Elapidae
Black Tiger Otter ( Notechis scutatum ) on King Iceland
The poisonous snakes ( Elapidae ) are a family of snakes ( Serpentes ), which comprises about 250 species. It concerns with them about the second large group of poisonous snakes next to the vipers ( Viperidae ). Within the Elapidae, there are very many kinds of potent neurotoxins, such as the Taipane, cobras, mambas, tiger otters and brown snakes. Unlike snakes ( Colubridae ) produce Elapids a poisonous secretion which can be injected through the front standing in the jaw fangs on the venom apparatus in a prey animal or a potential enemy.
Features
Elapids differ from the closely related snakes through the special fangs, by the side lying nostrils and the lack of a Loreale. A number of genera has an expandable neck shield, which is spread in the threatening posture. Sea snakes show a adapted to life in the sea physique with various modifications of the internal and external anatomy.
The most important difference to the snakes is to build the venom apparatus and the fangs. These are the front of the jaw and are proteroglyph (front permanent, fixed furrow teeth) built, so have a poison channel in which the snake venom flows. In some species, such as the South African spitting cobra ( Hemachatus haemachatus ), these teeth modified so that the snakes the poison also can spit several meters.
Dissemination
Fanged snakes live in almost all tropical and subtropical regions and are found on every continent except Europe and Antarctica. In addition, the scoring to them sea snakes are found in large parts of the warm ocean areas, particularly in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. The family is only in Australia, the most species-rich group among the occurring snakes, vipers often on other continents and the Real snakes are represented more species-rich.
System
The poisonous snakes are one of seven families within the superfamily of vipers and viper -like ( Colubroidae ). The systematics of snakes is still the subject of current investigations. The most important autapomorphy of Elapids the construction of the venom apparatus is considered the front of the jaw standing, proteroglyphs fangs. The also provided with poison glands deceit snakes belong to the Elapidae accordingly not to, because their fangs are located far back in the mouth - they are assigned to snakes ( Colubridae ). After pyrone et al. arises within the Colubroidae following system:
Vipers ( Viperidae )
Snakes ( Colubridae )
Poison snakes ( Elapidae )
Water phantom snakes ( Homalopsidae )
Pareatidae
Hump snakes ( Xenodermatidae )
The poisonous snakes are divided generally into two taxa, each of which the rank of the subfamily is given. These are firstly, the rights Elapids ( Elapinae ) and the other on sea snakes and australoasiatische Elapids ( Hydrophiinae ). The following list gives the known genera of the group again:
- Subfamily True Elapids ( Elapinae ) Tribus Calliophini Jewelry otters ( Calliophis )
- Arizona coral snake ( Micruroides )
- Coral snake ( Micrurus )
- Sinomicrurus
- Shield nose cobras ( Aspidelaps )
- Kraits ( Bungarus )
- Mambas ( Dendroaspis )
- African garter otters ( Elapsoidea )
- Spitting cobras ( Hemachatus )
- Hemibungarus
- Abdominal glands otters ( Maticora )
- True cobras (Naja )
- King Cobra ( Ophiophagus )
- Forest Cobras ( Pseudohaje )
- Desert Cobras ( Walterinnesia )
- Terrestrial species Death adders ( Acanthophis )
- Guinea - crown snakes ( Aspidomorphus )
- Australian copperheads ( Austrelaps )
- Crown snakes ( Cacophis )
- Cryptophis
- Australian brown snakes ( Demansia )
- Ornament otters ( Denisonia )
- Drysdalia
- Bardicks ( Echiopsis )
- Elapognathus
- Furina
- Hemiaspis
- Harlequin Cobras ( Homoroselaps )
- Hoplocephalus
- Loveridgelaps
- Micropechis
- Tiger otters ( Notechis )
- Fiji otters ( Ogmodon )
- Taipane ( Oxyuranus )
- Black otters ( Pseudechis )
- Brown otters ( Pseudonaja )
- Rhinoplocephalus
- Salomonelaps
- Australian coral snake ( Simoselaps )
- Suta
- Guinea Forest otters ( Toxicocalamus )
- Rauschuppenottern ( Tropidechis )
- Bandy - Bandys ( Vermicella )
- Acalyptophis
- Aipysurus
- Astrotia
- Disteira
- Turtle head sea snakes ( Emydocephalus )
- Enhydrina
- Ephalophis
- Hydrelaps
- Rowing snakes ( Hydrophis )
- Kerilia
- Kolpophis
- Plump Seasnakes ( Lapemis )
- Parahydrophis
- Parapistocalamus
- Platelet sea snakes ( Pelamis )
- Thalassophina
- Thalassophis
- Platt tails ( Laticauda )
- Pseudolaticauda