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biodiversity explorer

the web of life in southern Africa

Subfamily: Boodontinae

Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Deuterostomia > Chordata > Craniata > Vertebrata (vertebrates)  > Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates) > Teleostomi (teleost fish) > Osteichthyes (bony fish) > Class: Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish) > Stegocephalia (terrestrial vertebrates) > Tetrapoda (four-legged vertebrates) > Reptiliomorpha > Amniota > Reptilia (reptiles) > Romeriida > Diapsida > Lepidosauromorpha > Lepidosauria > Squamata > Serpentes (snakes) > Family: Colubridae

One of the most widely encountered group of snakes in southern Africa.

Genera native to southern Africa

Dipsina (Dwarf beaked snake)

One species: Dipsina multimaculata (Dwarf beaked snake).

Dromophis

This genus is represented by a single species Dromophis lineatus (Lined olympic snake).

  

Duberria (slug eaters)

The diet of this genus consists entirely of slugs and snails.

 Duberria lutrix (Common slug-eater, Southern slug-eater)

Lamprophis (house snakes)

Many members of this genus are encountered in areas of human habitation.

 Lamprophis capensis (Brown house snake, Common house snake)

Lycodonomorphus (water snakes)

All four members of this genus are semi aquatic.

 Lycodonomorphus rufulus (Common brown water snake)

Lycophidion (wolf snakes)

This genus consists of eight species.

 Lycophidion capense (Common wolf snake, Cape wolf snake)

Mehelya (file snakes)

This genus consists of three species.

 Mehelya capensis (Southern file snake, Cape file snake)

Montaspis

One species: Montaspis gilvomaculata (Cream-spotted mountain snake)

  

Pseudaspis (Mole snake)

One species: Pseudaspis cana (Mole snake). A large constrictor often confused with a member of the Elapid family (particularly cobras)

Pythondipsas

One species: Pythondipsas carinata (Western keeled snake)