Xenopholis

Xenopholis is a genus of rear-fanged snakes of the family Colubridae.

Xenopholis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Subfamily:	Dipsadinae
Genus:	Xenopholis W. Peters, 1869

Geographic range

The genus Xenopholis is endemic to South America.^[1]

Description

The genus Xenopholis is characterized by distinctive vertebrae. The spinous processes are expanded dorsally, forming shields which are rugose and divided by a median groove.^[2]

Species

Three species are recognized as being valid.^[3]

• Xenopholis scalaris (Wucherer, 1861) - Wucherer's ground snake
• Xenopholis undulatus (Jensen, 1900) - Jensen's ground snake
• Xenopholis werdingorum Jansen, L. Álvarez & Köhler, 2009

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Xenopholis.