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Xenophidia
The Caenophidia are a derived clade of alethinophidian snakes, which contains over 80% of all the extant species of snakes. The largest family is Colubridae, but it also includes at least seven other families, at least four of which were once classified as "Colubridae" before molecular phylogenetics helped us understand their relationships. It has been found to be monophyletic. Although the Caenophidia previously was held to exclude Acrochordidae, researchers have recognized that acrochordids share several traits with the other caenophidians. Hence Caenophidia is usually considered to comprise Acrochordidae plus more the more derived snakes classified as Colubroidea. Recent molecular studies have also found the families Xenophidiidae and Bolyeriidae to be closely related to caenophidians, forming the sister group to Caenophidia rather than being part of Henophidia Henophidia is a former superfamily of the suborder Serpentes (snakes) that contains boas, pythons and numerous ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Colubriformes
The Colubroides are a clade in the suborder Serpentes (snakes). It contains over 85% of all the extant species of snakes. The largest family is Colubridae, but it also includes at least six other families, at least four of which were once classified as "Colubridae" before molecular phylogenetics helped in understanding their relationships. It has been found to be monophyletic. Morphological synapomorphies are defined as such from Zaher et al. (2009): Loss of the right carotid artery; intercostal arteries arising from the dorsal aorta throughout the trunk at intervals of several body segments; specialized expanded costal cartilages; presence of a muscle protractor laryngeus; separate muscle protractor quadrati; separate spinalis and semispinalis portion in the epaxial trunk; spinules or spines covering the hemipenial body. Traditionally, the name " Colubroidea" was used for this clade. This was seen problematic, however, as many of the same studies that support this clade of sna ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Colubroides
The Colubroides are a clade in the suborder Serpentes (snakes). It contains over 85% of all the extant species of snakes. The largest family is Colubridae, but it also includes at least six other families, at least four of which were once classified as "Colubridae" before molecular phylogenetics helped in understanding their relationships. It has been found to be monophyletic. Morphological synapomorphies are defined as such from Zaher et al. (2009): Loss of the right carotid artery; intercostal arteries arising from the dorsal aorta throughout the trunk at intervals of several body segments; specialized expanded costal cartilages; presence of a muscle protractor laryngeus; separate muscle protractor quadrati; separate spinalis and semispinalis portion in the epaxial trunk; spinules or spines covering the hemipenial body. Traditionally, the name " Colubroidea" was used for this clade. This was seen problematic, however, as many of the same studies that support this clade of sna ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Late Cretaceous
The Late Cretaceous (100.5–66 Ma) is the younger of two epochs into which the Cretaceous Period is divided in the geologic time scale. Rock strata from this epoch form the Upper Cretaceous Series. The Cretaceous is named after ''creta'', the Latin word for the white limestone known as chalk. The chalk of northern France and the white cliffs of south-eastern England date from the Cretaceous Period. Climate During the Late Cretaceous, the climate was warmer than present, although throughout the period a cooling trend is evident. The tropics became restricted to equatorial regions and northern latitudes experienced markedly more seasonal climatic conditions. Geography Due to plate tectonics, the Americas were gradually moving westward, causing the Atlantic Ocean to expand. The Western Interior Seaway divided North America into eastern and western halves; Appalachia and Laramidia. India maintained a northward course towards Asia. In the Southern Hemisphere, Australia and Ant ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Viperidae
The Viperidae (vipers) are a family of snakes found in most parts of the world, except for Antarctica, Australia, Hawaii, Madagascar, and various other isolated islands. They are venomous and have long (relative to non-vipers), hinged fangs that permit deep penetration and injection of their venom. Four subfamilies are currently recognized. They are also known as viperids. The name "viper" is derived from the Latin word ''vipera'', -''ae'', also meaning viper, possibly from ''vivus'' ("living") and ''parere'' ("to beget"), referring to the trait viviparity (giving live birth) common in vipers like most of the species of Boidae. Description All viperids have a pair of relatively long solenoglyphous (hollow) fangs that are used to inject venom from glands located towards the rear of the upper jaws, just behind the eyes. Each of the two fangs is at the front of the mouth on a short maxillary bone that can rotate back and forth. When not in use, the fangs fold back against the ro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Xylophis
''Xylophis'' is a small genus of snakes in the family Pareidae. The genus contains five species, all of which are endemic to the Western Ghats in southern India. They constitute the monotypic subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ... Xylophiinae. They are the only pareid snakes found in India and the only snakes in the family found outside Southeast Asia. Species The following 5 species are recognized as being valid *'' Xylophis captaini'' — Captain's wood snake, Captain's xylophis *'' Xylophis deepaki'' Narayanan, Mohapatra, Balan, Das, & Gower, 2021 — Deepak's wood snake *'' Xylophis mosaicus'' — Anamalai wood snake *'' Xylophis perroteti'' — Perrotet's mountain snake, striped narrow-headed snake *'' Xylophis stenorhynchus'' — Günth ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pareidae
Pareidae is a small family of snakes found largely in southeast Asia, with an isolated subfamily endemic to southwestern India. It encompasses 42 species in four genera divided into two subfamilies: Pareinae and Xylophiinae. Both families are thought to have diverged from one another during the early-mid Eocene, about 40-50 million years ago. Pareidae was once considered a subfamily of Colubridae (called "Pareatinae"), but it is now known that pareids are not closely related to colubrids. The correct spelling is Pareidae, not Pareatidae. Members of the subfamily Pareinae are active, predatory snakes. Many are snail-eating snakes that have asymmetrical lower jaws, allowing them to pry the soft bodies of snails from their spiral shells. One species, ''Pareas iwasakii'', has an average of 17.5 teeth in its left mandible and 25 teeth in its right mandible. Predation by pareids on dextral (clockwise-coiled or "right handed") snails is thought to favor the evolution of sinistral (coun ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Xenodermidae
Xenodermidae is a family of snakes native to East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. All species in the family Xenodermidae are small or moderately sized snakes, never more than but typically less than in total length (including tail). They are secretive, probably nocturnal, and typically inhabit moist forest habitats. They seem to be opportunistic carnivores, preying on other vertebrates. The correct spelling of the family name is Xenodermidae, not "Xenodermatidae". Taxonomy and systematics Xenodermidae have a basal position in the colubroid radiation. However, their exact position is not yet settled, e.g., that they might be the sister taxon of the rest of Colubroidea, or that their sister taxon is Acrochordidae, and that these two families together form a clade that is the sister taxon for the Colubroidea. Genera The family consists of the following 6 genera: *''Achalinus'' *''Fimbrios'' *''Parafimbrios'' *''Paraxenodermus'' *''Stoliczkia'' *''Xenodermus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
