# Changes in snake/lizard classification



## Matt Harris (Aug 21, 2007)

The Reptile Database (formerly EMBL) is showing changes to the classification of snakes and lizards, as below. Some interesting points include; the splitting of the Gecko family into six different families; re-inclusion of anoles, collared lizards etc in the iguana family (they were more recently in separate families of their own); splitting of colubridae into 4 different families, so now grass snakes, garters etc are no longer ‘colubrids’; boas and pythons are now in separate superfamilies (there was a time when they were both subfamilies of the same family). 

An interesting point in one of the papers used to generate this new phylogeny - Vidal, N. & Hedges, S.B. (2008) *The molecular evolutionary tree of lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians*. Comptes Rendus Biologies, 

*Together with snakes and anguimorphs, iguanians form a clade – Toxicofera – characterized by the presence of toxin secreting oral glands and demonstrating a single early origin of venom in squamates.*

Order Squamata (phylogeny of squamata) 

Suborder Sauria (Lacertilia) - Lizards

Infraorder Iguania

Family Agamidae (Agamas), incl. Leiolepididae 
Family Chamaeleonidae (Chameleons) 
Family Iguanidae s.l. ("Iguanas") [Pleurodonta]

Subfamily Corytophaninae (Casquehead Lizards) 
Subfamily Crotaphytinae (Collared and Leopard Lizards) 
Subfamily Hoplocercinae (Wood lizards, Clubtails) 
Subfamily Iguaninae (Iguanas and Spinytail Iguanas) 
Subfamily Leiocephalinae (see Tropidurinae) 
Subfamily Leiosaurinae (see Polychrotinae) 
Subfamily Liolaeminae (see Tropidurinae) 
Subfamily Oplurinae (Madagascar iguanids) 
Subfamily Phrynosomatinae (Earless, Spiny, Tree, Side-blotched and Horned Lizards) 
Subfamily Polychrotinae (Anoles) 
Subfamily Tropidurinae (Neotropical Ground Lizards) 

Infraorder Gekkota (revised!)

Family Gekkonidae (Geckoes) 
Family Carphodactylidae 
Family Diplodactylidae 
Family Eublepharidae 
Family Phyllodactylidae 
Family Sphaerodactylidae 
Family Pygopodidae (Legless Lizards) 

Infraorder Scincomorpha (note 1)

Family Cordylidae (Spinytail Lizards) 
Family Gerrhosauridae (Plated Lizards) 
Family Gymnophthalmidae (Spectacled Lizards) 
Family Teiidae (Whiptails and Tegus) 
Family Lacertidae (Lacertids, Wall Lizards) 
Family Scincidae (Skinks) 
Family Xantusiidae (Night Lizards) 

Infraorder Diploglossa (note 1) 

Family Anguidae (Glass Lizards and Alligator Lizards; Lateral Fold Lizards) 
Family Anniellidae (American Legless lizards) 
Family Xenosauridae (Knob-scaled Lizards) 

Infraorder Dibamia (new!) 

Family Dibamidae (Blind Lizards) 

Infraorder Platynota (Varanoidea) (note 1) 

Family Helodermatidae (Gila Monsters) 
Family Lanthanotidae (Earless Monitor lizards) 
Family Varanidae (Monitor Lizards) 

Suborder Amphisbaenia (revised!) 

Family Amphisbaenidae (Worm Lizards) 
Family Bipedidae (Two-legged Worm Lizards) 
Family Blanidae (see Amphisbaenidae) 
Family Cadeidae (see Amphisbaenidae) 
Family Rhineuridae (see Amphisbaenidae) 
Family Trogonophidae (Shorthead Worm Lizards) 

Suborder Ophidia (Serpentes) - Snakes (phylogeny) (Note 2) 

Superfamily Acrochordoidea

Family Acrochordidae Bonaparte 1831(File Snakes) 

Superfamily Uropeltoidea s.l. (Pipe snakes and Sunbeam snakes) 

Family Anomochilidae (Dwarf Pipe Snakes) 
Family Cylindrophiidae (Asian Pipe Snakes) 
Family Uropeltidae (Shield-tail Snakes) 

Superfamily Pythonoidea s.l. (Pythons and relatives) 

Family Loxocemidae (Mexican Burrowing Pythons) 
Family Pythonidae (Pythons) 
Family Xenopeltidae (Sunbeam Snakes) 

Superfamily Booidea (revised!)

Family Boidae (Boas) 
Subfamily Boinae (Boas) 
Subfamily Ungaliophiinae (Dwarf Boas) 
Subfamily Erycinae 

Superfamily Colubroidea (revised!)

Family Colubridae (Colubrids) 

Subfamily Colubrinae ("Colubridae") 
Subfamily Grayiinae 
Subfamily Calamarinae 

Family Dipsadidae Bonaparte 1840 

Subfamily Dipsadinae Bonaparte 1840 
Subfamily Heterodontinae Bonaparte 1845 
Subfamily Xenodontinae Bonaparte 1845 

Family Natricidae Bonaparte 1840 
Family Pseudoxenodontidae McDowell 1987 

Superfamily Elapoidea (tentative) (revised!)

Family Elapidae Boie 1827 

Subfamily Elapinae Boie 1827 (Cobras, Coral Snakes, etc.) 
Subfamily Hydrophiinae Fitzinger 1843 (Sea Snakes) 

Family Lamprophiidae Fitzinger 1843 

Subfamily Atractaspidinae Günther 1858 (Mole Vipers) 
Subfamily Lamprophiinae Fitzinger 1843 
Subfamily Psammophiinae Bonaparte 1845 
Subfamily Pseudoxyrhophiinae Dowling 1975 
Superfamily Homalopsoidea (new!) 

Family Homalopsidae Bonaparte 1845 

Superfamily Pareatoidea Romer 1956 (new!) 

Family Pareatidae Romer 1956 

Superfamily Typhlopoidea (Scolecophidia)

Family Anomalepididae (Dawn Blind Snakes) 
Family Typhlopidae (Blind Snakes) 
Family Leptotyphlopidae/Glauconiidae (Slender Blind Snakes) 

Superfamily Viperoidea 

Family Viperidae Oppel 1811 (Vipers and Pit Vipers) 

Subfamily Azemiopinae Liem, Marx and Rabb 1971 
Subfamily Causinae Cope 1860 
Subfamily Crotalinae Oppel 1811 
Subfamily Viperinae Oppel 1811 

Superfamily Xenodermatoidea (new!)

Family Xenodermatidae Gray 1849 

Currently not assigned to any Superfamily:
Family Aniliidae/Ilysiidae (Pipe Snakes) 
Family Bolyeriidae (Round Island Boas) 
Family Tropidophiidae (Dwarf Boas)


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## Kellybee (Oct 13, 2006)

So collareds previously recognised as Crotaphytidae are now Crotaphytinae?

I always understood that they were a part of the Iguanidae group anyway?


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## Matt Harris (Aug 21, 2007)

They were in, then they were out, now they're back in again!

Do try and keep up.


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