Xenodermidae

Xenodermidae is a family of snakes native to East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.[3][4] All species in the family Xenodermidae are small or moderately sized snakes, never more than 80 cm (31 in) but typically less than 55 cm (22 in) in total length (including tail). They are secretive, probably nocturnal, and typically inhabit moist forest habitats. They seem to be opportunistic carnivores, preying on other vertebrates.[4]

Xenodermidae
Formosa odd-scaled snake, A. f. formosanus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Clade: Colubroides
Family: Xenodermidae
Gray, 1849
Genera

Five genera, see the text

Synonyms

Xenodermatinae Gray, 1849
Xenodermidae Gray, 1849[1][2]

The correct spelling of the family name is Xenodermidae,[1][2] not "Xenodermatidae".

Taxonomy and systematics

Xenodermidae have a basal position in the colubroid radiation.[1] However, their exact position is not yet settled, e.g., that they might be the sister taxon of the rest of Colubroidea,[4] or that their sister taxon is Acrochordidae, and that these two families together form a clade that is the sister taxon for the Colubroidea.[1]

Genera

The family consists of the following five genera:[3]

References
  1. Durso, Andrew (23 February 2016). "Dragonsnakes and Filesnakes Revisited". Life is Short, but Snakes are Long. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  2. Savage, Jay M. (2015). "What are the correct family names for the taxa that include the snake genera Xenodermus, Pareas, and Calamaria?". Herpetological Review. 46 (4): 664–665.
  3. Xenodermidae at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 2 June 2020.
  4. Vitt, Laurie J.; Caldwell, Janalee P. (2014). Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles, Fourth Edition. London: Academic Press. pp. 613–614. ISBN 978-0123869197.
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