Grayia | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Colubridae |
Subfamily: | Grayiinae Vidal, Delmas, David, Cruaud, Couloux & Hedges, 2007 |
Genus: | Grayia Günther, 1858 [1] |
Species | |
Four, see article. |
Grayia is a genus of snakes, commonly referred to as African water snakes, in the family Colubridae. The genus, which is native to tropical Africa, is the only genus in the colubrid subfamily Grayiinae.
Grayia species are relatively poorly known snakes, at least to herpetologists. [2] Although they are locally abundant, they are notoriously difficult to catch, [3] and occur in areas where field work is difficult. They inhabit seasonal rainforest swamps, streams, and permanent water bodies, [4] eat fish and frogs, and lay eggs in the leaf litter among humid enclosures formed by buttress roots during the dry season. [3] They are unusual in that they deposit their clutch in small batches of three or four eggs at different times at more than one nest site, rather than laying all the eggs at once, [3] a strategy used by some turtles to avoid nest predation, but otherwise undocumented in snakes.
At least one species, G. ornata, is used for food and in medicine by people in Gabon, [2] and evidently is known to them to be nonvenomous; a person who has been bitten by a Grayia snake is believed to be protected for life against bites from other snakes. [2]
Snakes of the genus Grayia primarily come in very dark colors as to blend in with the forest ground and water. They are medium to large snakes, 1–1.5 m (3.3–4.9 ft) in total length (tail included), and the tail is 30% or more of the total length, depending on the species. [2]
The generic name, Grayia, is in honor of British herpetologist John Edward Gray, [5] who coined many commonly used generic names. The specific name smythii is in honor of Norwegian botanist Christen Smith. [5] The specific name tholloni is in honor of François-Romain Thollon (1855–1896), who was a French collector of natural history specimens in Africa. [5]
These four species are recognized as being valid: [6]
Nota bene : A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Grayia.
Boiga ochracea, commonly called the tawny cat snake, is a species of rear-fanged snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to South Asia.
The Indian egg-eating snake or Indian egg-eater is a rare species of egg-eating snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the Indian subcontinent. It is also called Westermann's snake, reflecting its scientific name. The snake belongs to the monotypic genus Elachistodon.
Oligodon theobaldi, commonly known as the Mandalay kukri snake or Theobald's kukri snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Asia.
Goldie's tree cobra, also known commonly as the African tree cobra and as Gold's tree cobra, is a species of venomous tree cobra in the family Elapidae. The species is native to Central and Western Africa. This species is one of the two tree cobras in Africa, the other being the black tree cobra. Goldie's tree cobra is one of the most venomous snakes and creatures in Africa.
Lycodonomorphus is a genus of snakes commonly referred to as African water snakes. They are small, nonvenomous snakes, with all members being endemic to Africa, especially Tanzania.
Cross's beaked snake is a species of snake in the family Typhlopidae. The species is native to West Africa.
Jameson's mamba is a species of highly venomous snake native to equatorial Africa. A member of the mamba genus, Dendroaspis, it is slender with dull green upper parts and cream underparts and generally ranges from 1.5 to 2.2 m in length. Described by Scottish naturalist Thomas Traill in 1843, it has two recognised subspecies: the nominate subspecies from central and west sub-Saharan Africa and the eastern black-tailed subspecies from eastern sub-Saharan Africa, mainly western Kenya.
Aspidura copei, commonly known as Cope's rough-sided snake or කලු මැඩිල්ලා in Sinhalese, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Sri Lanka.
Aspidura guentheri, commonly known as Günther's rough-sided snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Sri Lanka. It is the smallest member of the genus Aspidura.
Tropidodipsas is a genus of New World snakes of the family Colubridae.
The large-eyed green tree snake, also known commonly as the splendid dagger-tooth tree snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Africa. There are three recognized subspecies.
Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia, commonly known as the herald snake or the red-lipped snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa.
Toxicodryas blandingii, commonly known as Blanding's cat snake and Blanding's tree snake, is a species of rear-fanged venomous snake of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa.
Stegonotus is a genus of snakes in the family Colubridae. Species of the genus Stegonotus are native to Australia, Indonesia, and New Guinea.
Boaedon olivaceus is a species of snake in the family Lamprophiidae. The species is endemic to Africa.
Limnophis is a genus of snakes in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The genus contains three species.
Grayia caesar, Caesar's African water snake, is a species of snake in the family, Colubridae. It is found in Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Central African Republic, and Angola.
Grayia ornata, the ornate African water snake, is a species of snake in the family, Colubridae. It is found in Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Central African Republic, Zambia, South Sudan, and Angola.
Grayia smithii, Smith's African water snake, is a species of snake in the family, Colubridae. It is found in Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Central African Republic, Zambia, South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Niger, Chad, and Angola.
Grayia tholloni, Tholloni's African water snake, is a species of snake in the family, Colubridae. It is found in Equatorial Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Zambia, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Senegal, Gambia, Chad, and Angola.