''Mimophis mahfalensis'', also known as the common big-eyed snake, is a species of snake in the family

Psammophiidae Psammophiidae is a family of elapoid snakes. They were formerly placed as a subfamily of the Lamprophiidae, but have been more recently identified as a distinct family. Genera It contains 8 genera: * '' Dipsina'' Jan, 1862 * ''Hemirhagerrhis'' ...

. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

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 ...

and occurs in the central and southern parts of the island; the northern population has been split off as a separate species, ''

Mimophis occultus ''Mimophis'' is a genus of snakes in the family Psammophiidae found in Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), i ...

''. Two

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

are recognized:

References

Psammophiidae Snakes of Africa Reptiles of Madagascar Endemic fauna of Madagascar Taxa named by Alfred Grandidier Reptiles described in 1867 {{Alethinophidia-stub