Stenophis

Stenophis
Stenophis variablis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Subfamily: Pseudoxyrhophiinae
Genus: Stenophis
Boulenger, 1896

Stenophis is a genus of Madagascan arboreal snakes, part of the Lamprophiinae. They typically have large heads relative to their body size, and they are elongated and often thin.[1] The genus includes both viviparous and oviparous species.[2] They usually have prolate pupils.

Taxonomy

Stenophis was previously considered to be part of the genus Lycodryas until the mid 1990s.[1]

A phylogenetic analysis in 2008 found that the genus is polyphyletic,[3] and a 2010 study proposed three monophyletic genera of the snakes currently in Stenophis and Lycodryas: Lycodryas (with Stenophis as a junior synonym), Phisalixella and Parastenophis.[4]

Species

Known species of Stenophis include[1]:

References

  1. ^ a b c Miguel Vences, Frank Glaw, Vincenzo Mercurio, Franco Andreone. Review of the Malagasy tree snakes of the genus Stenophis (Colubridae). Salamandra, Rheinbach, 30.06.2004, 40(2): 161-179. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Herpetologie und Terrarienkunde e.V.
  2. ^ Vitt, Laurie J.; Caldwell, Janalee P. (2009). Herpetology (3 ed.). Academic Press. p. 526. ISBN 012374346X. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=qdpxsIPm8kkC&pg=PA526. 
  3. ^ Vidal, Nicolas; William R. Branch, Oliver S.G. Pauwels, S. Blair Hedges, Donald G. Broadley, Michael Wink, Corinne Cruad, Ulrich Joger, Zoltan Tamas Nagy (2008). "Dissecting the major African snake radiation: a molecular phylogeny of the Lamprophiidae Fitzinger (Serpentes, Caenophidia)". Zootaxa 1945 (Magnolia Press): 51–66. ISSN 1175-5334. http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/list/2008/zt01945.html. 
  4. ^ Nagy, Z. T., Z.T.; Glaw, F. & Vences, M (2010). "Systematics of the snake genera Stenophis and Lycodryas from Madagascar and the Comoros". Zoologica Scripta 39: 426–435. doi:10.1111/j.1463-6409.2010.00435.x.