{{Short description|Family of snakes}} {{Automatic taxobox | fossil_range = Pliocene - Present,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?is_real_user=1&taxon_no=360109|title=PBDB Taxon|website=paleobiodb.org}}</ref> {{fossil range|4.1|0}} | image = Atractaspis engaddensis.jpg | image_caption = ''Atractaspis engaddensis'' | taxon = Atractaspididae | authority = Günther, 1858 | synonyms = * Aparallactinae }}
The '''Atractaspididae''' (atractaspidids) are a family of venomous snakes<ref name="Pyron">{{Cite journal|author=Pyron, R. Alexander|year=2011|title=The phylogeny of advanced snakes (Colubroidea), with discovery of a new subfamily and comparison of support methods for likelihood trees|journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |volume=58 |issue=2|pages=329–342|doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2010.11.006|pmid=21074626|bibcode=2011MolPE..58..329P |url=http://200.46.218.171/bds-cbc/sites/default/files/Pyron_et_al_2011.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131003095528/http://200.46.218.171/bds-cbc/sites/default/files/Pyron_et_al_2011.pdf|archive-date=3 October 2013|url-status=dead|display-authors=etal}}</ref> found in Africa and the Middle East, commonly called''' mole vipers, stiletto snakes,''' or '''burrowing asps'''. Currently, 12 genera are recognized.<ref name="ITIS">{{ITIS |id=563895 |taxon=Atractaspididae |access-date=17 August 2007}}</ref>
==Description== This family includes many genera formerly classed in other families and subfamilies, on the basis of fang type. It includes fangless (aglyphous), rear-fanged (opisthoglyphous), fixed-fanged (proteroglyphous), and hinge-fanged (solenoglyphous) species. Early molecular and physiological data linking this subfamily to others were ambiguous and often contradictory, which means the taxonomy of this subfamily has been highly contentious. The nominate family, Atractaspididae, has itself been moved to and from other taxa, such as potentially forming a trichotomy with Elapidae and Colubridae,<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Jackson |first1=Kate |title=The evolution of venom-delivery systems in snakes |journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society |date=March 2003 |volume=137 |issue=3 |pages=337–354 |doi=10.1046/j.1096-3642.2003.00052.x |s2cid=22522675 |doi-access=free }}</ref> reinforcing the ambiguity of this subfamily.
==Geographic range== This subfamily is found in Africa and the Middle East.<ref name="Meh87">Mehrtens JM. 1987. [https://archive.org/details/livingsnakesofwo00mehr Living Snakes of the World in Color]. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. {{ISBN|0-8069-6460-X}}.</ref><ref name="SB95">Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. {{ISBN|0-88359-029-8}}.</ref><ref name="P&G77">Parker HW, Grandison AGC. 1977. Snakes -- a natural history. Second Edition. British Museum (Natural History) and Cornell University Press. 108 pp. 16 plates. {{LCCN|76-54625}}. {{ISBN|0-8014-1095-9}} (cloth), {{ISBN|0-8014-9164-9}} (paper).</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Margres|first1=Mark J|last2=Aronow|first2=Karalyn|last3=Loyacano|first3=Jacob|last4=Rokyta|first4=Darin R|date=2013|title=The venom-gland transcriptome of the eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius) reveals high venom complexity in the intragenomic evolution of venoms|journal=BMC Genomics|volume=14|issue=1|pages=531|doi=10.1186/1471-2164-14-531|pmid=23915248|pmc=3750283|issn=1471-2164|doi-access=free}}</ref>
==Venom== Many of these snakes are inoffensive or far too small to envenomate a person effectively. However, some can inflict severe tissue necrosis; e.g. if the victim's thumb is bitten, the tip of that digit may be lost. Relapses may occur long after the bite.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/p31K9gfBev8 Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20091115044040/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p31K9gfBev8 Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p31K9gfBev8| title = I Was Bitten - Flesh Eating Snakebite | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/hSx1fiLVxLs Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20160313034854/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSx1fiLVxLs Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSx1fiLVxLs| title = Stiletto Snake | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>{{medical citation needed|date=March 2024}} The bites of stiletto snakes are often exceptionally painful.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/snake-stab-sideways-fangs-mouth-1360202|title=Snake That Can Stab Sideways With Fangs Sticking Out Corner of Its Mouth Discovered|date=March 12, 2019|accessdate=April 19, 2024|website=Newsweek}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.africansnakebiteinstitute.com/articles/beware-of-the-stiletto-snake/|title=Beware of the Stiletto Snake - African Snakebite Institute|accessdate=April 19, 2024|website=African Snakebite Institute}}</ref>
Very few deaths have resulted from accidents with these snakes, although large individuals of ''Atractaspis microlepidota'' and other long-glanded species are very likely to be dangerous.<ref>Atractaspididae at the TIGR Reptile Database</ref> Some of the long-fanged species are able to stab their prey (or an unfortunate human) even while their mouths are closed, and the typical grasp used by herpetologists to securely hold venomous snakes is not safe for this group.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Kurnik |first1=Daniel |last2=Haviv |first2=Yael |last3=Kochva |first3=Elazar |date=1999 |title=A snake bite by the Burrowing Asp, Atractaspis engaddensis |journal=Toxicon |volume=37 |issue=1 |pages=223–227 |doi=10.1016/S0041-0101(98)00166-4 |pmid=9920494|bibcode=1999Txcn...37..223K }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Deufel |first1=Alexandra |last2=Cundall |first2=David |date=2003 |title=Feeding in Atractaspis (Serpentes: Atractaspididae): a study in conflicting functional constraints |url=https://www.kingsnake.com/aho/pdf/menu3/deufel2003.pdf |journal=Zoology |volume=106 |issue=1 |pages=43–61 |doi=10.1078/0944-2006-00088 |pmid=16351890|bibcode=2003Zool..106...43D }}</ref> This ability to stab sideways even with a closed mouth is the basis for an English name used for some of them: "side-stabbing snakes" or "side-stabbers".<ref name="SB95"/>
==Genera== {||cellspacing=0 cellpadding=2 border=1 style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" |- |colspan="100%" align="center" bgcolor="#BBBBFF"|Subfamily '''Atractaspidinae''' -- 13 Genera |- !bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Genus<ref name="ITIS"/> !bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Taxon author<ref name="ITIS"/> !bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Species <br /> Count<ref name="ITIS"/> !bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Common name !bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Geographic range |- |''Amblyodipsas'' |W. Peters, 1857 |align="center"|9 |glossy snakes |Africa |- |''Aparallactus'' |A. Smith, 1849 |align="center"|11 |centipede-eaters |Africa |- |''Atractaspis'' |A. Smith, 1849 |align="center"|15 |burrowing asps, stiletto snakes<ref name="ITIS"/> |Africa, Middle-East |- |''Brachyophis'' |Mocquard, 1888 |align="center"|1 |Revoil's short snake |Africa |- |''Chilorhinophis'' |F. Werner, 1907 |align="center"|3 | |Africa |- |''Hypoptophis'' |Boulenger, 1908 |align="center"|1 |African bighead snake |Africa |- |''Homoroselaps''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/advanced_search?taxon=Atractaspidinae&submit=Search|title = Search results | the Reptile Database}}</ref> |Jan, 1858 |align="center"|2 |harlequin snakes |Southern Africa |- |''Macrelaps'' |Boulenger, 1896 |align="center"|1 |Natal black snake |Africa |- |''Micrelaps'' |Boettger, 1880 |align="center"|4 |two-headed snakes |Africa, Middle-East |- |''Poecilopholis'' |Boulenger, 1903 |align="center"|1 |Cameroon racer |Africa |- |''Polemon'' |Jan, 1858 |align="center"|13 |snake-eaters |Africa |- |''Xenocalamus'' |Günther, 1868 |align="center"|5 |quill-snouted snakes |Africa |- |}
==Taxonomy== This family was previously classified as a subfamily of the Colubridae: the Aparallactinae.<ref name="Meh87"/>
== Gallery == <gallery class="center"> File:Amblyodipsas microphthalma.jpg|''Amblyodipsas'' type species; eastern purple-glossed snake (''A. microphthalma'') File:Aparallactus capensis.jpg|''Aparallactus'' type species; Cape centipede-eater (''A. capensis'') File:Atractaspis bibronii full body.jpg|''Atractaspis'' type species; southern stiletto snake (''A. bibronii'') File:Homoroselaps lacteus.jpg|''Homoroselaps'' type species; spotted harlequin snake (''H. lacteus'') File:Macrelaps microlepidotus head.jpg|''Macrelaps'' type species; Natal black snake (''M. microlepidotus'') File:מחרוזן הטבעות (דו-גוני).jpg|''Micrelaps'' type species; Müller's snake (''M. muelleri'') File:Xenocalamus bicolor.jpg|''Xenocalamus'' type species; slender quill-snouted snake (''X. bicolor'') </gallery>
==See also== * List of atractaspidid species and subspecies
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{NRDB family|page=atractaspidinae.php|family=Atractaspidinae|date=3 November|year=2008}} * [https://snakesarelong.blogspot.com/2012/08/stiletto-snakes.html Atractaspids at Life is Short but Snakes are Long] * [http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2008/05/26/sidestabbing-stiletto-snakes/ Stiletto snakes at Tetrapod Zoology] * [https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1148893-Atractaspididae iNaturalist link]
{{snake_families}} {{Taxonbar|from1=Q840931}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Atractaspididae Category:Snake subfamilies Category:Taxa named by Albert Günther