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Tropidophiidae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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- 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]
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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.
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]
| 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]
- List of tropidophiid species and subspecies.
- Tropidophiidae by common name.
- Tropidophiidae by taxonomic synonyms.
- List of snakes, overview of all snake genera.
- ^ 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).
- ^ a b c d Tropidophiidae (TSN 209617). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 17 August 2007.
- Tropidophiidae at the New Reptile Database. Accessed 19 August 2007.
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| Chordata • Reptilia • Squamata | |
| Alethinophidia | Acrochordidae • Aniliidae • Anomochilidae • Atractaspididae • Boidae • Bolyeriidae • Colubridae • Cylindrophiidae • Elapidae • Loxocemidae • Pythonidae • Tropidophiidae • Uropeltidae • Viperidae • Xenopeltidae |
| Scolecophidia | Anomalepididae • Leptotyphlopidae • Typhlopidae |