| Lamprophiidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Boaedon capensis | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Superfamily: | Elapoidea |
| Family: | Lamprophiidae Fitzinger, 1843 |
| Genera | |
See text | |
The Lamprophiidae are a family of snakes [1] found throughout much of Africa, including Seychelles. There are 89 species as of July 2022. [2]
Lamprophiids are a diverse group of snakes. Many are terrestrial but some are fossorial (e.g. Amblyodipsas ) or semi-aquatic (e.g. Lycodonomorphus ). Some are fast-moving (e.g. Psammophis ) whereas others are slow (e.g. Duberria ). They are found in deserts, grasslands, tropical forests, and mountains. They feed on mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. Some species use constriction to subdue their prey (e.g. Boaedon ). When other snake families were formerly included within the Lamprophiidae, they were considered even more diverse in biology, although this is now known to not be the case. Most species are oviparous.
Most lamprophiids were historically considered to be members of the subfamily Lamprophiinae in the family Colubridae. The following classification follows Pyron et al., 2010, [3] whose finding that lamprophiids are more closely related to elapids has been repeated by several other studies. [4] [5] [6] [7] Together these two groups are sometimes referred to as the Elapoidea. In fact, some studies have found that Elapidae is nested within Lamprophiidae, [6] [7] a finding that necessitated taxonomic changes to restore monophyly within Elapoidea. Following this, multiple subfamilies within Lamprophiidae were reclassified as their own families, reducing the number of species, overall distribution, and diversity in form of Lamprophiidae as previously defined; prior to this revision, members of Lamprophiidae were thought to be even more diverse in form and behavior, and were thought to have a distribution from Africa to Madagascar, southern Europe, and most of Asia. They are now known to be found in Africa and Seychelles. [8] [8] [9]
These taxa were formerly classified in Lamprophiidae, but are now either classified as families of their own or subfamilies of other taxa. [9] [8]
Some members of the Lamprophiidae, such as the African house snake (genus Boaedon ) are kept and bred as pets by herpetoculturists. Due to their placid nature, classification as nonvenomous snakes, easy care requirements, and small size, many of the species that are bred in captivity are considered by many to be a perfect pet reptile for novices and experienced reptile keepers alike. [10]
Hormonotus is a genus of snakes. At present, this genus is monotypic, as there is only one commonly accepted species in it, Hormonotus modestus, commonly known as the Uganda house snake or yellow forest snake. It is widespread in tropical Africa. Its sister taxon is Inyoka swazicus, the Swazi rock snake.
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.
Psammophis is a genus of snakes in the family Psammophiidae. The genus comprises 33 species, which are found in Africa and Asia. Psammophis are diurnal and prey on lizards and rodents which they actively hunt. All species in the genus are venomous, and the venom is considered mild and not dangerous to humans.
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.
Letheobia is a genus of blind snakes in the family Typhlopidae.
Lycophidion is a genus of nonvenomous lamprophiid snakes commonly referred to as the wolf snakes.
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.
The Cape file snake is a species of large, non-venomous snake endemic to Africa, belonging to the family Lamprophiidae.
Boaedon is a genus of African lamprophiids consisting of the "brown" house snakes. The genus was originally described by Duméril but the species contained were reclassified as Lamprophis by Fitzinger in 1843, this taxonomy remained widely accepted until November 2010 when a phylogenetic study was published by C.M.R Kelly et al. who resurrected the Boaedon clade. Although commonly regarded as belonging to the Colubridae, primary literature usually lists them and related species as belonging to the family Lamprophiidae within the superfamily Elapoidea, which includes the venomous cobras and mambas.
Boaedon capensis, the Cape house snake, also known as the brown house snake, is a species of lamprophiid from Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. They are a non-venomous lamprophiid. This species was previously grouped in the genus Lamprophis but is regrouped with the genus Boaedon.
Dipsadinae is a large subfamily of colubroid snakes, sometimes referred to as a family (Dipsadidae). Species of the subfamily Dipsadinae are found in most of the Americas, including the West Indies, and are most diverse in South America. There are more than 700 member species.
Lamprophiinae is a subfamily of lamprophiid snakes, a large group of mostly African snakes, most of which were formerly classified as colubrids but which we now know are actually more closely related to elapids.
Pseudaspididae is a small family of elapoid snakes, containing only two species from sub-Saharan Africa. They were formerly placed as a subfamily of the Lamprophiidae, but have been more recently identified as a distinct family. However, some authors continue to place them as a subfamily of the Lamprophiidae.
Sibynophiinae is a small subfamily of colubroid snakes, sometimes referred to as a family (Sibynophiidae). This group has also been called Scaphiodontophiinae but since the name Sibynophiinae is older, it has priority. They are commonly called hinged-teeth snakes.
Lycodonomorphus inornatus, commonly known as the olive house snake, the black house snake, and the olive ground snake, is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Lamprophiidae. The species is endemic to southern Africa. It is a nocturnal snake with terrestrial habits.
Boaedon olivaceus is a species of snake in the family Lamprophiidae. The species is endemic to Africa.
The black file snake, also known commonly as the dwarf file snake or the Nyassa file snake, is a species of snake in the subfamily Lamprophiinae of the family Lamprophiidae. The species is endemic to Africa.
Limaformosa is a genus of snakes, commonly known as file snakes, in the family Lamprophiidae. The genus is endemic to Africa.
Pygopodoidea is a gecko superfamily and the only taxon in the gekkotan subclade Pygopodomorpha. The clade includes three Australasian families: Diplodactylidae, Carphodactylidae, and Pygopodidae. Traditional gekkotan systematics had considered Diplodactylidae and Carphodactylidae as subfamilies of the family Gekkonidae, but recent molecular work have placed Pygopodidae within Gekkonidae making it paraphyletic. These analyses have shown support of Pygopodidae and Carphodactylidae being sister taxa, with Diplodactylidae occupying a basal position in Pygopodoidea.
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.
Data related to Lamprophiidae at Wikispecies