''Spalerosophis'' is a small

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

snake Snakes are elongated limbless reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (). Cladistically squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales much like other members of the group. Many species of snakes have s ...

s in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Colubridae Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from , 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family. The earliest fossil species of the family date back to the Late Eocene epoch, with earlier origins suspected. C ...

Geographic range

Member

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), ...

are found in a wide range throughout Southern Asia, the

Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...

, and

North Africa North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...

Species

The following species six species are recognized as being valid. *''

Spalerosophis arenarius ''Spalerosophis arenarius'', Common name, commonly known as the red-spotted diadem snake or the red-spotted royal snake, is a species of snake in the subfamily Colubrinae of the Family (biology), family Colubridae. The species is Endemism, endem ...

'' – red-spotted diadem snake, red-spotted royal snake *'' Spalerosophis atriceps'' – diadem snake, royal snake *''

Spalerosophis diadema ''Spalerosophis diadema'', known commonly as the Blotched diadem snake and the Blotched royal snake, is a species of large snake in the subfamily Colubrinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Asia and northern Africa. Geograph ...

'' – diadem snake, royal snake *''

Spalerosophis dolichospilus The Mograbin diadem snake (''Spalerosophis dolichospilus''), also known Common name, commonly as Werner's diadem snake, is a species of snake in the Family (biology), family Colubridae. The species is Endemism, endemic to northwestern Africa. Ge ...

'' – Mograbin diadem snake, Werner's diadem snake *'' Spalerosophis josephscorteccii'' – Scortecci's diadem snakeBeolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Spalerosophis josephscorteccii'', p. 240). *'' Spalerosophis microlepis'' – Jan's diadem snake, zebra snake

Geographic range

Species

References

Further reading