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]
| Nigerophiidae Temporal range:
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| Life restoration of Nigerophis | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Infraorder: | Alethinophidia |
| Family: | †Nigerophiidae Rage, 1975 |
| Genera | |
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See text | |
| Synonyms | |
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Nigeropheidae | |
Taxonomy
editThey 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]
- †Amananulam McCartney, Roberts, Tapanila & O'Leary, 2017
- †Indophis Rage & Prasad 1992
- †Kelyophis Laduke et al., 2010
- †Nessovophis Averianov, 1997
- †Nigerophis Rage, 1975
- †Nubianophis Rage & Werner, 1999
- †Woutersophis Rage, 1980
There is some debate over whether Indophis (and the similar Kelyophis) represent nigerophiids or not.[7]
References
edit- ^ "PBDB". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
- ^ Rage, J.; Werner, C. (1999). "Mid-Cretaceous (Cenomanian) snakes from Wadi Abu Hashim, Sudan: The earliest snake assemblage". Palaeontologia Africana. 35: 85–110.
- ^ "PBDB". paleobiodb.org. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
- ^ Gower, David J.; Zaher, Hussam (2022-08-11). The Origin and Early Evolutionary History of Snakes. pp. 473–476. doi:10.1017/9781108938891.027.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.