The Homalopsidae are a family of snakes which contains about 30

genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

and more than 50

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

. They are commonly known as Indo-Australian water snakes, mudsnakes, or bockadams. They are also known as (lit. "water snake") in Indonesian. They are typically stout-bodied water snakes, and all are mildly venomous. Two monotypic genera are notable for their unusual morphology: '' Erpeton'' possesses a pair of short, fleshy appendages protruding from the front of the snout, and '' Bitia'' has uniquely enlarged palatine teeth. ''

Cerberus In Greek mythology, Cerberus ( or ; ''Kérberos'' ), often referred to as the hound of Hades, is a polycephaly, multi-headed dog that guards the gates of the Greek underworld, underworld to prevent the dead from leaving. He was the offspring o ...

'' species have been noted to use

sidewinding Sidewinding is a type of locomotion unique to snakes, used to move across loose or slippery substrates. It is most often used by the Saharan horned viper, '' Cerastes cerastes'', the Mojave sidewinder rattlesnake, '' Crotalus cerastes'', and th ...

to cross slick mud flats during low tide. '' Fordonia'' and '' Gerarda'' are the only snakes known to tear their prey apart before eating it, pulling soft-shelled crabs through their coils to rip them apart prior to ingestion.

Genera

* '' Bitia'' * '' Brachyorrhos'' * '' Calamophis'' * '' Cantoria'' * ''

'' * '' Dieurostus'' * '' Djokoiskandarus'' * ''

Enhydris ''Enhydris'' is a genus of slightly venomous, rear-fanged snakes in the family Homalopsidae. The genus is endemic to the tropical area of Indo-Australian region. Species The following 6 species are recognized: * '' Enhydris chanardi'' Murp ...

'' * '' Erpeton'' * '' Ferania'' * '' Fordonia'' * '' Gerarda'' * ''

Gyiophis ''Gyiophis'' is a genus of snakes in the Family (biology), family Homalopsidae.. The genus is Endemism, endemic to Myanmar. Etymology The genus ''Gyiophis'' was named in honor of the Burmese herpetologist Ko Ko Gyi. Species , three described spe ...

'' * '' Heurnia'' * '' Homalophis'' * '' Homalopsis'' * '' Hypsiscopus'' * '' Karnsophis'' * '' Kualatahan'' * '' Mintonophis'' * '' Miralia'' *'' Myanophis'' (''Myanophis'', new genus; ''M. thanlyinensis'', new species). * ''

Myron Myron of Eleutherae (480–440 BC) (; , ''Myrōn'' ) was an Athenian sculptor from the mid-5th century BC. Alongside three other Greek sculptors, Polykleitos Pheidias, and Praxiteles, Myron is considered as one of the most important sculptors ...

'' * '' Myrrophis'' * '' Phytolopsis'' * ''

Pseudoferania ''Pseudoferania'' is a genus of snake in the family Homalopsidae. The genus is monotypic, containing the sole species ''Pseudoferania polylepis'' (MacLeay's water snake). The snake is found in Australia and New Guinea. Description MacLeay's wate ...

'' * '' Raclitia'' * ''

Subsessor ''Subsessor'' is a genus of snake in the family Homalopsidae. The genus is monotypic, containing the sole species ''Subsessor bocourti''. The species is commonly known as Bocourt's mud snake or Bocourt's water snake and has traditionally been pla ...

'' * '' Sumatranus''

References

External links

*
Aquatic Snakes: Mud Snakes
Colubrids Snake families {{Colubrids-stub

Genera

References

Further reading

External links