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other snakes are adept climbers of trees, such as the arboreal vine snakes of various subfamilies; Pareatinae is a primarily arboreal subfamily. Likewise, 

burrowing (fossorial) snakes are found in most subfamilies, such as the North American ground-snakes and the shovel-snouted snakes of Africa (Savitzky 2004).

Colubrids

What is Colubrid snakes family ?

 

colubrid, any member of the most common family of snakes, Colubridae, characterized by the complete absence of hind limbs, the absence or considerable reduction of the left lung, and the lack 

 

of teeth on the premaxilla and usually having a loose facial structure, relatively few head scales, and ventral scales as wide as the body. There are approximately 1,760 species of colubrids, and they account for about two-thirds of the world’s snakes. Most have solid and conical teeth; some have grooved teeth at the rear of the upper jaw and produce a venom that induces paralysis.

 

For more information  click here 

 

 

A classic poster from 1972 for Colubridae types 

The Colubridae Family of Snakes - Colubrids

 

courtesy to : www.reptileknowledge.com/squamata/colubridae.php

Colubrid :

courtesy to :  www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Colubrid

 

A colubrid is any of the numerous, diverse, largely nonvenomous snakes that comprise the reptilefamily Colubridae, characterized by highly flexible jaws, a body almost completely covered in scales, generally relatively wide ventral scales and a standard complement of enlarged scales on the head, the lack of any vestiges of the hind limbs, the absence of the coronoid bones of the lower jaws, and commonly the presence of Duvernoy's glands on either side of the head behind the eye. There are about 1700 species in 300 genera in Colubridae. Among well-known colubrids are king snakes, watersnakes, milk snakes, gartersnakes, racers, ratsnakes, ring-necked snakes, hog-nosed snakes, and the venomous boomslangs.

 

 

Colubridae is a very broad assemblage of snakes that includes about seventy percent of all snake species on earth and classically has been a place for various snakes that do not fit anywhere else. For such reasons, generalizations are difficult to apply. Colubrids include members that are aquatic, terrestrial, fossorial (living underground), and arboreal (spending large amounts of time in trees or bushes). Colubrid species are found in the wild worldwide with the exception of Antarctica, central and western Australia, and high latitudes of North America and Eurasia.

 

In addition to advancing their own individual functions (reproduction, survival), colubrids as a group provide important function for the ecosystem and for humans. (See bi-level functionality.) Ecologically, they help in the control of prey populations, such as mice, rats, lizards, frogs, and so forth. Likewise, they also serve as food for various animals, such as birds of prey, crocodiles, mammals, and so forth. For humans, many species, such as the cornsnakes and kingsnakes, are popular in the pet trade, and snakes also are used to make leather, such as the Asian ratsnakes. They also provide food for humans and for farm-raised crocodiles.

 

A number of colubrid species are classified as Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, and Threatened. On the other hand, introduced snakes have cause problems for native fauna, such as the brown treesnake in Guam, which has decimated lizards and birds.

Colubrids

Caspian whipsnake

Scientific classification

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Chordata

Subphylum:Vertebrata

Class:Sauropsida

Subclass:Diapsida

Infraclass:Lepidosauromorpha

Superorder:Lepidosauria

Order:Squamata

Infraorder:Serpentes

Family:Colubridae

Subfamilies

Boodontinae
Calamariinae
Colubrinae
Dipsadinae
Homalopsinae
Natricinae
Pareatinae
Psammophiinae
Pseudoxenodontinae
Pseudoxyrhophiinae
Xenodermatinae
Xenodontinae

Description :

 

A colubrid's body is almost completely covered in scales. They have highly flexible jaws, allowing them to consume large prey items, and have no remnant of a pelvic girdle (Bauer 1998). The coronoid bones of the lower jaws also have been lost (Savitzky 2004).

 

Colubrids typically have fewer rows of dorsal scales and relatively wider ventral scales than the boas and pythons. They generally have a standard complement of enlarged scales on the head, including having nine scales on the top of the head.

 

However, such traits as the above, are not exclusive to the colubrids, but are found in members of other taxonomic groups, such as the Elapidae and Atractaspididae and some of the Viperidae, and are not found in all members of Colubridae (Savitzky 2004).

 

Most colubrids are distinguished by the presence of a unique organ, Duvernoy's glands, which are a pair of organs found behind the eye on either side of the head. They are not really modified salivary glands as sometimes described, having a different origin and tissue characteristics, but are associated with the rear teeth of the maxillary bones. Again, the Duvernoy's glands are not a universal feature of colubrids.

Checkered gartersnake, Thamnophis marcianus

Homologous to the venom glands of vipers, elapids,and Atractaspis, the Duvernoy's glands secrete a complex mix of chemicals, which may act as a slow-acting venom or digestive aid, and is some species is delivered by enlarged and/or grooved rear pair of maxillary teeth (Savitzky 2004). The venom-injecting fangs of colubrids are termed opisthoglyphous, meaning that the small, grooved fangs are located in the back of the upper jaw, unlike those of vipers and elapids, which are located in the front. Even non-venomous colubrids often have fangs in this position, and use them to puncture egg-shells or similar food (Bauer 1998).

 

Unlike the vipers and elapids, the venom of colubrids generally has little or no impact on human beings (Savitzky 2004). Nonetheless, there are a few groups of colubrids, such as genus Boiga, that can produce medically significant bites, while the boomslang and the twigsnakes have caused human fatalities.

 

The name comes from the Latin coluber for "snake."

Distribution and habitat

 

Colubrid species are found on every continent, except Antarctica (Bauer 1998). They also are not found in central and western Australia nor very high latitudes of Eurasia and North America, but otherwise have a worldwide distribution. Unlike most continents, in Australia colubrids are a minority of snake species, with the snake fauna dominated by the elapids (Savitzky 2004).

 

Colubrids occupy a wide range of habitats, terrestrial, aquatic, underground, and arboreal. Most subfamilies include aquatic species, such as the watersnakes in the Natricinae subfamily, and some species are adapted for burrowing in aquatic habitats, such as the mudsnakes. Some terretrial colubrids occasionally climb small shrubs and

 

 

 

 

Adult eastern yellowbelly racer, Coluber constrictor flaviventris

Diet and reproduction :

 

As a diverse assemblage of snakes, colubrids feed on a wide range of prey. Some are generalists, feeding on what they can capture and eat, and others specialize in certain prey. Coluber constrictor (racer) feeds on a wide variety, including mammals, lizards, baby turtles, insects, and frogs. Specialist snakes prefer a particular class of prey, such as frogs, fishes, or mammals (few specialize on insects) or limit themselves further to lizard eggs, skinks, and so forth. Members of the genus Stenorrhina primarily prey upon scorpions, tarantulas, and grasshoppers, while the rainbow snake (Farancia erytrogramma) feeds primarily on eels (Savitzky 2004).

 

Most colubrids are oviparous, laying eggs with little or no other embryonic development within the mother, but there are a large number of viviparous species that give live birth, with embryonic development within the mother (Savitzky 2004).

 

Classification:

 

About seventy percent of all snake species are placed in Colubridae (Savitzky 2004). The relationships among the colubrid genera are poorly understood and very controversial (Savitzky 2004). The colubrids are certainly not a natural group, as many are more closely related to other groups, such as elapids, than to each other. This family has classically been a dumping ground for snakes that do not fit anywhere else.

 

 

 

Eastern hog-nosed snake, H. platirhinos

Colubrid fossils appear as early as the Lower Oligocene, about 35 million years ago, but most 

 

Colubrid fossils appear as early as the Lower Oligocene, about 35 million years ago, but most 

 

diversity came during the Miocene about 5 to 25 million years ago, as colubrids, elapids, and viperids began to dominate the landscape from the previously dominating boa-like species (Savitzky 2004).

A number of subfamilies of Colubridae are widely recognized. Savitzky (2004) notes seven, those being Xenodermatinae (6 genera and 15 species), Pareatinae (3 genera and 18 species), Homalopsinae (10 genera and 35 species), Natricinae (38 genera and about 200 species), Colubrinae (over 100 genera and 650 species), Xenodontinae (about 90 genera and over 500 species), and Lamprophiinae (44 genera and about 200 species). The following partial classification divides colubrids into 12 families. Some genera that Savitzky (2004) place in Lamprophiinae, such as Grayia, Lycodonoomorphus, and Duberria, are placed in Boodontinae in this taxonomy.

Subfamily Boodontinae

 

  • Bothrolycus

  • Bothrophthalmus

  • Buhoma (tentatively placed here)

  • Chamaelycus

  • Dendrolycus

  • Dipsina

  • Dromophis

  • Duberria (tentatively placed here)

  • Gonionotophis

  • Grayia

  • Hormonotus

  • Lamprophis

  • Lycodonomorphus

  • Lycophidion

  • Macroprotodon

  • Mehelya

  • Montaspis (tentatively placed here)

  • Pseudaspis

  • Pseudoboodon

  • Pythonodipsas

  • Scaphiophis

Subfamily Calamariinae

  • Calamaria

  • Calamorhabdium

  • Collorhabdium

  • Etheridgeum

  • Macrocalamus

  • Pseudorabdion

  • Rabdion

Subfamily Colubrinae—over 100 genera

Subfamily Dipsadinae

  • Adelphicos

  • Amastridium

  • Atractus

  • Calamodontophis (tentatively placed here)

  • Carphophis (tentatively placed here)

  • Chersodromus

  • Coniophanes

  • Contia (tentatively placed here)

  • Crisantophis (tentatively placed here)

  • Cryophis

  • Diadophis (tentatively placed here)

  • Diaphorolepsis (tentatively placed here)

  • Dipsas

  • Echinanthera (tentatively placed here)

  • Emmochliophis (tentatively placed here)

  • Enuliophis (tentatively placed here)

  • Enulius (tentatively placed here)

  • Eridiphas

  • Geophis

  • Gomesophis (tentatively placed here)

  • Hydromorphus (tentatively placed here)

  • Hypsiglena

  • Imantodes

  • Leptodeira

  • Ninia

  • Nothopsis (tentatively placed here)

  • Pliocercus

  • Pseudoleptodeira

  • Pseudotomodon (tentatively placed here)

  • Ptychophis (tentatively placed here)

  • Rhadinaea

  • Rhadinophanes (tentatively placed here)

  • Sibon

  • Sibynomorphus

  • Synophis (tentatively placed here)

  • Tachymenis (tentatively placed here)

  • Taeniophallus (tentatively placed here)

  • Tantalophis (tentatively placed here)

  • Thamnodynastes (tentatively placed here)

  • Tomodon (tentatively placed here)

  • Tretanorhinus

  • Trimetopon

  • Tropidodipsas

  • Urotheca

  • Xenopholis (tentatively placed here)

Subfamily Homalopsinae—about 10 genera

Subfamily Natricinae—about 38 genera

Subfamily Pareatinae—3 genera

Subfamily Psammophiinae

  • Hemirhagerrhis

  • Malpolon

  • Mimophis

  • Psammophis

  • Psammophylax

  • Rhamphiophis

Subfamily Pseudoxenodontinae

  • Plagiopholis

  • Pseudoxenodon

Subfamily Pseudoxyrhophiinae—about 20 genera

Subfamily Xenodermatinae

  • Achalinus

  • Fimbrios

  • Oxyrhabdium

  • Stoliczkaia

  • Xenodermus

  • Xylophis

Subfamily Xenodontinae—about 90 genera

incertae sedis

  • Blythia

  • Cercaspis

  • Cyclocorus

  • Elapoidis

  • Gongylosoma

  • Haplocercus

  • Helophis

  • Myersophis

  • Omoadiphas (recently discovered)

  • Oreocalamus

  • Poecilopholis

  • Rhabdops

  • Tetralepis

  • Thermophis

  • Trachischium

For refrences and other click here to read the article 

Videos : 

Colubrid Collection (October 2014)

Books : 

How To: Colubrid Care

Our Amazing Colubrid Snakes

- A Guide to Australian Snakes in Captivity: Elapids and Colubrids Paperback – October 1, 2012

 

by Scott Eipper (Author), Robert Johnson (Contributor)

 

 

Colubrid Snakes (Darth Maul & Death Wish)

The colubridae family is by far the largest family of snakes within the squamata order of reptiles. By current classification, there are more than 2,000 members of the colubridae family. Snakes within this family are commonly referred to as colubrids.

Common Traits of Colubridae Snakes :

 

 

  • They lack a pelvic girdle (making them different from constrictors, etc.)

  • They lack a functioning left lung (where only a tiny sac remains)

  • With most colubrid snakes, the head is covered by large, plate-like scales

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

With these similarities aside, members of the Colubridae family of snakes are incredibly diverse. The colubrid snakes come in a wide variety of sizes, colors, and characteristics. Some colubrids are ground-dwellers while others are almost entirely arboreal. Some are aquatic while others are rarely found near bodies of water. Some primarily eat amphibians and fish, while others eat rodents. Some colubrids (like the kingsnake) eat other snakes, including venomous species.

 

Popular Colubrid Species in This Family

 

  • Eastern hognose snake

  • Eastern tiger snake

  • European cat snake

  • False water cobra

  • Fox snake

  • Garter snakes  Part One  ..  ..  Part Two 

  • Glossy snake

  • Gopher snake

  • Grass snake

  • Gray-banded kingsnake

  • Green-eyed cat snake

  • Indigo snake

  • Japanese rat snake

  • Leaf-nosed snake

  • Leopard snake

  • Long-nosed snake

  • Louisiana pine snake

  • Mandarin rat snake

  • Mangrove snake

  • Milk snake  Part One ..  ..  Part Two 

  • Namib tiger snake

  • Neotropical rat snake

  • Northern cat-eyed snake

  • Pine snake

  • Prairie kingsnake

  • Queen snake

  • Racer

  • Red-tailed racer

  • Ribbon snakes

  • Ringneck snake

  • Rough green snake

  • Shovel-nosed snake

  • Smooth green snake

  • Sonoran whip snake

  • Sri Lankan wolf snake

  • Striped racer

  • Tiger snake

  • Trans-Pecos rat snake

  • Western bush snake

  • Western hognose snake

  • Western sand snake

  • Worm snake



 

Please keep in mind that this is only a partial listing of colubrid snakes within the Colubridae family. This is the largest family of snakes in the world, and the scientific classification is constantly being adjusted and revised. So to create a complete list of colubrid snakes would be, in my opinion, nearly impossible. At any rate, I've certainly done my best.

 

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