Amblyodipsas

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Amblyodipsas
Amblyodipsas polylepis.jpg
Amblyodipsas polylepis
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Atractaspididae
Subfamily: Aparallactinae
Genus: Amblyodipsas
W. Peters, 1857

Amblyodipsas is a genus of snakes found in Africa. Currently, 9 species are recognized. [1] [2] These snakes are often known as purple-glossed snakes or glossy snakes. Although rear-fanged, all species are considered harmless, but their venom has not been well studied. They should not be confused with the glossy snakes of the genus Arizona , which are found in North America. [3]

Contents

Description

Maxillary very short, with five teeth gradually increasing in size and followed, after an interspace, by a large grooved fang situated below the eye. Mandibular teeth decreasing in size posteriorly. Head small, not distinct from neck; eye minute, with round pupil; nostril in a single very small nasal; no internasals; no loreal; no preocular; no anterior temporal. Body cylindrical. Dorsal scales smooth, without pits. Tail very short, obtuse. Subcaudals in two rows. [4]

Species

Genus Amblyodipsas -- 10 species
Species [1] [2] Taxon author [1] [2] Subspecies* [2] Common name [1] Geographic range [1]
A. concolor (A. Smith, 1849)————Natal purple-glossed snake Republic of South Africa, Eswatini.
A. dimidiata (Günther, 1888)————Mpwapwa purple-glossed snakeNorth Tanzania.
A. katangensis de Witte & Laurent, 1942ionidesiKatanga purple-glossed snake Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia.
A. microphthalma T(Bianconi, 1852)————eastern purple-glossed snake Mozambique, Republic of South Africa.
A. polylepis (Bocage, 1873)hildebrandtiicommon purple-glossed snake Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Republic of South Africa, Tanzania, coastal Kenya, Somalia.
A. rodhaini (de Witte, 1930)————Rodhain's purple-glossed snake Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A. teitana Broadley, 1971————Teitana purple-glossed snake Kenya
A. unicolor (J.T. Reinhardt, 1843)————western purple-glossed snake Central African Republic, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gambia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad.
A. ventrimaculata (Roux, 1907)————Kalahari purple-glossed snake Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia.

*) Not including the nominate subspecies.T) Type species.

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Amblyodipsas at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database . Accessed 19 October 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 . "Amblyodipsas". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 5 September 2007.
  3. Smith, H.M., and E.D. Brodie Jr. (1982). Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification. New York: Golden Press. 240 pp. ISBN   0-307-13666-3. ("GLOSSY SNAKES—genus Arizona", pp. 182–183).
  4. Boulenger, G.A. (1896). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History), Volume III., Containing the Colubridæ (Opisthoglyphæ and Proteroglyphæ) .... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I-XXV. (Genus Amblyodipsas, p. 244).

Further reading