1h 
AN EXPLANATION ON SNAKE CLASSIFICATION 
A number of taxa which may be new to the reader are used 
in the preceeding checklist. This classification is based 
upon my interpretation of new and old data indicating the 
relationships of snakes. Additional morphological data and 
the new immunological information have suggested a drastic 
revision of the classification of snakes. Among the major 
changes indicated here are the following. 
1. The various "burrowing pythons" appear to represent 
individual entries into a fossorial habitat. Attempts to 
group them into a single taxon, therefore, are in error. 
2. The largest and most ancient division among living 
snakes is that between pythons and boas. 
3. Anilius appears to be related to pythons, whereas 
Cylindrophis is a boid derivitive. Their resemblances to 
one another are due to convergence toward a fossorial role. 
4. The old family "Colubridae" included snakes of many 
different lineages. Four living families of (mainly 
Tropical) generalized snakes are distinguished from the 
advanced colubrids (s.s.) and natricids. 
5. The vipers, pitvipers, elapids, and seasnakes retain 
characteristics that are more primitive than those found in 
the advanced colubrids and natricids. Therefore, the former 
cannot be derived from the latter. 
These and other proposed changes were outlined ina 
recent combined meeting of the American herpetological 
societies (ASIH, HL, SSAR) in Ann Arbor, Michigan (June, 
1988). A Prodromus of the changes has been prepared 
(Dowling, ms) and has been deposited in the Herpetological 
Library of the U.S. National Museum of Natural History. It 
will serve as a basic information source on the new 
classification until the data and classification are 
published formally. 
An outline of this general classification follows. 
H. G. Dowling 
July 1988 
