Dipsadinae

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Dipsadinae
Temporal range: Miocene–recent
Sibon longifrenis (La Selva Biological Station).jpg
Sibon longifrenis
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Subfamily: Dipsadinae
Bonaparte, 1838
Synonyms

Dipsadina Bonaparte, 1838 [2]
Dipsadidae Bonaparte, 1838

Contents

Dipsadinae is a large subfamily of colubroid snakes, sometimes referred to as a family (Dipsadidae). [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] Species of the subfamily Dipsadinae are found in most of the Americas, including the West Indies, and are most diverse in South America. [8] [9] There are more than 700 member species. [7]

Dipsadinae are an ecologically and morphologically diverse group of mostly small to moderate-sized snakes, typically less than 80 cm (31 in) in total length. Some are arboreal, but others are aquatic or terrestrial and may even burrow. Most are oviparous. [9] Many eat frogs or lizards, and some consume mammals and birds. Several genera (e.g. Adelphicos , Atractus , Geophis , Dipsas , Ninia , Sibon , Sibynomorphus , Tropidodipsas ) are specialized feeders on gooey and slimy prey, such as frog eggs, earthworms, snails, and slugs. [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] Almost all species are completely harmless to humans, although a few genera (e.g. Borikenophis , Cubophis , Heterodon , Hydrodynastes , Philodryas ) have inflicted painful bites with local, non-life-threatening symptoms. [15]

Evolution

Molecular evidence indicates that Dipsadidae originated in Asia during the Early Eocene, about 50 Ma. Xenodontinae and Dipsadinae diverged once the family had reached Central America in the Middle Eocene, with the latter dispersing to trans-Andean South America in multiple waves between 38 and 20 Ma, whereas the former dispersed to cis-Andean South America about 39 Ma and entered the West Indies some 33 Ma. [16]

Synonymy

Some authors refer to part or all of this group as Xenodontinae, but if the two names are used synonymously, Dipsadinae is the correct name because it is older. [4] When Xenodontinae is used non-synonymously, it normally refers to the larger and more derived South American-Caribbean subclade containing the genus Xenodon and its relatives, whereas Dipsadinae sensu stricto is restricted to the smaller and more basal Central American subclade containing the genus Dipsas and its relatives. [8] [17] Also, a third North American group (sometimes called "Carphophiinae") contains nine species in five genera at the base of the Dipsadinae (the "North American relicts" thought to have descended from the ancestors of dipsadines as they crossed from Asia to South America by way of North America; genera Heterodon , Farancia , Diadophis , Carphophis , and Contia ). [18]

Genera

Within the Dipsadinae, the three major groups/clades or subfamilies are the Central American group ("Dipsadinae" sensu stricto), the South American + Caribbean group ("Xenodontinae"), and a small North American group (sometimes called the "Carphophiinae" or, incorrectly, "Heterodontinae"). [lower-alpha 1] [18] In addition, a number of snake genera are likely to be dipsadines based on their morphology and geographic range, but because of the absence of genetic data and information about their closest relatives, they are considered genera incertae sedis and are not currently placed in a subgroup of the Dipsadinae.

Central American clade ("Dipsadinae" sensu stricto)

South American + Caribbean clade ("Xenodontinae")

North American clade ("Carphophiinae")

Genera incertae sedis

Notes

  1. "Heterodontinae" is a subfamily of sharks; this problem is discussed in Appendix I of Grazziotin, F. G., H. Zaher, R. W. Murphy, G. Scrocchi, M. A. Benavides, Y.-P. Zhang, and S. L. Bonattoh (2012): [19] "The shark family Heterodontidae (based on the genus Heterodontus Blainville, 1816) dates from Gray (1851: 65), but its use as the snake family Heterodontidae (based on the genus Heterodon Latreille, 1801) dates from Bonaparte (1845) and it has not been used in the literature since. Thus both the genus and family names for snakes have priority over the sharks. However, the resurrection of the family name Heterodontidae for snakes (subfamily Heterodontinae in Vidal et al., 2007) causes unnecessary confusion owing to the long-standing use of the name for sharks (e.g. Compagno, 2002; Baldwin, 2005). Consequently, Rossman and Wilson (1965) and Zaher et al. (2009) argued that the family name should be applied only to sharks in the interest of maintaining nomenclatorial stability, a position that contrasts strongly with that of Vidal et al. (2007, 2010). According to Art. 52.2 of the Code, when two names ‘‘are homonyms, only the senior, as determined by the Principle of Priority, may be used as a valid name’’. We believe that if this clade of snakes continuously appears in phylogenetic studies, then it is desirable to petition the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature to set aside use of the family name for the snakes in favor of the sharks in the interest of nomenclatorial stability. An alternative nomenclature would be to change the spelling of the shark family to Heterodontusidae. In any case, we suggest the North American relictual Xenodontinae (sensu Pinou, 1993; Pinou et al., 2004) should not be referred to as the subfamily Heterodontinae until a well defined nomenclatural resolution is obtained." See also Rossman, D. A. and L. D. Wilson (1965). [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natricinae</span> Subfamily of snakes

The Natricinae are a subfamily of colubroid snakes, sometimes referred to as a family (Natricidae). The subfamily comprises 36 genera. Members include many very common snake species, such as the European grass snakes, and the North American water snakes and garter snakes. Some Old World members of the subfamily are known as keelbacks, because their dorsal scales exhibit strong keeling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colubrinae</span> Subfamily of snakes

The Colubrinae are a subfamily of snakes within the family Colubridae. It includes numerous genera, and although taxonomic 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. Many of the most commonly known snakes are members of this subfamily, including rat snakes, king snakes, milk snakes, vine snakes, and indigo snakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xenodontinae</span> Subfamily of snakes

Xenodontinae is a subfamily of snakes in the family Colubridae.

<i>Erythrolamprus</i> Genus of snakes

Erythrolamprus is a genus of colubrid snakes native to Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. They include the false coral snakes, which appear to be coral snake mimics.

Shaw's dark ground snake, also known commonly as Shaw's black-backed snake, and in Spanish as candelilla, guarda caminos, and reinita cazadora, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to northern South America.

<i>Dipsas</i> Genus of snakes

Dipsas is a genus of nonvenomous New World snakes in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. The genus Sibynomorphus has been moved here. Species of the genus Dipsas are known as snail-eaters.

<i>Oxyrhopus</i> Genus of snakes

Oxyrhopus, the false coral snakes, is a genus of colubrid snakes that belong to the subfamily Dipsadinae. All 15 members of the genus are found in the northern part of South America, with the native range of the most widespread member, Oxyrhopus petolarius, extending into Central America and Trinidad and Tobago as well.

<i>Pseudalsophis</i> Genus of snakes

Pseudalsophis is a genus of snakes in the family Colubridae. The genus is endemic to South America. Out of the ten species, nine are endemic to the Galapagos Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colubroidea</span> Superfamily of snakes

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 such as cobras and vipers, as these snakes form a clade. However these groups are now divided into several distinct, but related, families. Zaher et al. (2009) proposed to redefine Colubroidea for colubrids and related families, while designating Colubroides as the group containing vipers and cobras as well as colubroids. The ReptileDatabase considers Colubroidea to be composed of Colubridae and the members of its sister group, Elapoidea, and does not recognize the division of Colubridae into multiple families.

<i>Apostolepis</i> Genus of snakes

Apostolepis is a genus of snakes in the subfamily Dipsadinae. However, the familial placement differs among sources. It has also been placed in the family Colubridae, subfamily Dipsadinae or Xenodontinae, or in the family Xenodontidae. The genus Apostolepis is endemic to South America.

<i>Mussurana</i> (genus) Genus of snakes

Mussurana is a genus of snakes in the family Colubridae. The genus is endemic to South America.

<i>Mussurana bicolor</i> Species of snake

Mussurana bicolor, the two-colored mussurana, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to southern South America.

<i>Lygophis</i> Genus of snakes

Lygophis is a genus of snakes in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. The genus is endemic to Panama and South America.

Amaral's ground snake is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Brazil.

Caaeteboia is a genus of snakes in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. The genus is endemic to Brazil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colubroides</span> Clade of snakes

The Colubroides are a clade in the suborder Serpentes (snakes). It contains over 85% of all the extant species of snakes. The largest family is Colubridae, but it also includes at least six other families, at least four of which were once classified as "Colubridae" before molecular phylogenetics helped in understanding their relationships. It has been found to be monophyletic.

Erythrolamprus albertguentheri, also known commonly as Günther's green liophis, is a species of snake in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. The species is native to central South America.

Erythrolamprus ingeri is a species of snake in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Venezuela.

Erythrolamprus janaleeae is a species of snake in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Peru.

References

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