LIST OF SOUTH AFRICAN SNAKES. 
Famity COLUBRID. 
Synopsis of the South African Genera. 
I. Aglyphe, without grooved fangs in the upper jaw.— 
Harmless. 
A. Scales smooth, in 19 rows or more. 
1. Pupil round ; posterior maxillary teeth longest. 
Scales in 19 rows; internasal not entering the nostril ; 
snout rounded .. re ae ia an 56 
Scales in 27 to 31 rows; internasal entering the nostril ; 
snout with vertical sides, more or less prominent . 
2. Pupil vertically elliptic or subelliptic ; anal 
entire. 
Scales in 19 rows; frontal at least once and a half as 
long as broad ; maxillary teeth equal 
Scales in 19 to 23 rows; frontal broad and short ; pos- 
terior maxillary teeth shortest oe 
Scales in 23 to 33 rows, with apical pits ; “anterior - 
maxillary teeth strongly enlarged 
B. Scales smooth, in 15 or 17 rows. 
1. Tail short (sub-caudals not more than 50 pairs). 
Pupil vertically elliptic ; rostral small; anterior maxil-- 
lary teeth longest : x sic ane es 
Pupil vertically elliptic ; rostral very large, with angular 
horizontal edge ; posterior maxillary teeth strongly 
enlarged ‘iia ie 
Pupil round; rostral small ; 
maxillary teeth longest 
2. Tail long (sub- -caudals more than 80 pairs) F 
pupil “round ; posterior maxillary teeth 
longest. 
Sub-caudals not keeled Sue 
Sub-caudals keeled and notched .. 
C. Scales keeled ; pupil vertically elliptic. 
Scales in 15 to 17 rows, of vertebral row enlarged and 
bicarinate ; anterior maxillary teeth longest é 
Scales in 23 to 27 rows, laterals very oblique and with 
serrated keels ; teeth very small and few . 
II. Opisthoglyphe, with grooved fangs at the posterior 
end of the upper jaw.—More or less poisonous. 
A, Eye moderate or large ; head more or less distinct 
from neck. 
1. Subcaudals single; pupil vertically elliptic ; 
parietals broken up into small shields : 
2. Subcaudals in pairs. 
a. Pupil vertically elliptic ; 
19 rows. 
Anal divided ; loreal separated from the eye by the pre- 
ocular; maxillary teeth decreasing in size pos- 
teriorly .. st az te ets Esc St 
Anal entire ; loreal separated from the eye by the pre- 
ocular; maxillary teeth ‘increasing in size pos- 
teriorly aa cee on 
Anal entire ; 
nasal single; anterior 
scales in 17 or 
loreal entering the eye 
b. Pupil round. 
a. Scales smooth (or feebly keeled on 
the posterior part of the back) in 
13 to 17 rows. 
Tropidonotus. 
Pseudaspis. 
Ablabophis. 
Lamprophis. 
Boodon. 
Lycophidium. 
Prosymna. 
Homalosoma. 
Chlorophis. 
Philothamnus. 
Simocephalus. 
Dasypeltis. 
Pythonodtpsas. 
Tarbophis 
Leptodira. 
Chametortus. 
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