Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
(A)
(B)
(C)
Plate 1.1
(A-C) Mole viper, burrowing asp, or stiletto snake (
Atractaspis
spp.).
These unusual
fossorial snakes have long been subject to taxonomic revision. They possess notably enlarged,
canaliculated fangs that are freely rotatable on the maxilla. This makes manual handling impossible
as gripping these snakes behind the head in the conventional manner allows a penetrating jab from
the laterally highly mobile fang(s) (
Plate 1.1A
,
A. fallax
, Kenya
;
Plate 1.1B
, West African mole
viper; slender burrowing asp,
A. aterrima
, Nigeria
;
Plate 1.1C
,
fangs from
Reinhardt's burrowing
asp; variable burrowing adder; itiuiu,
A. irregularis
, Niangara, Congo
). Their venoms contain a
wide array of components, including multiple isoforms of cytotoxins and novel vasoconstrictor
peptides (e.g., sarafotoxins). Envenomations may be severe; life-threatening cases are well-
documented. Current taxonomic reassignments have recommended placement of these snakes from
their own family Atractaspididae into a subfamily, Atractaspidinae, of the Lamprophiidae, thereby
including one other taxonomically problematic front-fanged genus,
Homoroselaps
. However,
some investigators consider
Homoroselaps
spp. as members of the Elapidae. Many little-known
colubroids remain of uncertain taxonomic affinity (see text). Photos copyright to David A. Warrell
(
Plate 1.1A and B
) and Arie Lev (
Plate 1.1C
; AMNH specimen #12355).
their own family, Atractaspididae (Underwood and Kochva, 1993). These distinctive
snakes are now assigned by some investigators to the superfamily Elapoidea, as a sub-
family (Atractaspidinae) of the Lamprophiidae (
www.reptile-database.org/
; see
Table
1.1
). The lamprophiids include a number of species that are commonly kept in captivity.
Among the approximately 8-12 genera (depending on the author [s]) grouped within
the atractaspidids are taxa with mid-maxillary enlarged, grooved, and noncanaliculate
