Colubridae
Colubridae is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family. The earliest species of the family date back to the Oligocene epoch. Colubrid snakes are found on every continent except Antarctica.
Description
While most colubrids are not venomous and are mostly harmless, a few groups, such as genus Boiga, can produce medically significant bites. In addition, the boomslang, the twig snakes, and the Asian genus Rhabdophis have caused human fatalities.Some Colubridae snakes are venomous, but not all are deadly. According to Scott Weinstein, author of "Venomous" Bites from Non-Venomous Snakes, more research needs to be done on the bites and venom of colubrids. Some colubrids are described as opisthoglyphous, meaning they have elongated, grooved teeth located in the back of their upper jaws. Opisthoglyphous dentition likely evolved many times in the history of snakes and is an evolutionary precursor to the fangs of vipers and elapids, which are located in the front of the mouth.
Classification
In the past, the Colubridae were not a natural group, as many were more closely related to other groups, such as elapids, than to each other. This family was historically used as a "wastebasket taxon" for snakes that do not fit elsewhere. Until recently, colubrids were basically colubroids that were not elapids, viperids, or Atractaspis.However, recent research in molecular phylogenetics has stabilized the classification of historically "colubrid" snakes and the family as currently defined is a monophyletic clade, although additional research will be necessary to sort out all the relationships within this group. As of May 2018, eight subfamilies are recognized.
Current subfamilies
Sibynophiinae – 2 generaNatricinae – 37 genera
Pseudoxenodontinae – 2 genera
Dipsadinae – 99 genera
Grayiinae – 1 genus
- Grayia
Ahaetuliinae – 5 genera
Colubrinae – 92 genera
, preying on a legless lizard, a sheltopusik
Unknown incertae sedis ''
Former subfamilies
These taxa have been at one time or another classified as part of the Colubridae, but are now either classified as parts of other families, or are no longer accepted because all the species within them have been moved to other families.- Subfamily Aparallactinae
- Subfamily Boiginae
- Subfamily Boodontinae
- Subfamily Dispholidinae
- Subfamily Homalopsinae
- Subfamily Lamprophiinae
- Subfamily Lycodontinae
- Subfamily Lycophidinae
- Subfamily Pareatinae
- Subfamily Philothamninae
- Subfamily Psammophiinae
- Subfamily Pseudoxyrhophiinae
- Subfamily Xenoderminae
- Subfamily Xenodontinae
Fossil Colubridae
North America
;Mexico| Find | NALMA | Formation | Notes | Refs |
| Colubrinae indet. | Pleistocene | Cueva de Abra Travertine | Described from Cueva de Abra Travertine in Tamaulipas by | |
| ?Pituophis sp. | Blancan | Described from Las Tunas Wash; Jeffries Site in Baja California Sur by | ||
| Lampropeltis intermedius | Blancan | Goleta | Described from locality in Michoacán by |
South America
;Legend- Age - bold is type age
- Formation - bold is :Category:Lagerstätten|Lagerstätte
| Find | SALMA | Basin | Formation | Country | Notes | Refs |
| "Colubridae sp." sic | Laventan | VSM | Villavieja | Described from same Los Mangos Fishbed in Huila; Colombophis portai and Eunectes stirtoni by | ||
| indet. | Chasicoan Mayoan Laventan | Solimões | Solimões | Described from Talismã, upper Purus River locality in Amazonas; the snakes Colombophis spinosus, aff. Epicrates sp., Eunectes sp., the turtle Chelonoidis sp., crocodylians Acresuchus pachytemporalis and Caiman brevirostris, lizard cf. Paradracaena sp., and many mammals by | ||
| Colubrinae indet. | Holocene | Subandean Belt | Ñuapua | Described from Ñuapua 2 locality in Chuquisaca; snakes Tupinambis teguixin, Boidae indet., Crotalidae indet., turtles, frogs Leptodactylus cf. ocellatus, Bufo cf. paracnemis, birds Crypturellus tataupa, Podiceps minor, Podiceps auritus cornutus, Platalea ajaja, Rhea cf. americana, Anas sp., Coccyzus sp., Dendrocygna sp., Jacana sp., Nyctibius sp., Platalea sp., cf. Rhynchotus sp., Columbidae indet., Falconidae indet., Passeriformes indet., Rallidae indet., fossils of Tolypeutus matacus, Ceratrophrys cf. ornata, and Leposternon sp., and many mammals including Homo sapiens by | ||
| indet. | Chapadmalalan | Sierras de Córdoba | Brochero | Described from Valle de Traslasierra - Paso del Río Arriba and Pedernara Cliffs locality in Córdoba; with Rhinella cf. arenarum, R. cf. spinulosa, Teius sp., ?Liolaemus sp., Iguanidae indet. and the mammals Chukimys favaloroi and Echimyidae indet. by | ||
| indet. | Chasicoan | Colorado | Cerro Azul | Described from Cerro La Bota locality in La Pampa; reported with many mammal fossils by | ||
| indet. | Montehermosan | Claromecó | Monte Hermoso | From several localities in Buenos Aires; reported by | ||
| indet. | Colhuehuapian | Golfo San Jorge | Trelew Mb of Sarmiento | Described from same Gaiman locality in Chubut; Gaimanophis tenuis, Waincophis sp., the turtle Chelonoidis gringorum and many mammals by | ||
| indet. | Santacrucian | Austral | Rio Pinturas | From Río Pinturas locality in Santa Cruz; reported by | ||
| indet. | Santacrucian | Austral | Santa Cruz | Sole reptile described from Santa Cruz Formation locality in Santa Cruz together with the terror birds Psilopterus bachmanni, P. lemoinei, Phororhacos longissimus, Patagornis marshi, Brontornis burmeisteri, penguin Paraptenodytes antarcticus and other birds Eoneornis australis, Eutelornis patagonicus, Anisolornis excavatus, Protibis cnemialis, Opisthodactylus patagonicus, Liptornis hesternus, and many mammals by & |