Xylophis

Last updated

Xylophis
Xylophis sp. Munnar.jpg
Xylophis mosaicus from Munnar
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Pareidae
Subfamily: Xylophiinae
Deepak, Ruane & Gower, 2019 [1]
Genus: Xylophis
Beddome, 1878
Type species
Geophis stenorhynchus
Günther, 1875

Xylophis is a small genus of snakes in the family Pareidae. The genus contains five species, all of which are endemic to the Western Ghats in southern India. [2] [3] They constitute the monotypic subfamily Xylophiinae. They are the only pareid snakes found in India and the only snakes in the family found outside Southeast Asia. [1]

Contents

Species

The following 5 species are recognized as being valid [2] [4]

Related Research Articles

<i>Boiga</i> Genus of snakes

Boiga is a large genus of rear-fanged, mildly venomous snakes, known commonly as cat-eyed snakes or simply cat snakes, in the family Colubridae. Species of the genus Boiga are native to southeast Asia, India, and Australia, but due to their extremely hardy nature and adaptability, have spread to many other suitable habitats around the world. There are 38 recognized species in the genus. According to the study done by Jiří Smíd regarding Old World cat snakes, the ancestor of the cat snake originated in Africa, from where it diversified and expanded to other countries. Despite this diversity however, the different species have very similar needs in terms of temperature and precipitation.

<i>Ahaetulla perroteti</i> Species of snake

Ahaetulla perroteti, known commonly as the bronze-headed vine snake, Perrotet's vine snake, or the Western Ghats bronzeback, is a species of mildly venomous, rear-fanged snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the Western Ghats in South India.

<i>Boiga beddomei</i> Species of snake

Boiga beddomei, commonly known as Beddome's cat snake, is a species of rear-fanged snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the Western Ghats of India, in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa states.

<i>Rhabdops olivaceus</i> Species of snake

Rhabdops olivaceus, the olive trapezoid snake or olive forest snake, is a snake endemic to the Western Ghats of India. Following the description of populations in Goa, northernmost Karnataka, and southern Maharashtra as a new species, Rhabdops aquaticus, the known range of Rhabdops olivaceus is from Parambikulam Tiger Reserve in Kerala north to Kottigehara in Karnataka, and possibly slightly further.

<i>Xylophis perroteti</i> Species of snake

Xylophis perroteti, commonly known as Perrotet's mountain snake and the striped narrow-headed snake, is a species of snake in the family Pareidae. The species is endemic to the Western Ghats of India.

Xylophis stenorhynchus is a species of snake found in the Western Ghats of India.

Uropeltis ocellata is a species of non-venomous shieldtail snake in the family Uropeltidae. The species is indigenous to southern India. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.

<i>Ahaetulla</i> Genus of snakes

Ahaetulla, commonly referred to as Asian vine snakes or Asian whip snakes, is a genus of colubrid snakes distributed throughout tropical Asia. They are considered by some scientists to be mildly venomous and are what is commonly termed as 'rear-fanged' or more appropriately, opisthoglyphous, meaning their enlarged teeth or fangs, intended to aid in venom delivery, are located in the back of the upper jaw, instead of in the front as they are in vipers or cobras. As colubrids, Ahaetulla do not possess a true venom gland or a sophisticated venom delivery system. The Duvernoy's gland of this genus, homologous to the venom gland of true venomous snakes, produces a secretion which, though not well studied, is considered not to be medically significant to humans.

<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.

<i>Rhinophis</i> Genus of snakes

Rhinophis is a genus of nonvenomous shield-tail snakes found in Sri Lanka and South India. Currently, 24 species are recognized in this genus. Of the 24 species, 18 are endemic to Sri Lanka, while six are endemic to South India.

Captain's wood snake, also known commonly as Captain's xylophis, is a species of snake in the family Pareidae. The species is endemic to India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pareidae</span> Family of snakes

Pareidae is a small family of snakes found largely in southeast Asia, with an isolated subfamily endemic to southwestern India. It encompasses 42 species in four genera divided into two subfamilies: Pareinae and Xylophiinae. Both families are thought to have diverged from one another during the early-mid Eocene, about 40-50 million years ago.

Rhabdops is a genus of snakes in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The genus is endemic to the Western Ghats of India.

<i>Ahaetulla laudankia</i> Species of snake

Ahaetulla laudankia, known as the Laudankia vine snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. It is endemic to India and while being a rare species, it has a relatively large range, extending from the Eastern Ghats through Central India west to eastern Rajasthan. Its name derives from the Odia term laudanka, which translates to "dried stems of bottle gourd, as the snake closely resembles them with its thin body and brownish color.

Smithophis is a genus of snakes in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae; the one species that was known prior to 2019 had been classified under the genus Rhabdops, but was removed in the process of erecting the new genus Smithophis. The genus is endemic to Asia. It is named for Malcolm Arthur Smith, a British herpetologist who was active in Indian herpetology.

<i>Xylophis mosaicus</i> Species of snake

Xylophis mosaicus, the Anamalai wood snake, is a species of snake in the family Pareidae. It is endemic to the Western Ghats of India.

<i>Sahyadriophis</i> Genus of snakes

Sahyadriophis is a genus of snakes in the family Colubridae. The genus is endemic to the Western Ghats of India.

References

  1. 1 2 Deepak, V.; Ruane, Sara & Gower, David J. (2019). "A new subfamily of fossorial colubroid snakes from the Western Ghats of peninsular India". Journal of Natural History. 52 (45–46): 2919–2934. doi:10.1080/00222933.2018.1557756. hdl: 10141/622619 . (Xylophiinae, new subfamily)
  2. 1 2 Xylophis at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 2 July 2020.
  3. Deepak, V.; Narayanan, Surya; Das, Sandeep; Rajkumar, K.P.; Easa, P.S.; Sreejith, K.A. & Gower, David J. (2020). "Description of a new species of Xylophis Beddome, 1878 (Serpentes: Pareidae: Xylophiinae) from the Western Ghats, India" . Zootaxa. 4755 (2): 231–250. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4755.2.2. PMID   32230180. S2CID   214749359.
  4. Narayanan, Surya; Mohapatra, Pratyush P.; Balan, Amirtha; Das, Sandeep; Gower, David J. (15 April 2021). "A new species of Xylophis Beddome, 1878 (Serpentes: Pareidae) from the southern Western Ghats of India". Vertebrate Zoology. 71: 219–230. doi: 10.3897/vz.71.e63986 . ISSN   2625-8498.

Further reading