Tropidophiidae

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Tropidophiidae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Infraorder: Alethinophidia
Family: Tropidophiidae
Brongersma, 1951
Synonyms
  • Ungualiidae - Cope, 1894
  • Ungaliidae - Cope, 1900
  • Tropidophinae - Brongersma, 1951
  • Tropidophidae - Underwood, 1976
  • Tropidophiidae - Duellman, 1979
  • Tropidopheidae - McDowell, 1987
  • Ungaliopheinae - McDowell, 1987
  • Tropidopheinae - McDowell, 1987
  • Tropidopheidae - H.M. Smith & Preston, 1987
  • Tropidopheoidae - H.M. Smith & Chiszar, 1992 [1]
Common names: dwarf boas.[2]

The Tropidophiinae are a family of snakes found from Mexico and the West Indies south to southeastern Brazil. These are small to medium-sized fossorial snakes, some with beautiful and striking color patterns. Currently, 4 genera containing 22 species are recognized.[2]

Contents

[edit] Description

This family is confined to the neotropics, mainly in Hispaniola, Jamaica, and the Cayman Islands with the greatest diversity being in Cuba, where new species are being discovered frequently. These snakes are very small, averaging to about 30-60 cm in total lengh. Most species spend their day burrowed underground or under vegetation, surfacing only at night or when it rains. Some species are arboreal and are ofter seen hiding in bromeliads in trees. They have the ability to change color from light (when they are active at night) to dark (inactive in the day). This color change is brought about by the movement of dark pigment granules. When threatened, they coil up into a tight ball. A more peculiar defensive behavior is their ability to voluntarily bleed from the eyes, mouth and nostrils.

[edit] Geographic range

Found from southern Mexico and Central America, south to northwestern South America in Colombia, (Amazonian) Ecuador and Peru, as well as in northwestern and southeastern Brazil. Also found in the West Indies.[1]

[edit] Genera

Genus[2] Authority[1] Species[2] Common name Geographic range[1]
Exiliboa Bogert, 1968 1 Mexico.
Trachyboa Peters, 1860 2 Panama, Pacific Colombia and Ecuador.
TropidophisT Bibron, 1840 17 The West Indies, Brazil, Peru and Ecuador.
Ungaliophis Müller, 1880 2 Southern Mexico and south through Central America as far as Colombia.

T) Type genus.[1]

[edit] See also

[edit] Cited references

  1. ^ a b c d e McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  2. ^ a b c d Tropidophiidae (TSN 209617). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved on 17 August 2007.

[edit] External links

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Snake families
Chordata • Reptilia • Squamata
Alethinophidia
Scolecophidia