Amblyodipsas

Amblyodipsas is a genus of snakes found in Africa. Currently, 9 species are recognized.[1][2] These snakes are often known as purple-glossed snakes or glossy snakes. Although rear-fanged, all species are considered harmless, but their venom has not been well studied. They should not be confused with the glossy snakes of the genus Arizona, which are found in North America.[3]

Amblyodipsas
Amblyodipsas polylepis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Lamprophiidae
Subfamily: Aparallactinae
Genus: Amblyodipsas
W. Peters, 1857

Description

Maxillary very short, with five teeth gradually increasing in size and followed, after an interspace, by a large grooved fang situated below the eye. Mandibular teeth decreasing in size posteriorly. Head small, not distinct from neck; eye minute, with round pupil; nostril in a single very small nasal; no internasals; no loreal; no preocular; no anterior temporal. Body cylindrical. Dorsal scales smooth, without pits. Tail very short, obtuse. Subcaudals in two rows.[4]

Species
Genus Amblyodipsas -- 10 species
Species[1][2] Taxon author[1][2] Subspecies*[2] Common name[1] Geographic range[1]
A. concolor (A. Smith, 1849) ———— Natal purple-glossed snake Republic of South Africa, Eswatini.
A. dimidiata (Günther, 1888) ———— Mpwapwa purple-glossed snake North Tanzania.
A. katangensis de Witte & Laurent, 1942 ionidesi Katanga purple-glossed snake Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia.
A. microphthalmaT (Bianconi, 1852) ———— eastern purple-glossed snake Mozambique, Republic of South Africa.
A. polylepis (Bocage, 1873) hildebrandtii common purple-glossed snake Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Republic of South Africa, Tanzania, coastal Kenya, Somalia.
A. rodhaini (de Witte, 1930) ———— Rodhain's purple-glossed snake Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A. teitana Broadley, 1971 ———— Teitana purple-glossed snake Kenya
A. unicolor (J.T. Reinhardt, 1843) ———— western purple-glossed snake Central African Republic, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gambia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad.
A. ventrimaculata (Roux, 1907) ———— Kalahari purple-glossed snake Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia.

*) Not including the nominate subspecies. T) Type species.

See also

References
  1. Amblyodipsas at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 19 October 2018.
  2. ."Amblyodipsas". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 5 September 2007.
  3. Smith, H.M., and E.D. Brodie, Jr. (1982). Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification. New York: Golden Press. 240 pp. ISBN 0-307-13666-3. ("GLOSSY SNAKES—genus Arizona", pp. 182-183).
  4. Boulenger, G.A. (1896). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History), Volume III., Containing the Colubridæ (Opisthoglyphæ and Proteroglyphæ) .... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I-XXV. (Genus Amblyodipsas, p. 244).

Further reading
  • Branch, Bill (2004). Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Third Revised edition, Second impression. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 399 pp. (Genus Amblyodipsas, p. 65).
  • Peters, W. (1857). "Über Amblyodipsas eine neue Schlangengattung aus Mossambique ". Monatsberichte der Königlichen Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin 1856: 592-595. (Amblyodipsas, new genus). (in German and Latin).
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