Xenophidia

Xenophidia
King Cobra, an elapid.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Superfamily:	Xenophidia
Families
See text.

Xenophidia (Caenophidia) is a superfamily of the suborder Serpentes (snakes) that contains cobras, vipers, sea snakes and thus the majority of snake species. Almost all venomous snakes belong to this superfamily. Additionally, the broad belly scales and rows of dorsal scales correspond to the vertebrae in Caenophidians, while they do not in Henophidians or Scolecophidians.

Caenophidia contains most of the diversity of extant snakes, with over 3,000 species. They are believed to be a recent (Greek prefix caeno- = recent) evolutionary radiation, having evolved in the mid-Cenozoic.

Families

• Atractaspidinae (mole vipers).
• Colubridae (rear-fanged and nonvenomous 'typical' snakes).
• Elapidae (cobras, mambas, coral snakes and kraits).
• Hydrophiidae (sea snakes).
• Viperidae (vipers, and pit vipers, including rattlesnakes).