Amblyodipsas dimidiata, or the Mpwapwa purple-glossed snake, is a species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 of venomous rear-fanged snake

Snake

Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...

 in the Atractaspididae

Atractaspididae

The Atractaspididae are a family of snakes found in Africa and the Middle East. Currently, 12 genera are recognized.-Description:This family includes many genera formerly classed in other families, on the basis of fang type. It includes fangless , rear-fanged , fixed-fanged , and viper-like species...

family.

Description

Black dorsally; white ventrally, and on upper lip, and on three lower rows of dorsal scales on each side.

Rostral very large, portion visible from above longer than its distance from the frontal; internasals more than twice as broad as long; supraoculars very small. Six upper labials, the third in contact with nasal and the prefrontal, third and fourth entering the eye, fifth largest and in contact with the parietal.

Dorsal scales smooth, without pits, arranged in 17 rows. Ventrals 192-215; anal divided; subcaudals 20-27, divided.

Adults may attain a total length of 47 cm (18½ inches), which includes a tail 3 cm (1⅛ inch) long.