Atractaspididae
Encyclopedia
- Common names: Mole vipers, stiletto snakes, burrowing asps.
The Atractaspididae are a family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of snakes found in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. Currently, 12 genera
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
are recognized.
Description
This family includes many generaGenus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
formerly classed in other families, on the basis of fang
Fang
Fang is a mammal's canine tooth.Fang may also refer to:* A snake's poison-injecting tooth: see snake venom* Fang people, in Central Africa* Fang language, spoken by Fang people...
type. It includes fangless (aglyphous), rear-fanged (opisthoglyphous), fixed-fanged (proteroglyphous), and viper-like (solenoglyphous) 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...
. Molecular and physiological data linking this family to others is ambiguous and often contradictory, which means the taxonomy
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
of this family is highly contentious. The nominate family, Atractaspididae has itself been moved to and from other taxa, reinforcing the ambiguity of this family.
Venom
Most of these snakes are inoffensive or far too small to envenom 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.Very few deaths seem to have resulted from accidents with these snakes, although large individuals of Atractaspis microlepidota and a few other long-glanded species are very likely to be dangerous. Some of the long-fanged species are able to stab their prey (or an unfortunate human) even while their mouth is closed, and the typical grasp used by herpetologists to securely hold venomous snakes is not necessarily safe for this group. 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.
Genera
{Count
Amblyodipsas
Amblyodipsas is a genus of snakes found in Africa. Currently, 9 species are recognized.These snakes are often known as glossy snakes. Although rear-fanged, all species are considered harmless, but their venom has not been well studied...
Wilhelm Peters
Wilhelm Karl Hartwich Peters was a German naturalist and explorer.He was assistant to Johannes Peter Müller and later curator of the Berlin Zoological Museum. In September 1842 he travelled to Mozambique via Angola. He returned to Berlin with an enormous collection of natural history specimens...
, 1857
Aparallactus
Aparallactus is a genus of rear-fanged venomous snakes found in Africa. Currently, 11 species are recognized.-Description:Maxillary short, with 6-9 small teeth followed by a large grooved fang situated below the eye. Anterior mandibular teeth longest. Head small, not distinct from neck. Eye small,...
Andrew Smith (zoologist)
Sir Andrew Smith KCB was a Scottish surgeon, explorer, ethnologist and zoologist. He is considered the father of Zoology in South Africa having described many species across a wide range of groups in his major work, Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa.Smith was born in Hawick, Roxburghshire...
, 1849
Atractaspis
Atractaspis is a genus of venomous snakes found in Africa. Currently, 15 species are recognized by ITIS. Others recognize 19 species. 16 are listed here.-Common names:Burrowing vipers, burrowing asps, mole vipers, stiletto snakes, side-stabbing snakes....
Andrew Smith (zoologist)
Sir Andrew Smith KCB was a Scottish surgeon, explorer, ethnologist and zoologist. He is considered the father of Zoology in South Africa having described many species across a wide range of groups in his major work, Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa.Smith was born in Hawick, Roxburghshire...
, 1849
Brachyophis
Brachyophis is a monotypic genus created for the rear-fanged venomous snake species, B. revoili, found in Africa. Currently, 3 subspecies are recognized.-Description of genus:...
Chilorhinophis
Chilorhinophis is a genus of venomous snakes found in Africa. Currently, three species are recognized.-Species:*) Not including the nominate subspecies.T) Type species....
Franz Werner
Franz Werner was an Austrian zoologist and explorer. Specializing as a herpetologist and entomologist, Werner described numerous species and other taxa of frogs, snakes, insects, and other organisms....
, 1907
Elapotinus
Elapotinus is a monotypic genus created for the rear-fanged venomous snake species, Elapotinus picteti, found in Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Description of genus:...
Giorgio Jan
Giorgio Jan was an Italian taxonomist, zoologist, botanist, herpetologist, and writer. He is also known as Georg Jan or Georges Jan....
, 1862
Hypoptophis
Hypoptophis is a monotypic genus created for the rear-fanged venomous snake species, Hypoptophis wilsoni, found in Africa...
George Albert Boulenger
George Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
, 1908
Macrelaps
Macrelaps is a monotypic genus created for the rear-fanged venomous snake species, M. microlepidotus, endemic to South Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Description of genus:...
George Albert Boulenger
George Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
, 1896
Micrelaps
Micrelaps is a genus of venomous rear-fanged Atractaspidid snakes found in Africa and the Middle East. Currently, five species are recognized.-Description:...
Oskar Boettger
Oskar Boettger was a German zoologist who was a native of Frankfurt am Main. He was an uncle of the noted malacologist Caesar Rudolf Boettger ....
, 1880
Poecilopholis
Poecilopholis is a monotypic genus created for the fangless venomous snake species, Poecilopholis cameronensis, which is endemic to Africa.-Geographic range:As the specific name implies, Poecilopholis cameronensis is found in Cameroon....
George Albert Boulenger
George Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
, 1903
Polemon (genus)
Polemon is a genus of rear-fanged venomous snakes endemic to Africa. Thirteen species are recognized.-Description of genus:Maxillary very short, with three small teeth, followed, after an interspace, by a very large grooved fang situated anterior to the eye. Third and fourth mandibular teeth...
Giorgio Jan
Giorgio Jan was an Italian taxonomist, zoologist, botanist, herpetologist, and writer. He is also known as Georg Jan or Georges Jan....
, 1858
Xenocalamus
Xenocalamus is a genus of rear-fanged venomous snakes endemic to Africa. Five species are recognized.-Description of genus:Maxillary very short, with five teeth gradually increasing in size and followed, after an interspace, by two large grooved fangs situated below the eye. Anterior mandibular...
Albert C. L. G. Günther
Albert Karl Ludwig Gotthilf Günther FRS, also Albert Charles Lewis Gotthilf Günther , was a German-born British zoologist, ichthyologist, and herpetologist....
, 1868
See also
- List of atractaspidid species and subspecies
- List of snakes, overview of all snake families and genera.
- SnakebiteSnakebiteA snakebite is an injury caused by a bite from a snake, often resulting in puncture wounds inflicted by the animal's fangs and sometimes resulting in envenomation. Although the majority of snake species are non-venomous and typically kill their prey with constriction rather than venom, venomous...