Psammophis

Psammophis
	Psammophis subtaeniatus, Limpopo, South Africa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Lamprophiidae
Subfamily:	Psammophiinae
Genus:	Psammophis; Fitzinger, 1826
Species
	34, see text.

Psammophis is a genus of colubrid snakes currently comprising 34 species found in Africa and Asia.^[1] Psammophis are diurnal and prey on lizards and rodents which they actively hunt. All species in the genus are venomous, and the venom is considered mild and not dangerous to humans.^[2]

Etymology

The generic name Psammophis was coined by the German herpetologist Heinrich Boie in 1826, a compound of the Hellenistic Greek ψαμμο, "sand" + Classical Greek ὄϕις, "snake", thus sand-snake.^[3]

Description

The maxillary teeth are 10 to 13 in number, with one or two in the middle much enlarged and fang-like, preceded and followed by an interspace; the two posterior teeth are grooved. The anterior mandibular teeth are long, and the posteriorteeth are small. The head is elongated and distinct from the neck, with an angular canthus rostralis. The eyes are rather large, with round pupils. Its body is elongated and cylindrical with smooth scales in 15 or 17 rows, with apical pits. Ventral scales are rounded or obtusely angulated laterally, and the tail is long with the subcaudals in two rows.

Geographic range

Thirty-four species of Psammophis are known, from Africa and southern Asia.^[4]

Behavior

Psammophis species are chiefly sand-snakes, but they are also found on low bushes.^[5]

Diet

Species in the genus Psammophis feed principally on lizards.^[5]

Species

The following 34 species are recognized as being valid.^[1]

Psammophis aegyptius Marx, 1958
Psammophis angolensis (Bocage, 1872)
Psammophis ansorgii Boulenger, 1905
Psammophis biseriatus W. Peters, 1881
Psammophis brevirostris W. Peters, 1881
Psammophis condanarus (Merrem, 1820)
Psammophis crucifer (Daudin, 1803)
Psammophis elegans (Shaw, 1802)
Psammophis indochinensis M.A. Smith, 1943
Psammophis jallae Peracca, 1896
Psammophis leightoni Boulenger, 1902
Psammophis leithii Günther, 1869
Psammophis leopardinus Bocage, 1887
Psammophis lineatus (A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854)
Psammophis lineolatus (Brandt, 1838)
Psammophis longifrons Boulenger, 1896
Psammophis mossambicus W. Peters, 1882
Psammophis namibensis Broadley, 1975
Psammophis notostictus W. Peters, 1867
Psammophis occidentalis F. Werner, 1919
Psammophis orientalis Broadley, 1977
Psammophis phillipsii (Hallowell, 1844)
Psammophis praeornatus (Schlegel, 1837)
Psammophis pulcher Boulenger, 1895
Psammophis punctulatus A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1854
Psammophis rukwae Broadley, 1966
Psammophis schokari (Forskål, 1775)
Psammophis sibilans (Linnaeus, 1758)
Psammophis subtaeniatus W. Peters, 1882
Psammophis sudanensis F. Werner, 1919
Psammophis tanganicus Loveridge, 1940
Psammophis trigrammus Günther, 1865
Psammophis trinasalis F. Werner, 1902
Psammophis zambiensis Hughes, 2002

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

Notes

^ ^a ^b UETZ P. 2012. (editor). The Reptile Database. http://www.reptile- database.org/.
^ BATES MF, BRANCH WR, BAUER AM, BURGER M, MARAIS J, ALEXANDER GJ, DE VILLIERS MS. (editors). 2014. Atlas and Red List of the Reptiles of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Suricata 1. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
^ Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd edition, s.v.
^ http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz
^ ^a ^b Boulenger GA. 1890. The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Batrachia. London: Secretary of State for India in Council. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xviii + 541 pp. (Genus Psammophis, p. 365, Figure 107).