Ungaliophiinae is a subfamily of
booid snakes containing two genera, ''
Ungaliophis
:''Common names: bromeliad boas, banana boas, neotropical dwarf boas.''
''Ungaliophis'' is a genus of dwarf boas found from southern Mexico to Colombia. Currently, two species are recognized.
Geographic range
Found from the Pacific coastal plai ...
'' (two species) and ''
Exiliboa'' (one species). They are small constrictors that are found in Central and South America from southern Mexico to Colombia. They eat mostly lizards and frogs and are poorly studied.
These snakes were formerly thought to be closely related to two other genera, ''
Tropidophis
''Tropidophis'', common name wood snakes or West Indian wood snakes,Hampton Wildman Parker, Parker HW, Grandison AGC (1977). ''Snakes — a Natural History''. Second Edition. London and Ithaca: British Museum (Natural History) and Cornell Univers ...
'' and ''
Trachyboa
:''Common names: eyelash boas.''
''Trachyboa'' is a genus of nonvenomous dwarf boas endemic to Central and South America. They are largely terrestrial, fish-eating snakes that inhabit tropical lowlands. Two species are recognized.
Distribution ...
''; all four genera were united in the family (
Tropidophiidae) based on the presence of a tracheal lung and the absence of a left lung. However, ''Ungaliophis'' and ''Exiliboa'' are now known to be more closely related to
booid snakes, whereas ''Tropidophis'' and ''Trachyboa'' are known to be more closely related to the American red pipesnake ''
Anilius''. Within
Booidea, ''Ungaliophis'' and ''Exiliboa'' are thought to be most closely related to North American ''
Charina'' and ''
Lichanura'' boas.
References
Boidae
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