Cylindrophiidae
| Cylindrophiidae | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Red-tailed pipe snake, C. ruffus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Superfamily: | Henophidia |
| Family: |
Cylindrophiidae Fitzinger, 1843 |
| Genus: |
Cylindrophis Wagler, 1828 |
| Synonyms | |
The Cylindrophiidae are a monotypic family of nonvenomous snakes containing the genus Cylindrophis found in Asia. These are burrowing snakes and all have checkered black-and-white bellies. Currently, eight species are recognized, with no subspecies. Common names include: Asian pipe snakes.
They are found from Sri Lanka east through Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Malay Archipelago to as far east as Aru Islands off the southwestern coast of New Guinea. They also are found in southern China (Fujian, Hong Kong and on Hainan Island) and in Laos.
The teeth are moderate and subequal, with 10-12 in each Maxillary and none in the Premaxillary. The head is small, not distinct from neck. The eyes are very small, with round or vertically subelliptic pupils. The head has large symmetrical shields, with the nostrils in a single nasal, which forms a suture with its fellow behind the rostral. It has loreal or preocular, and a small postocular. A mental groove is found. The body is cylindrical. The dorsal scales are smooth, in 19, 21, or 23 rows. Ventral scales are slightly larger than or equal to dorsal scales. The tail is extremely short and blunt.
The genus Cylindrophis contains the following eight species.
T) Type species.
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