The Homalopsidae are a family of snakes which contains about 28

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 more than 50

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

. They are commonly known as Indo-Australian water snakes, mudsnakes, or bockadams. They are also known as ''ular air'' (lit. "water snake") in Indonesian. They are typically stout-bodied water snakes, and all are mildly venomous. Two monotypic genera are notable for their unusual morphology: ''

Erpeton The tentacled snake or tentacle snake (''Erpeton tentaculatum'') is a rear-fanged aquatic snake native to Southeast Asia. It is the only species of the genus ''Erpeton''. The two tentacles on its snout are a unique feature among snakes. Descr ...

'' possesses a pair of short, fleshy appendages protruding from the front of the snout, and ''

Bitia The keel-bellied water snake (''Bitia hydroides'') is a marine homalopsine snake. It belongs to the monotypic genus ''Bitia''. Geographic range It is found in Malaysia. Dentition ''Bitia hydroides'' is noted for its unusual dentition. In a ...

'' has uniquely enlarged palatine teeth. ''

Cerberus In Greek mythology, Cerberus (; grc-gre, Κέρβερος ''Kérberos'' ), often referred to as the hound of Hades, is a multi-headed dog that guards the gates of the Underworld to prevent the dead from leaving. He was the offspring of the mo ...

'' species have been noted to use

sidewinding Sidewinding is a type of locomotion unique to snakes, used to move across loose or slippery substrates. It is most often used by the Saharan horned viper, ''Cerastes cerastes'', the Mojave sidewinder rattlesnake, ''Crotalus cerastes'', and the ...

to cross slick

mud flats Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats or, in Ireland, slob or slobs, are coastal wetlands that form in intertidal areas where sediments have been deposited by tides or rivers. A global analysis published in 2019 suggested that tidal fl ...

during low tide. ''

Fordonia ''Fordonia leucobalia'' is an aquatic snake known by the common names crab-eating water snake and white-bellied mangrove snake. It is a common resident of mangrove swamps and tropical tidal wetlands from coast of Southeast Asia to Indonesia and ...

'' and '' Gerarda'' are the only snakes known to tear their prey apart before eating it, pulling soft-shelled crabs through their coils to rip them apart prior to ingestion.

Genera

* ''

'' Gray, 1842 * ''

Brachyorrhos ''Brachyorrhos'' is a genus of snakes of the family Homalopsidae The Homalopsidae are a family of snakes which contains about 28 genera and more than 50 species. They are commonly known as Indo-Australian water snakes, mudsnakes, or bockadam ...

'' Kuhl, 1826 * ''

Calamophis ''Calamophis'' is a genus of snakes of the family Homalopsidae The Homalopsidae are a family of snakes which contains about 28 genera and more than 50 species. They are commonly known as Indo-Australian water snakes, mudsnakes, or bockadams. ...

'' Meyer, 1874 * ''

Cantoria Cantoria is a municipality of Almería province, in the autonomous community of Andalusia Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonom ...

'' Girard, 1857 * ''

'' Cuvier, 1829 * ''

Dieurostus ''Dieurostus'' is a genus of snake in the family Homalopsidae. The genus ''Dieurostus'' is monotypic, containing only the species ''Dieurostus dussumieri'', commonly known as Dussumier's water snake, or the Kerala mud snake. The species, which i ...

'' Berg, 1901 * ''

Djokoiskandarus ''Djokoiskandarus'' is a genus of snake in the family Homalopsidae that contains the sole species ''Djokoiskandarus annulata''. It is commonly known as the banded water snake. It is found in New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini ...

'' Murphy, 2011 * ''

Enhydris ''Enhydris'' is a genus of slightly venomous, rear-fanged, snakes in the family Homalopsidae. The genus is endemic to the tropical area of Indo-Australian region. Species The following 6 species are recognized: * ''Enhydris chanardi'' Murph ...

'' Sonnini & Latreille, 1802 * ''

'' Lacépède, 1800 * ''

Ferania Siebold's water snake (''Ferania sieboldii''), also known commonly as Siebold's mud snake and Siebold's smooth water snake, is a species of mildly venomous, rear-fanged snake in the family Homalopsidae. The species is endemic to Asia. Etymology ...

'' Gray, 1842 * ''

'' Gray, 1837 * '' Gerarda'' Gray, 1849 * ''

Gyiophis ''Gyiophis'' is a genus of snakes in the family Homalopsidae.. The genus is endemic to Myanmar. Etymology The genus ''Gyiophis'' was named in honor of the Burmese herpetologist Ko Ko Gyi. Species , three described species have been classified i ...

'' Murphy & Voris, 2014 * '' Heurnia'' Jong, 1926 * ''

Homalophis ''Homalophis'' is a genus of snakes in the family Homalopsidae. The genus is endemic to Southeast Asia.. Species The following two species are recognized as being valid. *'' Homalophis doriae'' *'' Homalophis gyii'' ''Nota bene'': A binomial ...

'' Peters, 1871 * ''

Homalopsis ''Homalopsis'' is a genus of snakes of the Family (biology), family Homalopsidae. The genus is restricted to South East Asia and includes five currently recognized species. Like all members of the family Homalopsidae, ''Homalopsis'' are rear-fang ...

'' Kuhl & Hasselt, 1822 * '' Hypsiscopus'' Fitzinger, 1843 * '' Karnsophis'' Murphy & Voris, 2013 * ''

Kualatahan ''Kualatahan'' is a genus of snakes belonging to the family Homalopsidae The Homalopsidae are a family of snakes which contains about 28 genera and more than 50 species. They are commonly known as Indo-Australian water snakes, mudsnakes, or b ...

'' Murphy & Voris, 2014 * ''

Mintonophis ''Mintonophis'' is a genus of snake 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 s ...

'' Murphy & Voris, 2014 * ''

Miralia ''Miralia'' is a genus of snake 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 snake ...

'' Gray, 1842 *''

Myanophis ''Myanophis'' is a genus of snake in the family Homalopsidae that contains the sole species ''Myanophis thanlyinensis''. It is endemic to Myanmar, and was described in 2021 from two male and two female specimens found in the vicinity of the campu ...

'' Köhler ''et al''., 2021 * ''

Myron Myron of Eleutherae ( grc, Μύρων, ''Myrōn'' ), working c. 480–440 BC, was an Athenian sculptor from the mid-5th century BC. He was born in Eleutherae on the borders of Boeotia and Attica. According to Pliny's '' Natural History'', Agelad ...

'' Gray, 1849 * '' Myrrophis'' Kumar, Sanders, Sanil & Murphy, 2012 * '' Phytolopsis'' Gray, 1849 * ''

Pseudoferania ''Pseudoferania'' is a genus of snake in the family Homalopsidae. The genus is monotypic, containing the sole species ''Pseudoferania polylepis'' (MacLeay's water snake). The snake is found in Australia and New Guinea. Description MacLeay's wate ...

'' Ogilby, 1891 * '' Raclitia'' Gray, 1842 * ''

Subsessor ''Subsessor'' is a genus of snake in the family Homalopsidae. The genus is monotypic, containing the sole species ''Subsessor bocourti''. The species is commonly known as Bocourt's mud snake or Bocourt's water snake and has traditionally been pla ...

'' Murphy & Voris, 2014 * '' Sumatranus'' Murphy & Voris, 2014

References

External links

Homalopsisnae.com
Colubrids Tetrapod subfamilies Snake families {{Colubrids-stub