Stenophis

Stenophis
Stenophis variablis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Lamprophiidae
Subfamily:	Pseudoxyrhophiinae
Genus:	Stenophis Boulenger, 1896

Stenophis is a genus of Madagascan arboreal snakes, part of the family Lamprophiidae. Species of Stenophis typically have large heads relative to their body size, and their bodies are elongated and often thin.^[1] The genus includes both viviparous and oviparous species.^[2] They usually have prolate pupils.

Taxonomy

Stenophis was previously considered to be part of the genus Lycodryas until the mid-1990s.^[1]

A phylogenetic analysis in 2008 found that the genus is polyphyletic,^[3] and a 2010 study proposed three monophyletic genera of the snakes currently in Stenophis and Lycodryas: Lycodryas (with Stenophis as a junior synonym), Phisalixella, and Parastenophis.^[4]

Species

Known species of Stenophis include:^[1]

• Stenophis arctifasciatus (A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854)
  = Phisalixella arctifasciata (A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854)
• Stenophis betsileanus (Günther, 1880) = Parastenophis betsileanus (Günther, 1880)
• Stenophis carleti Domergue, 1995 = Lycodryas carleti (Domergue, 1995)
• Stenophis citrinus Domergue, 1995 = Lycodryas citrinus (Domergue, 1995)
• Stenophis gaimardi (Schlegel, 1837) = Lycodryas gaimardi (Schlegel, 1837)
• Stenophis granuliceps (Boettger, 1877) = Lycodryas granuliceps (Boettger, 1877)
• Stenophis guentheri Boulenger, 1896 = Lycodryas guentheri (Boulenger, 1896)
• Stenophis iarakaensis Domergue, 1995 = Phisalixella iarakaensis (Domergue, 1995)
• Stenophis inopinae Domergue, 1995 = Lycodryas inopinae (Domergue, 1995)
• Stenophis inornatus Boulenger, 1896 = Lycodryas inornatus (Boulenger, 1896)
• Stenophis jaosoloa Domergue, 1995 = (is a junior synonym of ) Phisalixella arctifasciata (A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854)
• Stenophis pseudogranuliceps Domergue, 1995 = Lycodryas pseudogranuliceps (Domergue, 1995)
• Stenophis tulearensis Domergue, 1995 = Phisalixella tulearensis (Domergue, 1995)
• Stenophis variabilis Boulenger, 1896 = Phisalixella variabilis (Boulenger, 1896)

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a different genus.

References

1. Vences, Miguel; Glaw, Frank; Mercurio, Vincenzo; Andreone, Franco. "Review of the Malagasy tree snakes of the genus Stenophis (Colubridae)". Salamandra, Rheinbach, 30.06.2004, 40 (2): 161-179. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Herpetologie und Terrarienkunde e.V.
2. Vitt, Laurie J.; Caldwell, Janalee P. (2009). Herpetology (3 ed.). Academic Press. p. 526. ISBN 0-12-374346-X.
3. Vidal, Nicolas; Branch, William R.; Pauwels, Olivier S.G.; Hedges, S. Blair; Broadley, Donald G.; Wink, Michael; Cruad, Corinne; Joger, Ulrich; Nagy, Zoltan Tamas. (2008). "Dissecting the major African snake radiation: a molecular phylogeny of the Lamprophiidae Fitzinger (Serpentes, Caenophidia)". Zootaxa (Magnolia Press) 1945: 51–66. ISSN 1175-5334.
4. Nagy ZT, Glaw F, Vences M. (2010). "Systematics of the snake genera Stenophis and Lycodryas from Madagascar and the Comoros". Zoologica Scripta 39: 426–435. doi:10.1111/j.1463-6409.2010.00435.x.

Further reading

• 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. (Stenophis, new genus, pp. 39-40 + Plate IV).