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Elapidae

(Family)

Overview

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A Family in the Kingdom Animalia.

Taxonomy

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The Family Elapidae is a member of the Superfamily Colubroidea. Here is the complete "parentage" of Elapidae:

The Family Elapidae is further organized into finer groupings including:

Genera

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Acalyptophis

The spiny-headed seasnake or horned seasnake, Acalyptophis peronii, is a species of sea snake. Like other members of the family, Hydrophiidae or Elapidae, it is venomous. [more]

Acanthophis

Acanthophis is a genus of elapid snakes. Commonly called death adders, they are native to Australia, New Guinea and nearby islands, and are among the most venomous snakes in the world. The name of the genus derives from the Ancient Greek acanthos/??a???? "spine" and ophis/?f?? "snake", referring to the spine on the death adder's tail. [more]

Aipysurus

Aipysurus is a genus of venomous sea snakes found in warm seas from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Currently, 7 species are recognized. [more]

Alecto

Alecto (Ancient Greek: ????t?, English translation: "the implacable or unceasing anger") is one of the Erinyes in Greek mythology. According to Hesiod, she was the daughter of Gaea fertilized by the blood spilled from Uranus when Cronus castrated him. She is the sister of Tisiphone and Megaera. Alecto is the Erinys with the job of castigating the (such as anger), especially if they are against other people. Her function is very similar to Nemesis, with the difference that Nemesis's function is to castigate crimes against the gods. Alecto appeared in Virgil's Aeneid, in Dante's Inferno, in Mikl?s Zr?nyi's Siege of Sziget and appeared in Dostoyevsky books too, in his subliminar psyche, as one of the three Erinyes, and also in Handel's Rinaldo HWV 7 in the Aria "Sibillar gli angui d'Aletto". In the Aeneid, Allecto was demanded by Juno to not let the Trojans have their way with King Latinus by marriage or besiege Italian borders. Alecto's mission is to wreak havoc on the Trojans and cause their downfall through war. Alecto takes over the body of Queen Amata and clamors for all of the Latin mothers to riot against the Trojans. [more]

Amadrias

[more]

Aspidelaps

Aspidelaps is a genus of venomous elapid snakes found in Africa. They are commonly called shield-nosed cobras or coral cobras after their cobra-hoods and enlarged rostral (nose) scales. However, the hood is not nearly as well developed in Aspidelaps as it is in Naja. [more]

Aspidomorphus

Aspidomorphus is a genus of venomous elapid snakes found in New Guinea and neighbouring islands. They are commonly called Collared adders or Crown snakes. These are small snakes with rounded snouts and small eyes. Very little is known about these nocturnal burrowing species. [more]

Astrotia

[more]

Austrelaps

Austrelaps is a genus of venomous elapid snakes native to the relatively fertile temperate southern and eastern part of the Australian continent. Three species are currently recognized, of which there are no subspecies. They are commonly called copperheads or Australian copperheads. Despite sharing a name with the American copperhead, Agkistrodon contortrix, they are not related. [more]

Boulengerina

Boulengerina is a genus of elapid snakes known commonly as water cobras, so named because of their semi-aquatic nature. The genus has two recognized species, which are found in central and southern Africa. Some recent molecular studies have suggested that the genus Boulengerina should be synonymised with Naja, because the water cobras are closely related to some species of Naja [more]

Brachyurophis

[more]

Bungarus

Bungarus, commonly referred to as kraits (pronounced "crates"), is a genus of venomous elapid snakes found in South and South-East Asia. There are 13 species and 5 subspecies (excluding nominal) recognized. [more]

Cacophis

The dwarf-crowned snakes are a group of snakes in the genus Cacophis distributed along eastern Australia. The 4 species in this genus are all venomous, but not dangerous to people. They inhabit a variety of forest types, from woodland to rainforest. They are generally nocturnal and feed on lizards and reptile eggs. They have a distinct "crown" on their heads, which gives them their name. [more]

Calliophis

Calliophis is a genus of venomous elapid snakes known commonly as oriental coral snakes or Asian coral snakes. [more]

Callophis

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Cryptophis

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Demansia

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Dendraspis

Dendroaspis

Mambas, of the genus Dendroaspis (literally "tree snake"), are a group of highly venomous, fast-moving land-dwelling snakes of Africa. They belong to the family of Elapidae which includes cobras, coral snakes, taipans, brown snakes, tiger snakes, death adders, kraits and, debatably, sea snakes (although sea snakes are now classed as Hydrophiidae). Mambas are feared throughout their ranges in Africa, especially the Black mamba. In Africa, there are many legends and stories describing these snakes. [more]

Denisonia

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Diemenia

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Dinophis

Disteira

Disteira is a genus of sea snakes. [more]

Drysdalia

The crowned snakes are a group of snakes belonging to the genus Drysdalia of the family Elapidae. The four species in this genus are venomous, but not considered deadly. [more]

Echiopsis

Echiopsis is a genus of in the Elapidae family. It contains the following species: [more]

Elapognathus

The Short-nosed Snake (Elapognathus minor) is a species of in the Elapidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Elapognathus. It is highly venomous. It is endemic to Australia. [more]

Elaps

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Elapsoidea

Elapsoidea is a genus of venomous elapid snake commonly known as venomous garter snakes or African garter snakes. Despite the name, they are unrelated to the harmless North American garter snake species. [more]

Emydocephalus

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Enhydrina

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Ephalophis

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Furina

Furina is a of venomous, elapid snakes found in Australia. It contains five species of which there are no subspecies. [more]

Haemachatus

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Hemachatus

The rinkhals (Hemachatus haemachatus), also called the ringhals or ring-necked spitting cobra, is a venomous elapid species found in parts of southern Africa. It is not a true cobra in that it does not belong to the genus Naja, but instead belongs to the monotypic genus Hemachatus. However, it is closely related to the true cobras and is considered to be one of the true spitting cobras. [more]

Hemiaspis

[more]

Hemibungarus

Hemibungarus is a genus of venomous elapid snakes known commonly as Asian coral snakes or oriental coral snakes. [more]

Homoroselaps

The Striped Harlequin Snake (Homoroselaps dorsalis) is a species of in the Colubridae family. It is monotypic within the genus Homoroselaps. It is found in South Africa and Swaziland. Jonathan Raddon collected a striped harlequin in Mkuze nature reserve in South Africa in August 2008 during an active search under the lead of Jonathan Warner. The snake was collected in a rocky mountainous area with soil at 20 degrees Celsius, just underneath a rock on the surface. This find is the second found in Mkuze nature reserve the first by a man named Xander Combrink and the second by Jonathan Raddon. 3 Harlequin snakes - one almost a meter long, the second 40 to 50 cm, were observed in Great Brak River Heights North (Western Cape)mid December 2008. Small one was basking in full sun on a sandy road, the second was in the same situation on a soily area without vegetation, and the third was observed twice withing an hour the same day close to a leaking water meter, in dense grass.All were extremely fast moving after being awakened with a stick, none of them tried to bite even when actively disturbed by the observer. Three were displaying vibrant colors and shiny scales, the back stripe more orange than red. [more]

Hoplocephalus

Hoplocephalus is a genus of in the Elapidae family. It contains the following species: [more]

Hydrelaps

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Hydrophis

Hydrophis is a genus of sea snakes. They are typically found in Indoaustralian and Southeast Asian waters. Currently, more than 30 species are recognized. [more]

Kerilia

[more]

Kolpophis

Kolpophis is a genus of of the family Hydrophiidae. [more]

Lapemis

[more]

Laticauda

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Leptomicrurus

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Loveridgelaps

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Maticora

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Microcephalophis

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Micropechis

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Micruroides

The coral snakes are a large group of elapid snakes that can be subdivided into two distinct groups, Old World coral snakes and New World coral snakes. There are 11 species of Old World coral snake in one genus (Calliophis), and over 65 recognized species of New World coral snakes in three genera (Leptomicrurus, Micruroides, and Micrurus). [more]

Micrurus

The coral snakes are a large group of elapid snakes that can be subdivided into two distinct groups, Old World coral snakes and New World coral snakes. There are 11 species of Old World coral snake in one genus (Calliophis), and over 65 recognized species of New World coral snakes in three genera (Leptomicrurus, Micruroides, and Micrurus). [more]

Naia

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Naja

Naja is a genus of venomous elapid snakes. Although there are several other genera that share the common name, Naja are the most recognized and most widespread group of snakes commonly known as cobras. The genus Naja consists of 20 to 22 species, but has undergone several taxonomic revisions in recent years, so sources vary greatly. They range throughout Africa, Southwest Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia. [more]

Notechis

Tiger snakes are a type of venomous snake found in southern regions of Australia, including its coastal islands and Tasmania. These snakes are highly variable in their color, often banded like those on a tiger, and forms in their regional occurrences. All populations are in the genus Notechis, and their diverse characters have been described in further subdivisions of this group; they are sometimes described as distinct species and/or subspecies. [more]

Ogmodon

The Fiji Snake (Ogmodon vitianus) is a species of in the Elapidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Ogmodon. It is endemic to Fiji. [more]

Ophiophagus

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Oxyuranus

The taipans are a genus of large, fast, highly venomous Australasian snakes of the elapid family. [more]

Parahydrophis

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Paranaja

Paranaja multifasciata is a species of venomous elapid snake commonly known as the Many-banded Snake or Burrowing Cobra, the only species within the genus Paranaja. The species is found in the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon in Africa. Despite the common name, the species is not actually banded, but overall iridescent black, with cream colored blotching on each scale. The snakes grow to approximately 600 mm in length. Not much is known about their venom, but it is likely a neurotoxin, like many other elapid snakes. The genus Paranaja was synonymised with Naja in a recent molecular phylogenetic study, as this species is closely related to the forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca) [more]

Parapistocalamus

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Pelamis

Pelamis can refer to: [more]

Praescutata

Pseudechis

The genus Pseudechis contains the group of elapids commonly referred to as the Black Snakes. These snakes are found in every Australian state with the exception of Tasmania and some species are found in Papua New Guinea. They inhabit a variety of habitat types, from arid areas to swampland. All species are dangerous (Pseudechis signifying "like a viper, Gr. echis") and can inflict a potentially lethal bite. Most snakes in this genus reach about 2m and vary in color. Some species are brown, where others may be black. The most recognisable and widespread species in the genus are the Red-bellied Black Snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus) and the Mulga Snake (King Brown) (Pseudechis australis). These snakes will feed on lizards, frogs, birds, small mammals and even other snakes. All species, except the Red-bellied Black Snake are egg laying. The genus Pailsus has been shown to be a synonym of Pseudechis, and more work is needed to understand species limits among the smaller species of the group. [more]

Pseudoelaps

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Pseudohaje

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Pseudonaja

Pseudonaja is a genus of venomous elapid snakes native to Australia. Members are known commonly as brown snakes and are considered to be one of the most dangerous snakes in the country; even young snakes are capable of delivering a fatal envenomation to a human. [more]

Rhinoplocephalus

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Salomonelaps

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Simoselaps

The Black-striped Snake (Simoselaps calonotus) is a species of in the Elapidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Simoselaps. It is endemic to Australia. [more]

Sinomicrurus

Suta

A Genus in the Kingdom Animalia. [more]

Thalassophina

[more]

Thalassophis

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Tomyris

Toxicocalamus

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Tropidechis

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Vermicella

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Walterinnesia

Walterinnesia is a genus of venomous elapid snake, also known as the Desert Black Snake or Desert Cobra. It was long considered to be the only species within the genus Walterinnesia. However, it was recently found that the eastern populations actually represent a different species, W. morgani. W. aegyptia is entirely black in color, and has highly shiny scales. W. morgani differs in having a juvenile pattern of reddish crossbars on the back, and lower average ventral and subcaudal scale counts. [more]

More info about the Genus Walterinnesia may be found here.

Sources

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Last Revised: August 24, 2012
2012/08/24 17:24:39