The Colubrinae are a

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 ...

of the family

Colubridae Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from la, coluber, 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family. The earliest species of the family date back to the Oligocene epoch. Colubrid snakes are found on ever ...

of snakes. It includes numerous

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 ...

, and although

taxonomic Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...

sources often disagree on the exact number, The Reptile Database lists 717 species in 92 genera as of September 2019. It is the second largest subfamily of colubrids, after

Dipsadinae Dipsadinae is a large subfamily of colubroid snakes, sometimes referred to as a family (Dipsadidae). They are found in most of the Americas, including the West Indies, and are most diverse in South America. There are more than 700 species. Dips ...

. Many of the most commonly known snakes are members of this subfamily, including

rat snake Rat snakes are members – along with kingsnakes, milk snakes, vine snakes and indigo snakes – of the subfamily Colubrinae of the family Colubridae. They are medium to large constrictors and are found throughout much of the Northern Hemi ...

king snake Kingsnakes are colubrid New World members of the genus ''Lampropeltis'', which includes 26 species. Among these, about 45 subspecies are recognized. They are nonvenomous and ophiophagous in diet. Description Kingsnakes vary widely in size and ...

milk snake The milk snake or milksnake (''Lampropeltis triangulum''), is a species of kingsnake; 24 subspecies are currently recognized. ''Lampropeltis elapsoides'', the scarlet kingsnake, was formerly classified as a 25th subspecies (''L. t. elapsoides'') ...

s, vine snakes, and

indigo snake ''Drymarchon'' is a genus of large nonvenomous colubrid snakes, commonly known as indigo snakes or cribos, found in the Southeastern United States, Central America, and South America. Reaching or more in length, they are among the world's larg ...

s. Colubrine snakes are distributed worldwide, with the highest diversity in North America, Asia, northern Africa, and the Middle East. There are relatively few species of colubrine snakes in Europe, South America, Australia, and southern Africa, and none in Madagascar, the Caribbean, or the Pacific Islands. Colubrine snakes are extremely morphologically and ecologically diverse. Many are terrestrial, and there are specialized fossorial (e.g. ''

Tantilla ''Tantilla'' is a large genus of harmless New World snakes in the family Colubridae. The genus includes 66 species, which are commonly known as centipede snakes, blackhead snakes, and flathead snakes.Wilson, Larry David. 1982. Tantilla. ...

'') and arboreal (e.g. ''

Oxybelis ''Oxybelis'' is a genus of colubrid snakes, endemic to the Americas, which are commonly known as vine snakes. Though similar in appearance to the Asian species of vine snakes of the genus ''Ahaetulla'', they are not closely related, and are an e ...

'') groups, but no truly aquatic groups. Some of the most powerful constrictors (e.g. ''

Pantherophis ''Pantherophis'' is a genus of nonvenomous colubrid snakes endemic to central and eastern regions of North America. It consists of the North American ratsnakes, the foxsnakes, and the cornsnakes. The genus, which contains 10 recognized spec ...

'', ''

Pituophis ''Pituophis'' is a genus of nonvenomous colubrid snakes, commonly referred to as gopher snakes, pine snakes, and bullsnakes, which are endemic to North America. Geographic range Species and subspecies within the genus ''Pituophis'' are found ...

'', '' Lampropeltis'') are members of this group, as are a few snakes that have strong enough venom to kill humans (i.e. boomslangs 'Dispholidus''.html" ;"title="Dispholidus.html" ;"title="'Dispholidus">'Dispholidus''">Dispholidus.html" ;"title="'Dispholidus">'Dispholidus''and twigsnakes ['' Thelotornis'']). Within Colubrinae, genera and species seem to make up five distinct radiations that are to varying degrees broadly similar in terms of ecology and geographic distribution, although increased sampling is needed to determine whether all species currently placed in Colubrinae fit into one of these groups. These correspond roughly to the historically recognized

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English language, English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in p ...

names Sonorini, Colubrini, Boigini/Lycodontini, Dispholidini, and

Lampropeltini Lampropeltini is a tribe of colubrid snake endemic to New World. These include the kingsnakes, milk snake, corn snake, gopher snakes, pine snakes, and bullsnakes. At least 51 species have been recognized and the group have been heavily studied ...

. '' Coluber'' is the type genus of both Colubrinae and

and the basis for the name

Colubroidea Colubroidea is a superfamily of snakes in the clade Colubroides that includes Colubridae, with some studies splitting Colubridae into multiple families that make up Colubroidea. Historically, Colubroidea also included other caenophidian snakes su ...

, and it is one of only three snake genera named by

Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...

still in use for a snake today.

Genera

A group of 4 genera historically placed in Colubrinae have recently been called a separate subfamily,

Ahaetullinae The Ahaetuliinae are a subfamily of the snake family Colubridae that was erected in 2016 and comprises five genera containing 63 species (''Ahaetulla'' 7 species '' Chrysopelea'' species ''Dendrelaphis'' 5 species ''Dryophiops'' speciesand ...

, in a few analyses. These are ''

Ahaetulla ''Ahaetulla,'' commonly referred to as Asian vine snakes or Asian whip snakes, is a genus of colubrid snakes distributed throughout tropical Asia. They are considered by some scientists to be mildly venomous and are what is commonly termed as ' ...

'' Link, 1807, ''

Chrysopelea ''Chrysopelea'', more commonly known as the flying snake or gliding snake is a genus that belongs to the family Colubridae. Flying snakes are mildly venomous, though the venom is dangerous only to their small prey. Their range is in Southeast A ...

'' Boie, 1827, ''

Dendrelaphis ''Dendrelaphis'' is a genus of colubrid snakes, distributed from Pakistan, India and southern China to Indonesia, Timor-Leste, the Philippines, Australia, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. There are over forty described species. Asian species ...

'' Boulenger, 1890, and ''

Dryophiops ''Dryophiops'' is a genus of snakes of the family Colubridae.. Both species in this genus are found in Southeast Asia, with ''D. philippina'' being found in the Philippines and ''D. rubescens'' being found in mainland Southeast Asia and Indonesi ...

'' Boulenger, 1896. Dispholidus typus

* '' Aeluroglena'' Boulenger, 1898 * '' Aprosdoketophis'' Wallach, Lanza & Nistri, 2010 * '' Archelaphe'' Schulz, Böhme & Tillack, 2011 * '' Argyrogena'' Werner, 1924 * ''

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

'' Kennicott, 1859 * '' Bamanophis'' Schätti & Trape, 2008 * ''

Bogertophis ''Bogertophis'' is a genus of New World rat snakes in the family Colubridae. The genus is endemic to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. There are two accepted species. Etymology The genus ''Bogertophis'' is named in honor of ...

'' Dowling & Price, 1988 * ''

Boiga ''Boiga'' is a large genus of rear-fanged, mildly venomous snakes, known commonly as cat-eyed snakes or simply cat snakes, in the family Colubridae. Species of the genus ''Boiga'' are native to southeast Asia, India, and Australia, but due t ...

'' Fitzinger, 1826 * ''

Cemophora ''Cemophora'' is a genus of snakes in the family Colubridae. The genus contains two species, which are endemic to the United States. Species *''Cemophora coccinea ''Cemophora coccinea'', commonly known as the scarlet snake, is a species of non ...

'' Cope, 1860 * '' Chapinophis'' Campbell & Smith, 1998 * ''

Chironius ''Chironius'' is a genus of New World colubrid snakes, commonly called sipos (from the Portuguese word ''cipó'' for liana), savanes, or sometimes vine snakes. There are 23 described species in this genus. Species The following 23 species are ...

'' Fitzinger, 1826 * ''

Coelognathus ''Coelognathus'' is a genus of seven rat snakes from South and Southeast Asia that were formerly assigned to the genus ''Elaphe''. Based on morphological evidence and protein similarities, in 2001, Helfenberger revalidated the name ''Coelognat ...

'' Fitzinger, 1843 * '' Coluber''

Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...

* '' Colubroelaps'' Orlov, Kharin, Ananjeva, Thien Tao & Quang Truong, 2009 * '' Conopsis'' Günther, 1858 * ''

Coronella ''Coronella'' is a genus of harmless snakes in the family Colubridae. The genus is endemic to Europe, North Africa and West Asia. Two species are currently recognized as being valid.. www.reptile-database.org. :''Common names: Smooth snakes.'' ...

'' Laurenti, 1768 * '' Crotaphopeltis'' Fitzinger, 1843 * ''

Dasypeltis ''Dasypeltis'' is a genus of colubrid snakes. It is one of only two taxonomic groups of snakes known to have adapted to feed exclusively on eggs (the other being the genus '' Elachistodon''). ''Dasypeltis'' are non-venomous and found throughout ...

'' Wagler, 1830 * '' Dendrophidion'' Fitzinger, 1843 * '' Dipsadoboa'' Günther, 1858 * ''

Dispholidus ''Dispholidus'' is a genus of reptiles belonging to the family Colubridae.Duvernoy, 1832 * '' Dolichophis'' Gistel, 1868 * ''

Drymarchon ''Drymarchon'' is a genus of large nonvenomous colubrid snakes, commonly known as indigo snakes or cribos, found in the Southeastern United States, Central America, and South America. Reaching or more in length, they are among the world's larges ...

'' Fitzinger, 1843 * '' Drymobius'' Fitzinger, 1843 * '' Drymoluber'' Amaral, 1929 * '' Eirenis'' Jan, 1862 * '' Elachistodon'' Reinhardt, 1863—subsumed by Boiga * ''

Elaphe ''Elaphe'' is a genus of snakes in the family Colubridae. ''Elaphe'' is one of the main genera of the rat snakes, which are found in many regions of the northern hemisphere. ''Elaphe'' species are medium to large constrictors by nature. Altho ...

'' Fitzinger ''in'' Wagler, 1833 * ''

Euprepiophis ''Euprepiophis'' is a genus of nonvenomous Colubridae, colubrid snakes, containing three species of Asian rat snakes which were formerly assigned to the genus ''Elaphe''. They were separated from ''Elaphe'' in 2002 by Utiger et al. following ev ...

'' Fitzinger, 1843 * ''

Ficimia ''Ficimia'' is a genus of colubrid snakes commonly known as hooknose snakes or hook-nosed snakes, which are endemic to North America. There are seven species within the genus. Geographic range Species of ''Ficimia'' are found in Mexico, in the ...

'' Gray, 1849 * '' Geagras'' Cope, 1876 * ''

Gonyosoma ''Gonyosoma'' is a genus of snakes in the family Colubridae. The genus is endemic to South Asia. Description There are a few distinct morphological characteristics that distinguish ''Gonyosoma'' from ''Elaphe''. In scutellation there are 2-3 ...

'' Wagler, 1828 * '' Gyalopion'' Cope, 1860 * '' Hapsidophrys'' Fischer, 1856 * '' Hemerophis'' Schätti & Utiger, 2001 * '' Hemorrhois'' Boie, 1826 * ''

Hierophis ''Hierophis'' is a genus of snake in the family Colubridae. It contains the following species: * Balkan whip snake (''Hierophis gemonensis'') * Cyprus whip snake (''Hierophis cypriensis'') * Green whip snake The green whip snake or wester ...

'' Fitzinger, 1843 * '' Lampropeltis'' Fitzinger, 1843 * '' Leptodrymus'' Amaral, 1927 * ''

Leptophis ''Leptophis'' is a genus of colubrid snakes, commonly known as parrot snakes. The species within this genus are widely distributed throughout Mexico, Central and South America. Description Snakes of the genus ''Leptophis'' are slender with a l ...

'' Bell, 1825 * '' Liopeltis'' Fitzinger, 1843 * ''

Lycodon ''Lycodon'' is a genus of colubrid snakes, commonly known as wolf snakes. The New Latin name ''Lycodon'' is derived from the Greek words λύκος (''lykos'') meaning wolf and οδόν (''odon'') meaning tooth, and refers to the fang-like ant ...

'' Fitzinger, 1826 * ''

Lytorhynchus ''Lytorhynchus'' is a genus of snakes of the family Colubridae. Geographic range Species of the genus ''Lytorhynchus'' are found from North Africa, eastward through the Middle East, to Pakistan and western India. Species Seven species are recog ...

'' Peters, 1862 * ''

Macroprotodon ''Macroprotodon'' is a genus of snakes in the family Colubridae. All of the member species of the genus are commonly known as false smooth snakes. Taxonomy The genus ''Macroprotodon'' was originally described by French zoologist Alphone Guiche ...

'' Guichenot, 1850 * ''

Masticophis ''Masticophis'' is a genus of colubrid snakes, commonly referred to as whip snakes or coachwhips, which are endemic to the Americas. Conant R (1975). ''A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Second Edition ...

'' Baird & Girard, 1853 * '' Mastigodryas'' Amaral, 1935 * '' Meizodon'' Fischer, 1856 * '' Mopanveldophis'' Figueroa et al., 2016 * '' Muhtarophis'' Avcı, Ilgaz, Rajabizadeh, Yılmaz, Üzüm, Adriaens, Kumlutaş & Olgun, 2015 * ''

Oligodon ''Oligodon'' is genus of colubrid snakes that was first described by the Austrian zoologist Fitzinger in 1826. This genus is widespread throughout central and tropical Asia. The snakes of this genus are commonly known as kukri snakes.. Descri ...

'' Fitzinger, 1826 * '' Oocatochus'' Helfenberger, 2001 * '' Opheodrys'' Fitzinger, 1843 * ''

Oreocryptophis ''Oreocryptophis porphyraceus'' is a rat snake species, commonly called the black-banded trinket snake, red bamboo snake, Thai bamboo rat snake or red mountain racer, found in mid to upper-level elevations of forested hills in southeastern Asia ...

'' Utiger, Schätti & Helfenberger, 2005 * '' Orientocoluber'' Kharin, 2011 * ''

'' Wagler, 1830 * '' Palusophis'' * ''

'' Fitzinger, 1843 * '' Persiophis'' Rajabizadeh, Pyron, Nazarov, Poyarkov, Adriaens, & Herrel, 2020 * ''

Philothamnus ''Philothamnus'' is a genus of snakes in the family Colubridae. The genus is endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa.. www.reptile-database.org. Species The following 24 species are recognized as being valid. *'' Philothamnus angolensis'' *'' Philotham ...

'' Smith, 1840 * '' Phrynonax'' Cope, 1862 * '' Phyllorhynchus'' Stejneger, 1890 * ''

'' Holbrook, 1842 * ''

Platyceps ''Platyceps'' is a genus of snakes of the family Colubridae endemic to Eurasia. Taxonomy The genus was erected in 1860 by Edward Blyth, allying species previously described. The genus name ''Platyceps'' was inadvertently used for a fossil spe ...

'' Blyth, 1860 * ''

Pseudelaphe ''Pseudelaphe'' is a genus of snakes of the family Colubridae. Distribution The species of this genus are found in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest ...

'' Mertens & Rosenberg, 1943 * '' Pseudoficimia'' Bocourt, 1883 * ''

Ptyas ''Ptyas'' is a genus of colubrid snakes. This genus is one of several colubrid genus, genera colloquially called "rat snakes" or "ratsnakes". The generic name derives from Ancient Greek πτυάς, meaning "Spitting, spitter", which referred to ...

'' Fitzinger, 1843 * ''

Rhamnophis ''Rhamnophis'' is a genus of arboreal venomous snakes, commonly known as dagger-tooth tree snakes or large-eyed tree snakes, in the family Colubridae. The genus is endemic to equatorial sub-Saharan Africa. There are two recognized species. T ...

'' Günther, 1862 * '' Rhinobothryum'' Wagler, 1830 * '' Rhinocheilus'' Baird & Girard, 1853 * '' Rhynchocalamus'' Günther, 1864 * '' Salvadora'' Baird & Girard, 1853 * ''

Scaphiophis ''Scaphiophis'' is a genus of African snakes in the family Colubridae. Common names include hook-nosed snakes and shovel-nosed snakes. Species Two species are recognized as being valid.. www.reptile-database.org. *'' Scaphiophis albopunctatus' ...

'' Peters, 1870 * '' Scolecophis'' Fitzinger, 1843 * ''

Senticolis ''Senticolis'' is a genus of nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. The genus ''Senticolis'' is monotypic, containing the sole species ''Senticolis triaspis'', also known as the green rat snake. The species is endemic to Central America, Me ...

'' Campbell & Howell, 1965 * '' Simophis'' Peters, 1860 * ''

Sonora Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sonora), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is d ...

'' Baird & Girard, 1843 * '' Spalerosophis'' Jan, 1865 * ''

Spilotes ''Spilotes'' is a genus of snakes in the family Colubridae. The genus is endemic to the New World. Geographic range Species in the genus ''Spilotes'' are found in Mexico, Central America, and South America.. Species Two species are recognized ...

'' Wagler, 1830 * ''

Stegonotus ''Arctotis'' is a genus of annual and perennial plants in the family Asteraceae. ''Arctotis'' is native to dry stony slopes in southern Africa. Some of the plants are alternatively placed in the genus ''Venidium''. The common name is "African ...

'' Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854 * '' Stenorrhina'' Duméril, 1853 * '' Stichophanes'' Wang, Messenger, Zhao & Zhu, 2014 * '' Symphimus'' Cope, 1869 * '' Sympholis'' Cope, 1861 * ''

'' Baird & Girard, 1853 * ''

Tantillita ''Tantillita'' is a genus of snakes in the family Colubridae. The genus is endemic to Central America.. www.reptile-database.org. Species and subspecies Three species are recognized as being valid. One species has two subspecies, including the ...

'' Smith, 1941 * '' Telescopus'' Wagler, 1830 * '' Thelotornis'' Smith, 1849 * ''

Thrasops ''Thrasops'' is a genus of snakes in the family Colubridae. The genus is endemic to Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 mil ...

'' Hallowell, 1857 * '' Toxicodryas'' Hallowell, 1857 * ''

Trimorphodon ''Trimorphodon'' is a genus of mildly venom (poison), venomous, rear-fanged, colubrid snakes. They are commonly known as lyre snakes, named after the distinctive V shaped pattern on their head that is said to resemble the shape of a lyre. In Mex ...

'' Cope, 1861 * '' Wallaceophis'' Mirza, Vyas, Patel & Sanap, 2016 * '' Wallophis'' Werner, 1929 * '' Xenelaphis'' Günther, 1864 * ''

Xyelodontophis ''Xyelodontophis'' is a genus of snake in the family Colubridae that contains the sole species ''Xyelodontophis uluguruensis''. It is commonly known as the dagger-tooth vine snake. It is found in Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the ...

'' Broadley & Wallach, 2002 * ''

Zamenis ''Zamenis'' is a genus of Old World nonvenomous snakes in the Family (biology), family Colubridae. Name ''Zamenis'' comes from Greek language, Greek ''wiktionary:ζαμενής, ζαμενής'' (Latin, lat. ''wiktionary:vehemens, vehemens'', ...

'' Wagler, 1830

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q1303330 Colubrids Taxa named by Nicolaus Michael Oppel Tetrapod subfamilies