| Xenopholis | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Subfamily: | Dipsadinae |
| Genus: | Xenopholis W. Peters, 1869 |
Xenopholis is a genus of rear-fanged snakes of the family Colubridae.
Geographic range
[edit]The genus Xenopholis is endemic to South America.[1]
Description
[edit]The genus Xenopholis is characterized by distinctive vertebrae. The spinous processes are expanded dorsally, forming shields which are rugose and divided by a median groove.[2]
Species
[edit]Three species are recognized as being valid.[3]
- Xenopholis scalaris (Wucherer, 1861) - Wucherer's ground snake
- Xenopholis undulatus (Jensen, 1900) - Jensen's ground snake
- Xenopholis werdingorum Jansen, L. Álvarez & Köhler, 2009
Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Xenopholis.
References
[edit]- ^ Freiberg M (1982). Snakes of South America. Hong Kong: T.F.H. Publications. 189 pp. ISBN 0-87666-912-7. (Genus Xenopholis, p. 113).
- ^ Boulenger GA (1896). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the Colubridæ (Opisthoglyphæ and Proteroglyphæ) ... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I-XXV. (Genus Xenopholis, p. 231, Figure 16, three views of vertebrae).
- ^ Genus Xenopholis at The Reptile Database
Further reading
[edit]- Peters W (1869). "Über neue Gattungen und neue oder weniger bekannte Arten von Amphibien ( ... Xenopholis ... ) ". Monatsberichte der Königlich Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin 1869: 432–447. (Xenopholis, new genus, p. 440). (in German).
Well, that’s interesting to know that Psilotum nudum are known as whisk ferns. Psilotum nudum is the commoner species of the two. While the P. flaccidum is a rare species and is found in the tropical islands. Both the species are usually epiphytic in habit and grow upon tree ferns. These species may also be terrestrial and grow in humus or in the crevices of the rocks.
View the detailed Guide of Psilotum nudum: Detailed Study Of Psilotum Nudum (Whisk Fern), Classification, Anatomy, Reproduction