| Keel-bellied Water Snake | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Homalopsidae |
| Genus: | Bitia Gray, 1842 [1] |
| Species: | B. hydroides |
| Binomial name | |
| Bitia hydroides Gray, 1842 | |
The keel-bellied water snake (Bitia hydroides) is a marine homalopsine snake. It belongs to the monotypic genus Bitia. [2]
It is found in Malaysia.
Bitia hydroides is noted for its unusual dentition. In all other snakes, any enlarged teeth are located on the dentary or maxilla, with the inner, palatine teeth of the upper jaw being smaller. In Bitia hydroides, the palatine teeth are greatly enlarged. Not enough is known about this animal's feeding behavior or ecology to attempt to infer a function of this peculiar arrangement.
The Homalopsidae are a family of snakes which contains about 28 genera and more than 50 species. They are commonly known as Indo-Australian water snakes, mudsnakes, or bockadams. They are also known as ular air in Indonesian. They are typically stout-bodied water snakes, and all are mildly venomous. Two monotypic genera are notable for their unusual morphology: Erpeton possesses a pair of short, fleshy appendages protruding from the front of the snout, and Bitia has uniquely enlarged palatine teeth. Cerberus species have been noted to use sidewinding to cross slick mud flats during low tide. Fordonia and Gerarda are the only snakes known to tear their prey apart before eating it, pulling soft-shelled crabs through their coils to rip them apart prior to ingestion.
Oligodon is genus of colubrid snakes that was first described by the Austrian zoologist Fitzinger in 1826. This genus is widespread throughout central and tropical Asia.
Cerberus rynchops, also known as the New Guinea bockadam, South Asian bockadam, bockadam snake, or dog-faced water snake, is a mildly venomous species of a snake in the family Homalopsidae. It is native to coastal waters of South and Southeast Asia. The species was re-delimited in 2012, allocating populations east and south of the west coast of Thailand to other species.
Dieurostus is a genus of snake in the family Homalopsidae. The genus Dieurostus is monotypic, containing only the species Dieurostus dussumieri, commonly known as Dussumier's water snake. The species, which is mildly venomous and rear-fanged, is endemic to Kerala, in southwestern India. It was formerly thought to be found in Bangladesh, although its distribution there is now disputed.
The rainbow water snake is a species of mildly venomous, rear-fanged, colubrid snake, endemic to Asia.
The rice paddy snake or plumbeous water snake is a species of mildly venomous, rear-fanged snake endemic to South Asia.
Siebold's water snake, also known commonly as Siebold's mud snake and Siebold's smooth water snake, is a species of mildly venomous, rear-fanged snake in the family Homalopsidae. The species is endemic to Asia.
Gerarda prevostiana, commonly known as the cat-eyed water snake, Gerard's water snake, or the glossy marsh snake, is a species of snake in the family Homalopsidae. The species is endemic to Asia. It is the only species in the genus Gerarda.
Homalopsis buccata is a species of water snake in the Homalopsidae family found in tropical areas of Southeast Asia.
Rhabdophis subminiatus, commonly called the red-necked keelback or red-necked keelback snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Asia.
Acrochordus granulatus is a snake species found from India through Southeast Asia to the Solomon Islands. It is known as the little file snake, marine file snake, and little wart snake. It is completely aquatic and almost helpless on land. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Aipysurus eydouxii, commonly known as the beaded sea snake, marbled seasnake, or spine-tailed seasnake, is a species of sea snake in the family Elapidae. This species of snake is unusual amongst sea snakes in that it feeds exclusively on fish eggs. As part of this unusual diet, this species has lost its fangs, and the venom glands are almost entirely atrophied.
The Kapuas mud snake is a species of snake in the family Homalopsidae. The species, which is native to Borneo, can change its epidermal colour spontaneously.
The Chinese water snake, Chinese smooth water snake, Chinese mud snake or Chinese rice paddy snake is a species of mildly venomous, rear-fanged snake, endemic to Asia.
Robert Frederick Inger was an American herpetologist.
Homalopsis is a genus of snakes of the family Homalopsidae. The genus is restricted to South East Asia and includes five currently recognized species. Like all members of the family Homalopsidae, Homalopsis are rear-fanged and mildly venomous, though considered harmless to humans.
Subsessor is a genus of snake in the family Homalopsidae. The genus is monotypic, containing the sole species Subsessor bocourti. The species is commonly known as Bocourt's water snake and has traditionally been placed in the genus Enhydris.
Anderson's stream snake, also known commonly as Anderson's mountain keelback, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to Asia
The western keeled snake is a species of snake in the family Lamprophiidae, subfamily Pseudaspidinae. It is native to western Namibia, southwestern Angola, and southwestern Zambia, and is the only member of the genus Pythonodipsas.
Paratapinophis is a monotypic genus of snake in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The genus contains the sole species Paratapinophis praemaxillaris, also known commonly as Angel's mountain keelback, Angel's stream snake, and the brown stream snake. The species is endemic to Southeast Asia.
