2.1 Current subfamilies
2.2 Former subfamilies
3 References
4 External links
Description
While most colubrids are not venomous (or have venom that is not known to be harmful to humans) and are mostly harmless, a few groups, such as genus Boiga, can produce medically significant bites, while the boomslang, the twig snakes, and the Asian genus Rhabdophis have caused human fatalities.[2][3][4]
Some colubrids are described as opisthoglyphous, meaning they have elongated, grooved teeth located in the back of their upper jaws, often called "rear-fanged". Opisthoglyphous dentition likely evolved many times in the history of snakes[3] and is an evolutionary precursor to the fangs of vipers and elapids, which are located in the front of the mouth.[5][6][7][2][3]
Classification
In the past, the Colubridae were not a natural group, as many were more closely related to other groups, such as elapids, than to each other.[8] This family was historically used as a "wastebasket taxon"[9] for snakes that do not fit elsewhere.[10] Until recently, colubrids were basically colubroids that were not elapids, viperids, or Atractaspis.[11]
However, recent research in molecular phylogenetics has stabilized the classification of historically "colubrid" snakes and the family as currently defined is a monophyletic clade,[12][13][14][15] although additional research will be necessary to sort out all the relationships within this group. As of May 2018 eight subfamilies are recognized.[16]
Current subfamilies
Sibynophiinae – 11 species in two genera
- Scaphiodontophis
- Sibynophis
Natricinae – 236 species in 36 genera (sometimes given as family Natricidae)
Indian Rat Snake (Grey and Yellow)
A natricine, Thamnophis sirtalis
- Adelophis
- Afronatrix
- Amphiesma
- Amphiesmoides
- Anoplohydrus
- Aspidura
- Atretium
- Balanophis
- Clonophis
- Haldea
- Hebius
- Helophis
- Herpetoreas
- Hydrablabes
- Hydraethiops
- Iguanognathus
- Isanophis
- Limnophis
- Liodytes
- Macropisthodon
- Natriciteres
- Natrix
- Nerodia
- Opisthotropis
- Paratapinophis
- Regina
- Rhabdophis
- Rhabdops
- Sinonatrix
- Storeria
- Thamnophis
- Trachischium
- Tropidoclonion
- Tropidonophis
- Virginia
- Xenochrophis
Pseudoxenodontinae – 10 species in two genera
- Plagiopholis
- Pseudoxenodon
Dipsadinae – 782 species in 96 genera (sometimes given as family Dipsadidae)
A dipsadine, Sibon longifrenis
- Adelphicos
- Alsophis
- Amastridium
- Amnesteophis
- Apostolepis
- Arrhyton
- Atractus
- Boiruna
- Borikenophis
- Caaeteboia
- Calamodontophis
- Caraiba
- Carphophis
- Cenaspis
- Cercophis
- Chersodromus
- Clelia
- Coniophanes
- Conophis
- Contia
- Coronelaps
- Crisantophis
- Cryophis
- Cubophis
- Diadophis
- Diaphorolepis
- Dipsas
- Ditaxodon
- Drepanoides
- Echinanthera
- Elapomorphus
- Emmochliophis
- Enuliophis
- Enulius
- Erythrolamprus
- Eutrachelophis
- Farancia
- Geophis
- Gomesophis
- Haitiophis
- Helicops
- Heterodon
- Hydrodynastes
- Hydromorphus
- Hydrops
- Hypsiglena
- Hypsirhynchus
- Ialtris
- Imantodes
- Leptodeira
- Lioheterophis
- Lygophis
- Magliophis
- Manolepis
- Mussurana
- Ninia
- Nothopsis
- Omoadiphas
- Oxyrhopus
- Paraphimophis
- Phalotris
- Philodryas
- Phimophis
- Plesiodipsas
- Pliocercus
- Pseudalsophis
- Pseudoboa
- Pseudoeryx
- Pseudoleptodeira
- Pseudotomodon
- Psomophis
- Ptychophis
- Rhachidelus
- Rhadinaea
- Rhadinella
- Rhadinophanes
- Rodriguesophis
- Saphenophis
- Sibon
- Siphlophis
- Sordellina
- Synophis
- Tachymenis
- Taeniophallus
- Tantalophis
- Thamnodynastes
- Thermophis
- Tomodon
- Tretanorhinus
- Trimetopon
- Tropidodipsas
- Tropidodryas
- Uromacer
- Uromacerina
- Urotheca
- Xenodon
- Xenopholis
Grayiinae – 4 species in one genus
- Grayia
Calamariinae – 89 species in seven genera
- Calamaria
- Calamorhabdium
- Collorhabdium
- Etheridgeum
- Macrocalamus
- Pseudorabdion
- Rabdion
Ahaetuliinae – 61 species in four genera
- Ahaetulla
- Chrysopelea
- Dendrelaphis
- Dryophiops
Colubrinae – 699 species in 95 genera
A colubrine, Dolichophis jugularis, preying on a legless lizard, a sheltopusik
- Aeluroglena
- Aprosdoketophis
- Archelaphe
- Argyrogena
- Arizona
- Bamanophis
- Bogertophis
- Boiga
- Cemophora
- Chapinophis
- Chilomeniscus
- Chionactis
- Chironius
- Coelognathus
- Coluber
- Colubroelaps
- Conopsis
- Coronella
- Crotaphopeltis
- Dasypeltis
- Dendrophidion
- Dipsadoboa
- Dispholidus
- Dolichophis
- Drymarchon
- Drymobius
- Drymoluber
- Eirenis
- Elaphe
- Euprepiophis
- Ficimia
- Geagras
- Gonyosoma
- Gyalopion
- Hapsidophrys
- Hemerophis
- Hemorrhois
- Hierophis
- Lampropeltis
- Leptodrymus
- Leptophis
- Liopeltis
- Lycodon
- Lytorhynchus
- Macroprotodon
- Masticophis
- Mastigodryas
- Meizodon
- Mopanveldophis
- Muhtarophis
- Oligodon
- Oocatochus
- Opheodrys
- Oreocryptophis
- Orientocoluber
- Oxybelis
- Pantherophis
- Philothamnus
- Phrynonax
- Phyllorhynchus
- Pituophis
- Platyceps
- Pseudelaphe
- Pseudoficimia
- Ptyas
- Rhamnophis
- Rhinobothryum
- Rhinocheilus
- Rhynchocalamus
- Salvadora
- Scaphiophis
- Scolecophis
- Senticolis
- Simophis
- Sonora
- Spalerosophis
- Spilotes
- Stegonotus
- Stenorrhina
- Stichophanes
- Symphimus
- Sympholis
- Tantilla
- Tantillita
- Telescopus
- Thelotornis
- Thrasops
- Toxicodryas
- Trimorphodon
- Wallaceophis
- Xenelaphis
- Xyelodontophis
- Zamenis
Xylophiinae – 3 species in one genus[17]
- Xylophis
genera incertae sedis (not currently placed in a subfamily, usually because of the absence of genetic data, but suspected to be colubrids based on morphology)
- Blythia
- Elapoidis
- Gongylosoma
- Lycognathophis
- Oreocalamus
- Poecilopholis
- Tetralepis
Former subfamilies
These taxa have been at one time or another classified as part of the Colubridae, but are now either classified as parts of other families, or are no longer accepted because all the species within them have been moved to other (sub)families.
- Subfamily Aparallactinae (now a subfamily of Lamprophiidae,[14] sometimes combined with Atractaspidinae)
- Subfamily Boiginae (now part of Colubrinae)
- Subfamily Boodontinae (some of which now treated as subfamily Grayiinae of the new Colubridae, others moved to family Lamprophiidae as subfamilies Lamprophiinae and Pseudaspidinae)
- Subfamily Dispholidinae (now part of Colubrinae)
- Subfamily Homalopsinae (now family Homalopsidae[14])
- Subfamily Lamprophiinae (now a subfamily of Lamprophiidae[14])
- Subfamily Lycodontinae (now part of Colubrinae)
- Subfamily Lycophidinae (now part of Lamprophiidae)
- Subfamily Pareatinae (now family Pareidae,[14] sometimes incorrectly spelled Pareatidae[18])
- Subfamily Philothamninae (now part of Colubrinae)
- Subfamily Psammophiinae (now a subfamily of Lamprophiidae[14])
- Subfamily Pseudoxyrhophiinae (now a subfamily of Lamprophiidae[14])
- Subfamily Xenoderminae (now family Xenodermidae,[14] sometimes incorrectly spelled Xenodermatidae[18])
- Subfamily Xenodontinae (which many authors put in Dipsadinae/Dipsadidae)
References
^ "Colubrid". britannica.com. Britannica. Retrieved 2 December 2018..mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output .citation qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-maintdisplay:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em
^ abc Bauer, Aaron M. (1998). Cogger, H.G.; Zweifel, R.G., eds. Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 188–195. ISBN 0-12-178560-2.
^ abc Bruna Azara, C. (1995). "Animales venenosos. Vertebrados terrestres venenosos peligrosos para el ser humano en España" (PDF). Boletín de la S.E.A. 11: 32–40.
^ Weinstein, S. A.; Warrell, D. A.; White, J.; Keyler, D. E. (2011). Venomous bites from non-venomous snakes: A critical analysis of risk and management of "colubrid" snake bites. London: Elsevier.
^ Jackson, K (2003). "The evolution of venom-delivery systems in snakes" (PDF). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 137: 337–354.
^ Vonk, F. J.; Admiraal, J. F.; Jackson, K.; Reshef, R.; de Bakker, M. A.; Vanderschoot, K.; van den Berge, I.; van Atten, M.; Burgerhout, E.; Beck, A. (2008). "Evolutionary origin and development of snake fangs" (PDF). Nature. 454: 630–633.
^ Fry, B. G.; Casewell, N. R.; Wüster, W.; Vidal, N.; Young, B.; Jackson, T. N. (2012). "The structural and functional diversification of the Toxicofera reptile venom system" (PDF). Toxicon. 60: 434–448.
^ Lawson, R.; Slowinski, J.B.; Crother, B.I.; Burbrink, F.T. (2005). "Phylogeny of the Colubroidea (Serpentes): New evidence from mitochondrial and nuclear genes" (PDF). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 37: 581–601. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2005.07.016. PMID 16172004.
^ Scott A Weinstein; David A Warrell; Julian White; Daniel E Keyler (20 June 2011). "Venomous Bites from Non-Venomous Snakes: A Critical Analysis of Risk and Management of "Colubrid Snake Bites. Elsevier. p. 1. ISBN 978-0-12-387755-0.
^ Fry, B.G.; Vidal, N.; van der Weerd, L.; Kochva, E.; Renjifo, C. (2009). "Evolution and diversification of the Toxicofera reptile venom system". Journal of Proteomics. 72: 127–136. doi:10.1016/j.jprot.2009.01.009. PMID 19457354.
^ Pough, F. H.; Andrews, R. M.; Cadle, J. E.; Crump, M. L.; Savitzky, A. H.; Wells, K. (2004). Herpetology (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River (NJ): Prentice Hall. p. 162. ISBN 0138508763.
^ Pyron, R. A.; Burbrink, F.; Wiens, J. J. (2013). "A phylogeny and revised classification of Squamata, including 4161 species of lizards and snakes". BMC Evolutionary Biology. 13: 93.
^ Figueroa, A.; McKelvy, A. D.; Grismer, L. L.; Bell, C. D.; Lailvaux, S. P. (2016). "A species-level phylogeny of extant snakes with description of a new colubrid subfamily and genus". PLoS ONE. 11: e0161070.
^ abcdefgh Pyron, R. A.; Burbrink, F. T.; Colli, G. R.; de Oca, A. N. M.; Vitt, L. J.; Kuczynski, C. A.; Wiens, J. J. (2011). "The phylogeny of advanced snakes (Colubroidea), with discovery of a new subfamily and comparison of support methods for likelihood trees" (PDF). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 58: 329–342.
^ Zheng, Y; Wiens, JJ (2016). "Combining phylogenomic and supermatrix approaches, and a time-calibrated phylogeny for squamate reptiles (lizards and snakes) based on 52 genes and 4162 species" (PDF). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 94: 537–547.
^ Uetz, Peter. "Colubridae at The Reptile Database". The Reptile Database. EMBL. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
^ "A New Subfamily of Fossorial Colubroid Snakes from the Western Ghats of Peninsular India". Novataxa. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
^ ab Savage, Jay M. (2015). "What are the correct family names for the taxa that include the snake genera Xenodermus, Pareas, and Calamaria?". Herpetological Review. 46 (4): 664–665.
External links
- Psammophids at Life is Short but Snakes are Long
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