Colubrid facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Colubrids
Caspian whipsnake Coluber (Dolichophis) caspius
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Sauropsida
Subclass:	Diapsida
Superorder:	Lepidosauria
Order:	Squamata
Infraorder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae

A colubrid (from Latin coluber, snake) is a snake that is a member of the Colubridae "family". Colubridae is the largest snake family, and includes about two-thirds of all known living snake species. However, The Colubrids are certainly not a natural group, and many are more closely related to other groups, such as elapids, than to each other. This family has classically been a dumping ground for snakes that do not fit anywhere else. There is on-going mitochondrial DNA research which will sort out the familial relations within this group.

A colubrid's body is almost completely covered in scales. Most colubrids are not venomous and are normally harmless. A few groups, such as genus Boiga, can produce medically significant bites. In addition, the Boomslang and African twig snake have both caused human fatalities. The venom-injecting fangs associated with venomous colubrids are almost always in the back of the mouth, in contrast to vipers and elapids.

Selected species

• Boomslang
• Brown tree snake
• Dice snake
• Garter snake
• Kingsnake
• Rat snake
• Smooth snake
• Water snake
• Mussurana

Images for kids

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  Two Indian rat snakes (grey and yellow)

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  A natricine, Thamnophis sirtalis

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  A dipsadine, Sibon longifrenis

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  A colubrine, Dolichophis jugularis, preying on a legless lizard, a scheltopusik

See also

In Spanish: Colubridae para niños