- Common names: Mole vipers, stiletto snakes, burrowing asps.
The Atractaspididae are a family of venomous snakes found in Africa and the Middle East. Currently, 12 genera are recognized.[1]
Description
This family includes many genera formerly classed in other families, on the basis of fang type. It includes fangless (aglyphous), rear-fanged (opisthoglyphous), fixed-fanged (proteroglyphous), and viper-like (solenoglyphous) species. Molecular and physiological data linking this family to others is ambiguous and often contradictory, which means the taxonomy of this family is highly contentious. The nominate family, Atractaspididae has itself been moved to and from other taxa, reinforcing the ambiguity of this family.
Genera
| Species[1] |
Authority[1] |
Genus[1] |
Common name |
Geographic range |
| Amblyodipsas |
Peters, 1857 |
9 |
|
|
| Aparallactus |
A. Smith, 1849 |
11 |
|
|
| Atractaspis |
A. Smith, 1849 |
15 |
Stiletto snakes[1] |
|
| Brachyophis |
Mocquard, 1888 |
1 |
|
|
| Chilorhinophis |
Werner, 1907 |
3 |
|
|
| Elapotinus |
Jan, 1862 |
1 |
|
|
| Hypoptophis |
Boulenger, 1896 |
1 |
|
|
| Macrelaps |
Boulenger, 1896 |
1 |
|
|
| Micrelaps |
Boettger, 1880 |
3 |
|
|
| Poecilopholis |
Boulenger, 1903 |
1 |
|
|
| Polemon |
Jan, 1858 |
13 |
|
|
| Xenocalamus |
Günther, 1868 |
5 |
|
|
See also
References
External links
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