| Cyclocoridae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Cyclocorus lineatus lineatus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Superfamily: | Elapoidea |
| Family: | Cyclocoridae Weinell & Brown, 2017 |
| Genera | |
Cyclocoridae is a family of elapoid snakes endemic to the Philippines. [1]
It was initially erected as a subfamily (Cyclocorinae) in 2017 to house four enigmatic, endemic genera containing seven species and one then-undescribed lineage that are more closely related to one another than to members of the families Atractaspididae or to other former subfamilies of the Lamprophiidae. [1] The undescribed lineage was described in 2020 as the new genus Levitonius . [2]
Previously placed within the Colubridae, a 2017 study by Weinell et al. [1] found strong support the monophyly of Cyclocorinae within Lamprophiidae, but its position relative to the other subfamilies of Lamprophiidae is not resolved. Cyclocorinae was found to be a possible sister group to the Atractaspidinae. In 2019, they were reclassified as a distinct family Cyclocoridae, alongside many former members of Lamprophiidae, as Lamprophiidae was found to be otherwise paraphyletic with respect to Elapidae. [3]
The Cyclocoridae likely began to diverge from their closest relatives, the Atractaspididae, beginning 35-40 million years ago (late Eocene). All extant genera within the family had diverged by the early Oligocene, and all extant species had evolved by the Miocene. [1] Because snakes of this subfamily are not known from Palawan Island, their method of dispersal from mainland Asia to the Philippine archipelago must have differed from that of most Philippine reptiles and amphibians, which are thought to have rafted over on the Palawan "Ark". [4] [5] [6]
The members of this subfamily are among the most poorly known snakes in the world. Very little information is available on their geographic distribution, ecology, behavior, or conservation status. [7] Despite high support for a close relationship from DNA, no unambiguous morphological characteristics unite these four genera. [2]
The five genera, three with two species each and two with one species, are:
Gekko is a genus of Southeast Asian geckos, commonly known as true geckos or calling geckos, in the family Gekkonidae. Although species such as Gekko gecko are very widespread and common, some species in the same genus have a very small range and are considered rare or endangered.
Luperosaurus is a genus of lizards, commonly known as camouflage geckos, fringed geckos, wolf geckos, and flap-legged geckos, in the family Gekkonidae. The genus is native to Southeast Asia.
Kaloula is a genus of microhylid frogs found in southern and eastern Asia. They are sometimes known as the Asian narrowmouth toads.
The Alethinophidia are an infraorder of snakes that includes all snakes other than blind snakes and thread snakes. Snakes have long been grouped into families within Alethinophidia based on their morphology, especially that of their teeth. More modern phylogenetic hypotheses using genetic data support the recognition of 19 extant families, although the taxonomy of alethinophidian snakes has long been debated, and ultimately the decision whether to assign a particular clade to a particular Linnaean rank is arbitrary.
Lygosominae is the largest subfamily of skinks in the family Scincidae. The subfamily can be divided into a number of genus groups. If the rarely used taxonomic rank of infrafamily is employed, the genus groups would be designated as such, but such a move would require a formal description according to the ICZN standards.
Trimeresurus mcgregori, commonly known as McGregor's pit viper or the Batanes pit viper, is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to the Philippines.
The Ceratobatrachidae are a family of frogs found in the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, the Philippines, Palau, Fiji, New Guinea, and the Admiralty, Bismarck, and Solomon Islands.
The wildlife of the Philippines includes a significant number of endemic plant and animal species. The country's surrounding waters reportedly have the highest level of marine biodiversity in the world. The Philippines is one of the seventeen megadiverse countries and is a global biodiversity hotspot. In 2013, 700 of the country's 52,177 species were listed as threatened.
Acutotyphlops banaorum is a species of snake in the family Typhlopidae. The species is endemic to the Philippines.
The Lamprophiidae are a family of snakes found throughout much of Africa, including the Seychelles. There are 89 species as of July 2022.
Calamaria gervaisii, commonly known as Gervais's worm snake and the Philippine dwarf snake, is a species of small fossorial snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to the Philippines.
Alcalus is a small genus of frogs in the family Ceratobatrachidae. It is the only member of the subfamily Alcalinae. Its sister taxon is Ceratobatrachinae. Common name Alcala's dwarf mountain frogs has been proposed for the genus. They are found in Palawan Island, Borneo, and the Malay Peninsula. They prefer semi-aquatic microhabitats.
Boiga schultzei, commonly known as the Schultze's blunt-headed tree snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the Philippines.
Cyrtodactylus sumuroi is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to Samar in the Philippines.
Hologerrhum dermali, also known commonly as Crombie's stripe-lipped snake and Dermal's cylindrical snake, is a species of snake in the family Cyclocoridae. The species is endemic to the Philippines.
Oxyrhabdium leporinum, known as Günther's Philippine shrub snake, is a species of snake in the family Cyclocoridae. It is endemic to the Philippines, where it is found on the islands of Luzon, Mindoro, Cebu, Negros, and Panay.
The Elapoidea are a superfamily of snakes in the clade Colubroides, traditionally comprising the families Lamprophiidae and Elapidae. Advanced genomic sequence studies, however, have found lamprophiids to be paraphyletic in respect to elapids, and anywhere between four and nine families are now recognized.
Levitonius is a genus of cyclocorid snakes endemic to the Philippines. The only species in the genus is the Waray dwarf burrowing snake. It is native to the Samar and Leyte islands in the Philippines, where it lives among 112 other land and snake species.
Myersophis is a genus of snake in the family Cyclocoridae. It contains only one species, Myersophis alpestris or Myers's mountain snake, which is endemic to the Philippines.