# Alethinophidia

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{{short description|Clade of snakes}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| taxon = Alethinophidia
| image = Natrix natrix (Marek Szczepanek).jpg
| image_caption = Grass snake, ''[Natrix natrix](/source/Natrix_natrix)''
| fossil_range = {{Fossil range|94|0}} [Cenomanian](/source/Cenomanian) to Present<ref name="Rage1999">J.-C. Rage and C. Werner. 1999.[https://www.academia.edu/33304223/MID-CRETACEOUS_CENOMANIAN_SNAKES_FROM_WADI_ABU_HASHIM_SUD_AN_THE_EARLIEST_SNAKE_ASSEMBLAGE "Mid-Cretaceous (Cenomanian) snakes from Wadi Abu Hashim, Sudan: The earliest snake assemblage"]. 35, 85-110</ref>
| authority = [Nopcsa](/source/Franz_Nopcsa_von_Fels%C5%91-Szilv%C3%A1s), 1923
| subdivision_ranks = Subclades
| subdivision = * [Afrophidia](/source/Afrophidia)
* [Amerophidia](/source/Amerophidia)
}}

:'''''Common names:''' advanced snakes.''
The '''Alethinophidia''' are an [infraorder](/source/infraorder) of [snakes](/source/snakes) that includes all snakes other than [blind snakes and thread snakes](/source/Scolecophidia). Snakes have long been grouped into families within Alethinophidia based on their morphology, especially that of their teeth. More modern phylogenetic hypotheses using genetic data<ref name="ITIS">{{ITIS |id=634390 |taxon=Alethinophidia |access-date=14 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Pyron|first1=R. A.|last2=Burbrink|first2=F.|last3=Wiens|first3=J. J.|title=A phylogeny and revised classification of Squamata, including 4161 species of lizards and snakes|journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology|date=2013|volume=13|issue=1 |page=93|doi=10.1186/1471-2148-13-93|pmid=23627680|pmc=3682911 |bibcode=2013BMCEE..13...93P |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="Reynolds14">{{cite journal|last1=Reynolds|first1=RG|last2=Niemiller|first2=ML|last3=Revell|first3=LJ|title=Toward a Tree-of-Life for the boas and pythons: multilocus species-level phylogeny with unprecedented taxon sampling|journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution|date=2014|volume=71|pages=201–213|url=http://www.rgrahamreynolds.info/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Reynolds_etal_2014_MPE.pdf|doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2013.11.011|access-date=2018-05-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151202212953/http://www.rgrahamreynolds.info/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Reynolds_etal_2014_MPE.pdf|archive-date=2015-12-02|pmid=24315866|bibcode=2014MolPE..71..201G }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Streicher|first1=J. W.|last2=Ruane|first2=S. |title=Encyclopedia of Life Sciences |chapter=Phylogenomics of Snakes |date=2018|doi=10.1002/9780470015902.a0027476|pages=1–8|isbn=978-0-470-01590-2}}</ref><ref name="Figueroa16">{{cite journal|last1=Figueroa|first1=A.|last2=McKelvy|first2=A. D.|last3=Grismer|first3=L. L.|last4=Bell|first4=C. D.|last5=Lailvaux|first5=S. P.|title=A species-level phylogeny of extant snakes with description of a new colubrid subfamily and genus|journal=PLOS ONE|date=2016|volume=11|issue=9|article-number=e0161070|pmc=5014348|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0161070|pmid=27603205|bibcode=2016PLoSO..1161070F|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="ZhengWiens2016">{{cite journal|last1=Zheng|first1=Y|last2=Wiens|first2=JJ|title=Combining phylogenomic and supermatrix approaches, and a time-calibrated phylogeny for squamate reptiles (lizards and snakes) based on 52 genes and 4162 species|journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution|date=2016|volume=94|issue=Pt B|pages=537–547|url=http://www.wienslab.com/Publications_files/Zheng_Wiens_2015b_MPE.pdf|doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2015.10.009|pmid=26475614|bibcode=2016MolPE..94..537Z}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Scanlon|first1=J. D.|last2=Lee|first2=M. S. Y.|editor1-last=Aldridge|editor1-first=R. D.|editor2-last=Sever|editor2-first=D. M.|title=The Major Clades of Living Snakes: Morphological Evolution, Molecular Phylogeny, and Divergence Dates in Reproductive Biology and Phylogeny of Snakes|date=2011|publisher=Science Publishers|location=Enfield, NH|pages=55–95}}</ref><ref name="Vidal07">{{cite book|last1=Vidal|first1=N.|last2=Delmas|first2=A. S.|last3=Hedges|first3=S. B.|editor1-last=Henderson|editor1-first=R. W.|editor2-last=Powell|editor2-first=R.|title=The higher-level relationships of alethinophidian snakes inferred from seven nuclear and mitochondrial genes|date=2007|publisher=Eagle Mountain Publishing|location=Eagle Mountain, Utah, USA|pages=27–33}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Vitt|first1=L. J.|last2=Caldwell|first2=J. P.|title=Herpetology: an introductory biology of amphibians and reptiles|date=2014|publisher=Academic Press|location=Burlington|pages=108–109|edition=4th}}</ref><ref name="TRD">{{cite web|last1=Uetz|first1=Peter|title=Serpentes at The Reptile Database|url=http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/advanced_search?taxon=Serpentes&submit=Search|website=The Reptile Database|publisher=EMBL|access-date=14 May 2018}}</ref>{{overcite|date=March 2024}} support the recognition of 19 extant families (see below), although the taxonomy of alethinophidian snakes has long been debated, and ultimately the decision whether to assign a particular clade to a particular [Linnaean rank](/source/Linnaean_taxonomy) (such as a [superfamily](/source/Superfamily_(zoology)), [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)), or [subfamily](/source/subfamily)) is arbitrary.

== Etymology ==
The infraorder name Alethinophidia derives from the two [Ancient Greek](/source/Ancient_Greek) words {{wikt-lang|grc|ἀληθινός}} ({{grc-transl|ἀληθινός}}), meaning "truthful, genuine", and {{wikt-lang|grc|ὄφις}} ({{grc-transl|ὄφις}}), meaning "snake".<ref>{{Cite book |title=Abrégé du dictionnaire grec français |last=Bailly |first=Anatole |date=1981-01-01 |publisher=Hachette |isbn=978-2-01-003528-9 |location=Paris |oclc=461974285 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tabularium.be/bailly/ |title=Greek-french dictionary online |last=Bailly |first=Anatole |website=www.tabularium.be |access-date=January 7, 2019 |archive-date=March 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220318000653/http://www.tabularium.be/bailly/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Fossil record ==
Fossils of alethinophidians were found in [Cenomanian](/source/Cenomanian) (Middle [Cretaceous](/source/Cretaceous)) sites of [Wadi Milk Formation](/source/Wadi_Milk_Formation) in Wadi Abu Hashim, [Sudan](/source/Sudan).<ref name="Rage1999" /> ''[Coniophis](/source/Coniophis)'' presents the vertebral morphology similar to modern-day [Aniliidae](/source/Aniliidae). Two extinct families from the same location, the [Anomalophiidae](/source/Anomalophiidae) and [Russellophiidae](/source/Russellophiidae), also belong to the Alethinophidia. ''[Krebsophis](/source/Krebsophis)'' is the earliest russellophiid. The family [Nigerophiidae](/source/Nigerophiidae) includes both aquatic<ref name="Rage1999" /> ''[Nubianophis](/source/Nubianophis)'' from Wadi Abu Hashim and ''[Nigerophis](/source/Nigerophis)'' from the [Palaeocene](/source/Palaeocene) of [Niger](/source/Niger). The genus ''[Eoanilius](/source/Eoanilius)'' (belongs to Aniliidae) appeared in the [Eocene](/source/Eocene). It is also existed in [Oligocene](/source/Oligocene) and early [Miocene](/source/Miocene).<ref name="Rage1999" /> The extinct marine [Simoliophidae](/source/Simoliophiidae) are known from the [Cenomanian](/source/Cenomanian) of [North Africa](/source/North_Africa), the [Middle East](/source/Middle_East), and [Eastern Europe](/source/Eastern_Europe), indicating a [Tethyan](/source/Tethys_Ocean) distribution; they are notable for preserving evidence of vestigial hindlimbs.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hsiang |first1=Allison Y. |last2=Field |first2=Daniel J. |last3=Webster |first3=Timothy H. |last4=Behlke |first4=Adam DB |last5=Davis |first5=Matthew B. |last6=Racicot |first6=Rachel A. |last7=Gauthier |first7=Jacques A. |date=2015-05-20 |title=The origin of snakes: revealing the ecology, behavior, and evolutionary history of early snakes using genomics, phenomics, and the fossil record |journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology |volume=15 |issue=1 |page=87 |doi=10.1186/s12862-015-0358-5 |issn=1471-2148 |pmc=4438441 |pmid=25989795 |bibcode=2015BMCEE..15...87H |doi-access=free }}</ref> 

== Systematics ==

=== Extant taxa ===
* Superfamily [Amerophidia](/source/Amerophidia)
** Family: [Aniliidae](/source/Aniliidae) [Stejneger](/source/Leonhard_Hess_Stejneger), 1907—red pipesnake
** Family: [Tropidophiidae](/source/Tropidophiidae) [Brongersma](/source/Leo_Brongersma), 1951—Caribbean dwarf "boas" or thunder snakes
* Superfamily [Booidea](/source/Booidea)
** Family: [Boidae](/source/Boidae) [Gray](/source/John_Edward_Gray), 1825—boas (see article for comments on former families or subfamilies Calabariidae/inae, Sanziniidae/inae, Charinidae/inae, Erycidae/inae, Candoiidae/inae)
* Superfamily [Pythonoidea](/source/Pythonoidea)
** Family: [Pythonidae](/source/Pythonidae) [Fitzinger](/source/Leopold_Fitzinger), 1826—pythons
** Family: [Loxocemidae](/source/Loxocemidae) [Cope](/source/Edward_Drinker_Cope), 1861—Mexican burrowing pythons
** Family: [Xenopeltidae](/source/Xenopeltidae) [Bonaparte](/source/Charles_Lucien_Bonaparte), 1845—sunbeam snakes
* Superfamily [Uropeltoidea](/source/Uropeltoidea)
** Family: [Uropeltidae](/source/Uropeltidae) [Müller](/source/Johannes_Peter_M%C3%BCller), 1832—shield-tailed snakes
** Family: [Cylindrophiidae](/source/Cylindrophiidae) [Fitzinger](/source/Leopold_Fitzinger), 1843—Asian pipe snakes
** Family: [Anomochilidae](/source/Anomochilidae) Cundall, Wallach and [Rossman](/source/Douglas_A._Rossman), 1993—dwarf pipe snakes
* Family: [Bolyeriidae](/source/Bolyeriidae) Hoffstetter, 1946—Splitjaw snakes
* Family: [Xenophidiidae](/source/Xenophidiidae) Wallach & Günther, 1998—Spine-jawed snakes
* Family: [Acrochordidae](/source/Acrochordidae) [Bonaparte](/source/Charles_Lucien_Bonaparte), 1831—wart or file snakes
* Family: [Xenodermidae](/source/Xenodermidae) [Oppel](/source/Nicolaus_Michael_Oppel), 1811—odd-scaled snakes
* Family: [Pareidae](/source/Pareidae) [Oppel](/source/Nicolaus_Michael_Oppel), 1811—snail-eating snakes
* Family: [Viperidae](/source/Viperidae) [Oppel](/source/Nicolaus_Michael_Oppel), 1811—vipers (including pit vipers)
** Subfamily: [Azemiopinae](/source/Azemiopinae) Liem, Marx and Rabb, 1971—Fea's viper
** Subfamily: [Crotalinae](/source/Crotalinae) [Oppel](/source/Nicolaus_Michael_Oppel), 1811—pitvipers (including rattlesnakes)
** Subfamily: [Viperinae](/source/Viperinae) [Oppel](/source/Nicolaus_Michael_Oppel), 1811—true vipers
* Family: [Homalopsidae](/source/Homalopsidae) [Günther](/source/Albert_G%C3%BCnther), 1864—Asian mudsnakes
* Superfamily: [Elapoidea](/source/Elapoidea) [F. Boie](/source/Friedrich_Boie), 1827 (merged with Colubroidea by the [Reptile Database](/source/Reptile_Database))<ref>{{Cite web |title=Search results {{!}} The Reptile Database |url=https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/advanced_search?taxon=Colubroidea&submit=Search |access-date=2022-07-21 |website=reptile-database.reptarium.cz}}</ref>
** Family: [Cyclocoridae](/source/Cyclocoridae) [Weinell](/source/Jeffrey_L.Weinell) & [Brown](/source/Rafe_M.Brown), 2017—Philippine snakes
** Family: [Micrelapidae](/source/Micrelapidae) Das ''et al''., 2023—two-headed snakes
** Family: [Elapidae](/source/Elapidae) [F. Boie](/source/Friedrich_Boie), 1827—Cobras, coral snakes, mambas, taipans, [sea snakes](/source/Hydrophiidae), and others
** Family: [Pseudaspididae](/source/Pseudaspididae) [Cope](/source/Edward_Drinker_Cope), 1893—mole snake, western keeled snake, and mock vipers
** Family: [Prosymnidae](/source/Prosymna_(snake)) Gray, 1849—shovel-snouted snakes
** Family: [Psammophiidae](/source/Psammophiidae) Dowling, 1967—sand snakes and allies
** Family: [Atractaspididae](/source/Atractaspididae) [Günther](/source/Albert_G%C3%BCnther), 1858—African burrowing asps, stiletto snakes, harlequin snakes
** Family: [Pseudoxyrhophiidae](/source/Pseudoxyrhophiidae) [Dowling](/source/Herndon_G._Dowling), 1975—Malagasy hognose snakes, brook snakes, and allies
** Family: [Lamprophiidae](/source/Lamprophiidae) [Fitzinger](/source/Leopold_Fitzinger), 1843—lamprophiids
* Superfamily: [Colubroidea](/source/Colubroidea) [Oppel](/source/Nicolaus_Michael_Oppel), 1811
** Family: [Colubridae](/source/Colubridae) [Oppel](/source/Nicolaus_Michael_Oppel), 1811—colubrids, typical snakes (subfamilies sometimes considered distinct families)
*** Subfamily: [Sibynophiinae](/source/Sibynophiinae) Dunn, 1928—hinged-teeth snakes
*** Subfamily: [Natricinae](/source/Natricinae) [Bonaparte](/source/Charles_Lucien_Bonaparte), 1838—keelbacks
*** Subfamily: [Pseudoxenodontinae](/source/Pseudoxenodontinae) McDowell, 1987
*** Subfamily: [Dipsadinae](/source/Dipsadinae) Bonaparte, 1838

=== Fossil taxa ===
Based on Gower & Zaher (2022):<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Gower |first1=David J.  |last2=Zaher |first2=Hussam |title=The Origin and Early Evolutionary History of Snakes |date=2022-08-11 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |pages=473–476 |doi=10.1017/9781108938891.027|isbn=978-1-108-93889-1 }}</ref>

* Genus †''[Afrotortrix](/source/Afrotortrix)'' Rage, 2021
* Genus †''[Amaru](/source/Amaru_(snake))'' Albino, 2018
* Genus †''[Cerberophis](/source/Cerberophis)'' Longrich et al., 2012
* Genus †''[Eoanilius](/source/Eoanilius)'' Rage, 1974
* Genus †''[Falseryx](/source/Falseryx)'' Szyndlar & Rage, 2003
* Genus †''[Goinophis](/source/Goinophis)'' Holman, 1976
* Genus †''[Hoffstetterella](/source/Hoffstetterella)'' Rage, 1998
* Genus †''[Kataria](/source/Kataria_anisodonta)'' Scanferla et al., 2013
* Genus †''[Parapalaeophis](/source/Parapalaeophis)'' Natarajan & Klompmaker, 2026<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Natarajan |first1=A. |last2=Klompmaker |first2=A. A. |year=2026 |title=A new genus and species of aquatic snake (Squamata: Alethinophidia) from the Paleocene (upper Danian) Porters Creek Formation of Alabama, U.S.A. |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |article-number=e2663998 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2026.2663998 }}</ref>
* Genus †''[Platyspondylia](/source/Platyspondylia)'' Rage, 1974
* Genus †''[Rottophis](/source/Rottophis)'' Szyndlar & Bohme, 1996 
* Genus †''[Szyndlaria](/source/Szyndlaria)'' Rage & Auge, 2010
* Genus †''[Tuscahomaophis](/source/Tuscahomaophis)'' Holman & Case, 1992
* Genus †''[Vectophis](/source/Vectophis)'' Rage & Ford, 1980
* Family †[Simoliophidae](/source/Simoliophiidae) [Nopsca](/source/Franz_Nopcsa_von_Fels%C5%91-Szilv%C3%A1s), 1925
* Family †[Palaeophiidae](/source/Palaeophiidae) [Lydekker](/source/Richard_Lydekker), 1888
* Family †[Nigerophiidae](/source/Nigerophiidae) Rage, 1975

==See also==
* [Scolecophidia](/source/Scolecophidia), blind snakes, thread snakes.
* [List of snakes](/source/List_of_snakes), overview of all snake genera.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070905184535/http://www.palaeos.com/Vertebrates/Units/Unit260/260.300.html Alethinophidia] at [http://www.palaeos.com/ Palaeos]. Accessed 14 August 2007.
{{Squamata families}}
{{Snake families}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q940396}}

Category:Alethinophidia
Category:Cenomanian first appearances
Category:Extant Cretaceous first appearances
Category:Taxa named by Franz Nopcsa von Felső-Szilvás

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alethinophidia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alethinophidia) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alethinophidia?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.