Dipsadine Snakes
Dipsadinae
Dipsadinae is a large subfamily of colubroid snakes, sometimes referred to as a family (Dipsadidae). Species of the subfamily Dipsadinae are found in most of the Americas, including the West Indies, and are most diverse in South America. There are more than 700 member species.
Dipsadinae are an ecologically and morphologically diverse group of mostly small to moderate-sized snakes, typically less than 80 cm (31 in) in total length. Some are arboreal, but others are aquatic or terrestrial and may even burrow. Most are oviparous. Many eat frogs or lizards, and some consume mammals and birds. Several genera (e.g. Adelphicos, Atractus, Geophis, Dipsas, Ninia, Sibon, Sibynomorphus, Tropidodipsas) are specialized feeders on gooey and slimy prey, such as frog eggs, earthworms, snails, and slugs. Many species have opisthoglyphous (rear-fanged) dentition. Almost all species are completely harmless to humans, although a few genera (e.g. Borikenophis, Cubophis, Heterodon, Hydrodynastes, Philodryas) have inflicted painful bites with local, non-life-threatening symptoms. However, the venom of one species, Tachymenis peruvianus, has caused human fatalities.
60 branches of this subfamily, most-observed first · about 853 known species
Ring-necked Snakes
genusDiadophis
Hog-nosed Snakes
genusHeterodon
Cat-eyed Snakes
genusLeptodeira
Wormsnakes
genusCarphophis
Coral Snake Mimics
genusErythrolamprus
Night Snakes
genusHypsiglena
Blunt-headed Tree Snakes
genusImantodes
Philodryas
genusPhilodryas
Oxyrhopus
genusOxyrhopus
Snail-eaters
genusDipsas
Sharp-tailed Snakes
genusContia
Ground Snakes
genusAtractus
Coffee Snakes
genusNinia
Snail Suckers
genusSibon
Black-striped Snakes
genusConiophanes
Xenodon
genusXenodon
Graceful Brown Snakes
genusRhadinaea
Latin American Earth Snakes
genusGeophis
Mudsnakes
genusFarancia
Mountain Keelbacks
genusHelicops
Pseudoboa
genusPseudoboa
Northern Mock Vipers
genusDryophylax
Lygophis
genusLygophis
Puerto Rican Racers
genusBorikenophis
Siphlophis
genusSiphlophis
Mussuranas
genusClelia
Caribbean Racers
genusAlsophis
Galápagos and Elegant Racers
genusPseudalsophis
Galvarinus
genusGalvarinus
Pliocercus
genusPliocercus
Road Guarders
genusConophis
Antillean Racers
genusCubophis
Thamnodynastes
genusThamnodynastes
Mexican Longtail Snakes
genusEnulius
Hydrodynastes
genusHydrodynastes
South American Burrowing Snakes
genusApostolepis
Tachymenis
genusTachymenis
Phalotris
genusPhalotris
Xenoxybelis
genusXenoxybelis
Hypsirhynchus
genusHypsirhynchus
Brazilian Tropical Snakes
genusEchinanthera
Urotheca
genusUrotheca
Tomodon
genusTomodon
American Burrowing Snakes
genusAdelphicos
Mesotes
genusMesotes
Colombia Longtail Snakes
genusEnuliophis
Uromacer
genusUromacer
Paraphimophis
genusParaphimophis
Xenopholis
genusXenopholis
Central American Snail-eating Snakes
genusTropidodipsas
Phimophis
genusPhimophis
Drepanoides
genusDrepanoides
Chlorosoma
genusChlorosoma
Manolepis
genusManolepis
Adelphostigma
genusAdelphostigma
Tropidodryas
genusTropidodryas
Rhadinella
genusRhadinella
Boiruna
genusBoiruna
Tretanorhinus
genusTretanorhinus
Psomophis
genusPsomophis
Where it lives
Recorded sightings
—
geo-referenced records in GBIF, from museums, herbaria and field observers.
Drag the globe to turn it. Dots are where records exist, not a range map; darker means more records.
In the stacks
Searching the stacks…
Every page naming Dipsadinae in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
This page is assembled live from iNaturalist, GBIF, Wikipedia, the Source Library and the Internet Archive. It is not yet part of the hand-edited codex. iNaturalist taxon 797518.