| Lamprophis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Lamprophis aurora, aurora house snake | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Lamprophiidae |
| Subfamily: | Lamprophiinae |
| Genus: | Lamprophis Fitzinger, 1843 |
| Species | |
3 recognized species, see article. | |
Lamprophis is a genus of medium-sized, nonvenomous snakes commonly referred to as African house snakes.
Species of Lamprophis exhibit a wide variety of pattern variation, and may be spotted, striped, or solid in color. House snakes are sexually dimorphic, the females grow significantly larger, to about 120 cm (47 in) in some species, and some specimens have been recorded over 150 cm (59 in), the males only grow to around 75 cm (30 in). Albino variants of Lamprophis aurora have been found.
As of 2022, 3 species in the genus Lamprophis are recognized: [1]
Nota bene : A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Lamprophis.
The former Lamprophis capensis, brown or Cape house snake, has been assigned to the genus Boaedon , as Boaedon capensis .
House snakes are found throughout all of sub-Saharan Africa in a wide variety of habitats; some species are well adapted to living in burrows. [2] They are named "house" snakes as they are frequently found around human dwellings, feeding on the rodents that congregate around human waste. They are extremely adaptable snakes, which are found in scrubland, woodland, savannah, and montane regions.
Wild house snakes are often very nervous, but are not prone to biting. Their first defensive reaction is to flee. They are frequently found in and around human dwellings, where they consume rodents, small lizards, and even birds. House snakes are prolific breeders and lay clutches averaging eight to 12 eggs that hatch after around two months of incubation. Hatchlings are typically around 20 cm long.
African house snakes are common in the exotic pet trade. The primary species available is B. capensis, with the others being harder to acquire. They are easy to care for and breed readily. They can live up to 20 years with proper care. Males are smaller than females and seldom grow longer than 2.5 ft (76 cm). Females can attain lengths of 3.5 feet (110 cm), and specimens from the eastern region of southern Africa (KwaZulu-Natal) are reported to reach lengths of 5 ft (1.5 m) or more. These snakes are nocturnal. The female lays one clutch of 9 to 16 eggs in early spring. They are known to store sperm and can lay up to six clutches per year in captivity, but it rarely happens in nature. Hatchlings are 5–7 in (13–18 cm) upon hatching.
Their main diet consists of rodents; in captivity, smaller snakes take pinkie mice, and in the wild they more commonly prey on geckos until they are powerful enough to constrict mice. Large females are known to occasionally eat weanling rats. Adult snakes get fed weekly. Hatchlings may eat small lizards, such as skinks and geckos, and newborn mice. In captivity, they can successfully be fed on gecko tails. Larger specimens are also known to take lizards, and in rare cases they will catch small bats. House snakes should be fed alone; their often violent feeding response may cause cannibalism.
Ablepharus is a genus of skinks that contains the common snake-eyed skinks. Both their scientific and common names refer to the fact that their eyelids have fused to a translucent capsule; as in snakes, they thus are physically incapable of blinking. They are small lizards and prefer to live in the leaf litter of dry fields and hills. Their scales give them a very shiny, bronze appearance with a characteristically dark stripe down the sides of their bodies. They prey on small insects and other small mollusks.
Gonyosoma oxycephalum, known commonly as the arboreal ratsnake, the red-tailed green ratsnake, and the red-tailed racer, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Southeast Asia.
The broad-headed snake is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is restricted to the Sydney Basin in New South Wales, Australia. It is one of three snakes in the genus Hoplocephalus, all restricted to eastern Australia. It is currently endangered in New South Wales and is listed as vulnerable under the Commonwealth Legislation.
The Aurora house snake, Aurora snake, or night snake is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. It is endemic to Southern Africa.
Mehelya is a genus name of colubrid snakes from Africa. Some species formerly assigned to the genus Mehelya are now found in the genera Gonionotophis, Gracililima, or Limaformosa. They are collectively called file snakes due to their unusual scalation. They are not venomous.
The spotted house snake,, belongs to the monotypic genus Alopecion.
The Cape file snake is a species of large, non-venomous snake endemic to Africa, belonging to the family Lamprophiidae.
The Biodiversity of Cape Town is the variety and variability of life within the geographical extent of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality, excluding the Prince Edward Islands. The terrestrial vegetation is particularly diverse and much of it is endemic to the city and its vicinity. Terrestrial and freshwater animal life is heavily impacted by urban development and habitat degradation. Marine life of the waters immediately adjacent to the city along the Cape Peninsula and in False Bay is also diverse, and while also impacted by human activity, the habitats are relatively intact.
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 which includes the venomous cobras and mambas, Elapoidea.
Inyoka is a monotypic genus of southern African snakes. The word "inyoka" means "snake" in Zulu, Xhosa, Swahili, Shona and other African languages. These snakes were previously grouped in the genus Lamprophis but were found to be closer related to Hormonotus; a substantial genetic divergence between them and a 1900 km gap between their geographic ranges meant a new genus was erected for Lamprophis swazicus, the sole species of the new genus.
Boaedon lineatus, the striped house snake, is a species of lamprophiid from throughout Africa. This species has a wide range stretching from Tanzania through Central Africa as far as Uganda. They are kept as pets with increasing regularity, often captured and exported for the pet trade. Until November 2010, this species was grouped in the genus Lamprophis, but a paper published by Kelly et al. reclassified this species in the genus Boaedon.
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.
Aspidelaps lubricus, commonly known as the Cape coral snake or the Cape coral cobra, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to southern Africa.
The Lamprophiidae are a family of snakes found throughout much of Africa, including the Seychelles. There are 89 species as of July 2022.
Ichnotropis capensis is a species of African lizard, which is native to the southern Afrotropics. It is the type species for the genus Ichnotropis, and is commonly called the Cape rough-scaled lizard due to them being found in southern Africa's Cape region. They are also called ornate rough-scaled lizard or Smith's rough-scaled sand lizard. The small lizards are terrestrial and occur in grassland, desert and brush areas of southern Africa.
Dipsadoboa aulica, commonly known as the marbled tree snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Africa, and is mildly venomous to humans.
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.
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.