''Eryx'' is a genus of nonvenomous snakes, commonly known as

Old World The "Old World" is a term for Afro-Eurasia that originated in Europe , after Europeans became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia, which were previously thought of by the ...

sand boas, in the

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...

Erycinae of the family Boidae. Species of the genus are found in southeastern Europe, northern Africa, the Middle East, and southwestern Asia. Thirteen species are recognized as being valid.

Description

The genus ''Eryx'' has the following characters. The head is not distinct from the neck. The dorsal surface of the head is covered with small scales. The

rostral Rostral may refer to: Anatomy * Rostral (anatomical term), situated toward the oral or nasal region * Rostral bone, in ceratopsian dinosaurs * Rostral organ, of certain fish * Rostral scale, in snakes and scaled reptiles Other uses * Rostral colu ...

is large. The eyes range from small to very small, and the pupils are vertical. The anterior maxillary teeth and anterior mandibular teeth are longer than the posterior ones. The body is almost cylindrical. The dorsal scales are smooth or keeled. The tail is very short, either not prehensile or only slightly prehensile. The subcaudals are undivided.

Distribution and habitat

Species of snakes of the genus ''Eryx'' are found in southeastern Europe, northern Africa, the Middle East, and southwestern Asia.

Species

'' Nota bene'': In the list below, a taxon author in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Eryx''. *) Not including the

nominate subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

. ^T) Type species.

Taxonomy

A new species, '' Eryx borrii'', found in Somalia, was described by

Lanza Lanza may refer to: People Surname * Adam Lanza (1992–2012), American spree killer and perpetrator of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting * Alcides Lanza (born 1929), Canadian composer * Andrew Lanza (born 1964), New York State senato ...

and Nistri (2005). Lanza B, Nistri A (2005). "Somali Boidae (genus ''Eryx'' Daudin 1803) and Pythonidae (genus ''Python'' Daudin 1803) (Reptilia Serpentes)". ''Tropical Zoology'' 18 (1): 67-136. (''Eryx borrii'', new species, pp. 95-98, Figures 15-18) The

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

, ''borrii'', is in honor of Italian zoologist Marco Borri. Beolens B, Watkins M,

Grayson M Grayson may refer to: Places Canada * Grayson, Saskatchewan * Rural Municipality of Grayson No. 184, Saskatchewan United States * Grayson, California * Grayson, Georgia ** Grayson High School * Grayson, Kentucky * Grayson, Louisiana * Gray ...

(2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Eryx borrii'', p. 32).

References

External links