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Reptiles Database
Order Squamata
Superfamily Xenophidia (Colubroidea / Caenophidia)
Family Atractaspididae (Stiletto Snakes, Mole Vipers)
Atractaspis rostrata GÜNTHER 1868,
now a
synonym of Atractaspis bibronii
SMITH 1849.
Modified from the original figure
in Günther
1868.
Appearance: Species of the genus Atractaspis look like many other colubrids, but have a couple of peculiar characters: The maxilla is extremely reduced and bears an enormous hollow front fang. As in viperids, the maxilla has a complex articulation with the pre-frontal bone and can be erected. The fangs can be erected too, but unlike in viperids the fangs are not erected in a posterior-anterior direction but rather laterally. The venom glands of Atractaspis are extremely elongate and similar to those of elapids, but the venom contains a unique cardiotoxin called sarafotoxin (after the Hebrew name for A. engaddensis, "Saraf 'En Gedi"). Members of the genus Aparallactus are remarkably similar to New World black-headed snakes of the genus Tantilla in external appearance and ecology. Harlequin snakes (genus Homoroselaps) have fixed front fangs like cobras. They reach a maximum length of about 60 cm, and feed on legless lizards and blindsnakes.
Distribution: Africa
Habitat: Members of the genus Atractaspis live and feed subterraneously. Aparallactines are often burrowers like Atractaspis. Quill-snouted snakes (genus Xenocalamus) inhabit sandy regions.
Size: Species of the genera Atractaspis (Stiletto snakes) and the Aparallactines are small or moderately sized snakes (up to about 1 m).
Food: The venom is mainly used to kill small mammals and other vertebrates although one species eats earthworms.Members of the genus Aparallactus are specialized on centipedes as their food. Purple-glossed snakes (genus Amblyodipsas) feed primarily on blindsnakes but also eat amphisbaenians and skinks.Quill-snouted snakes (genus Xenocalamus) feed solely on amphisbaenians, usually a single prey species at a particular locality.
Reproduction: oviparous, i.e. egg-laying (2-11 eggs)
Relationships: There is no general consent about the systematic status of this family. Atractaspis is related to the elapids. The aparallactines are sometimes assigned to the colubrids as a separate subfamily.
Snake-bite: Most atractaspids are inoffensive or too small to envenom a person effectively. Very few deaths seem to have resulted from accidents with stiletto snakes, although large individuals of Atractaspis microlepidota and other long-glanded species are certainly dangerous.
Name: from the Greek atractus = spindle and aspis = venomous snake.
Elapocalamus is treated as a synonym of Polemon in this database. The genus Homoroselaps has been assigned to this family by Nagy et al. (2005) after it has been variously associated with the Elapidae or Colubridae.