Atractaspididae
Template:Short description Template:Automatic taxobox
The Atractaspididae (atractaspidids) are a family of venomous snakes<ref name="Pyron">Template:Cite journal</ref> found in Africa and the Middle East, commonly called mole vipers, stiletto snakes, or burrowing asps. Currently, 12 genera are recognized.<ref name="ITIS">{{#if:563895 | {{#invoke:template wrapper|wrap|_template=cite web|_exclude=id,ID,taxon
| url = https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=563895 | title = Atractaspididae | publisher = Integrated Taxonomic Information System }}
| Template:Citation error }}</ref>
DescriptionEdit
This family includes many genera formerly classed in other families and subfamilies, on the basis of fang type. It includes fangless (aglyphous), rear-fanged (opisthoglyphous), fixed-fanged (proteroglyphous), and viper-like (solenoglyphous) species. Early molecular and physiological data linking this subfamily to others were ambiguous and often contradictory, which means the taxonomy of this subfamily has been highly contentious. The nominate family, Atractaspididae, has itself been moved to and from other taxa, such as potentially forming a trichotomy with Elapidae and Colubridae,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> reinforcing the ambiguity of this subfamily.
Geographic rangeEdit
This subfamily is found in Africa and the Middle East.<ref name="Meh87">Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref name="SB95">Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref name="P&G77">Parker HW, Grandison AGC. 1977. Snakes -- a natural history. Second Edition. British Museum (Natural History) and Cornell University Press. 108 pp. 16 plates. Template:LCCN. Template:ISBN (cloth), Template:ISBN (paper).</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
VenomEdit
Many of these snakes are inoffensive or far too small to envenomate a person effectively. However, some can inflict severe tissue necrosis; e.g. if the victim's thumb is bitten, the tip of that digit may be lost. Relapses may occur long after the bite.<ref>Archived at GhostarchiveTemplate:Cbignore and the Wayback MachineTemplate:Cbignore: {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Cbignore</ref><ref>Archived at GhostarchiveTemplate:Cbignore and the Wayback MachineTemplate:Cbignore: {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Cbignore</ref>Template:Medcn The bites of stiletto snakes are often exceptionally painful.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Very few deaths have resulted from accidents with these snakes, although large individuals of Atractaspis microlepidota and other long-glanded species are very likely to be dangerous.<ref>Atractaspididae at the TIGR Reptile Database</ref> Some of the long-fanged species are able to stab their prey (or an unfortunate human) even while their mouths are closed, and the typical grasp used by herpetologists to securely hold venomous snakes is not safe for this group.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> This ability to stab sideways even with a closed mouth is the basis for an English name used for some of them: "side-stabbing snakes" or "side-stabbers".<ref name="SB95"/>
GeneraEdit
| Subfamily Atractaspidinae -- 13 Genera | |||||
| Genus<ref name="ITIS"/> | Taxon author<ref name="ITIS"/> | Species Count<ref name="ITIS"/> |
Common name | Geographic range | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amblyodipsas | W. Peters, 1857 | 9 | glossy snakes | Africa | |
| Aparallactus | A. Smith, 1849 | 11 | centipede-eaters | Africa | |
| Atractaspis | A. Smith, 1849 | 15 | burrowing asps, stiletto snakes<ref name="ITIS"/> | Africa, Middle-East | |
| Brachyophis | Mocquard, 1888 | 1 | Revoil's short snake | Africa | |
| Chilorhinophis | F. Werner, 1907 | 3 | Africa | ||
| Hypoptophis | Boulenger, 1908 | 1 | African bighead snake | Africa | |
| Homoroselaps<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Jan, 1858 | 2 | harlequin snakes | Southern Africa |
| Macrelaps | Boulenger, 1896 | 1 | Natal black snake | Africa | |
| Micrelaps | Boettger, 1880 | 4 | two-headed snakes | Africa, Middle-East | |
| Poecilopholis | Boulenger, 1903 | 1 | Cameroon racer | Africa | |
| Polemon | Jan, 1858 | 13 | snake-eaters | Africa | |
| Xenocalamus | Günther, 1868 | 5 | quill-snouted snakes | Africa |
TaxonomyEdit
This family was previously classified as a subfamily of the Colubridae: the Aparallactinae.<ref name="Meh87"/>
GalleryEdit
- Amblyodipsas microphthalma.jpg
Amblyodipsas type species; eastern purple-glossed snake (A. microphthalma)
- Aparallactus capensis.jpg
Aparallactus type species; Cape centipede-eater (A. capensis)
- Atractaspis bibronii full body.jpg
Atractaspis type species; southern stiletto snake (A. bibronii)
- Homoroselaps lacteus.jpg
Homoroselaps type species; spotted harlequin snake (H. lacteus)
- Macrelaps microlepidotus head.jpg
Macrelaps type species; Natal black snake (M. microlepidotus)
- מחרוזן הטבעות (דו-גוני).jpg
Micrelaps type species; Müller's snake (M. muelleri)
- Xenocalamus bicolor.jpg
Xenocalamus type species; slender quill-snouted snake (X. bicolor)
See alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
- Template:NRDB family
- Atractaspids at Life is Short but Snakes are Long
- Stiletto snakes at Tetrapod Zoology
- iNaturalist link
Template:Snake families Template:Taxonbar Template:Authority control