Nigerophiidae

Nigerophiidae
Temporal range: Campanian–Late Eocene
Life restoration of Nigerophis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Infraorder: Alethinophidia
Family: †Nigerophiidae
Rage, 1975
Genera

See text

Synonyms

Nigeropheidae

Nigerophiidae is an extinct family of marine snakes known from the Late Cretaceous to the Paleogene.[1] Species of this family were found throughout much of the former Tethys Ocean (mainland Africa, Madagascar, Europe, Central Asia and India). Their taxonomic identity is uncertain due to their fragmentary remains. The earliest nigerophiid is Nubianophis from the Campanian of Sudan.[2][3]

Taxonomy

They are thought to be related to the Palaeophiidae due to their similar appearance, distribution, and temporal range, although this is questioned.[4] Some analyses place both families in the superfamily Acrochordoidea along with the extant file snakes, but this is now heavily disputed.[5][6]

The following genera are known:[7]

There is some debate over whether Indophis (and the similar Kelyophis) represent nigerophiids or not.[7]

References

  1. ^ "PBDB". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
  2. ^ Rage, J.; Werner, C. (1999). "Mid-Cretaceous (Cenomanian) snakes from Wadi Abu Hashim, Sudan: The earliest snake assemblage". Palaeontologia Africana. 35: 85–110.
  3. ^ "PBDB". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  4. ^ Gower, David J.; Zaher, Hussam (2022-08-11). The Origin and Early Evolutionary History of Snakes. pp. 473–476. doi:10.1017/9781108938891.027.
  5. ^ Snetkov, P. B.; Bannikov, A. F. (2010-11-01). "Vertebrae of sea snakes from the Eocene of the Crimea". Paleontological Journal. 44 (6): 698–700. doi:10.1134/S0031030110060122.
  6. ^ Folie, Annelise; Mees, Florias; De Putter, Thierry; Smith, Thierry (2021-07-01). "Presence of the large aquatic snake Palaeophis africanus in the middle Eocene marine margin of the Congo Basin, Cabinda, Angola". Geobios. 66–67 (Proceedings of the PalEurAfrica project international symposium Evolution and Paleoenvironment of Early Modern Vertebrates during the Paleogene): 45–54. doi:10.1016/j.geobios.2020.11.002.
  7. ^ a b Laduke, Thomas C.; Krause, David W.; Scanlon, John D.; Kley, Nathan J. (2010-01-29). "A Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) snake assemblage from the Maevarano Formation, Mahajanga Basin, Madagascar". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 30 (1): 109–138. doi:10.1080/02724630903409188.