The Pseudoxyrhophiidae is a
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
of
elapoid snakes
Snakes are elongated, limbless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes have skulls with several more joi ...
, found mostly in
Madagascar
Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...
. They were formerly placed as a subfamily of the
Lamprophiidae
The Lamprophiidae are a family of snakes found throughout much of Africa, including the Seychelles. There are 89 species as of July 2022.
Biology
Lamprophiids are a very diverse group of snakes. Many are terrestrial but some are fossorial (e.g. ...
, but have been more recently identified as a distinct family.
It contains about 22
genera
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...
in two subfamilies:
*
Amplorhininae Meirte, 1992
**''
Amplorhinus''
**''
Ditypophis''
**''
Duberria
Duberria is a genus of snakes of the family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the ...
''
*
Pseudoxyrhophiinae
The Pseudoxyrhophiidae is a Family (biology), family of Elapoidea, elapoid Lamprophiidae, snakes, found mostly in Madagascar. They were formerly placed as a subfamily of the Lamprophiidae, but have been more recently identified as a distinct fami ...
Dowling, 1975
**''
Alluaudina''
**''
Brygophis''
**''
Compsophis
''Compsophis'' is a genus of harmless snakes in the family Pseudoxyrhophiidae. The genus is found only on the island of Madagascar.
Species
Seven species are recognized as being valid.
*'' Compsophis albiventris''
*'' Compsophis boulengeri''
...
''
**''
Dromicodryas''
**''
Elapotinus
''Elapotinus'' is a monotypic genus created for the rear-fanged snake species, ''Elapotinus picteti''. The species is endemic to Madagascar. It is also known commonly as Jan's snake in honor of Italian herpetologist Giorgio Jan. There are no s ...
''
**''
Heteroliodon''
**''
Ithycyphus''
**''
Langaha
''Langaha'' is a small genus of elapoid snakes in the family Pseudoxyrhophiidae. The genus contains three species, all of which are endemic to Madagascar.
Species
There are three described species in the genus ''Langaha'':
*''Langaha alluaudi'' ...
''
**''
Leioheterodon''
**''
Liophidium''
**''
Liopholidophis''
**''
Lycodryas
''Lycodryas'' is a genus of snakes in the family Pseudoxyrhophiidae. The genus contains ten species, eight of which are endemic to the island of Madagascar, and two to the Comoros Islands. All of the species are harmless to humans.
Species
The ...
''
**''
Madagascarophis''
**''
Micropisthodon''
**''
Pararhadinaea''
**''
Parastenophis
''Parastenophis'' is a genus of snake in the family Pseudoxyrhophiidae that contains the sole species ''Parastenophis betsileanus''.
It is found in Madagascar
Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( m ...
''
**''
Phisalixella''
**''
Pseudoxyrhopus''
**''
Thamnosophis''
References
Pseudoxyrhophiidae
{{Colubrids-stub