| Bolyeriidae | |
|---|---|
| |
| Round Island ground boa, Casarea dussumieri | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Superfamily: | Bolyerioidea |
| Family: | Bolyeriidae Hoffstetter, 1946 |
| Synonyms | |
- Common names: Mauritius snakes,[2] Round Island boas, splitjaw snakes.
The Bolyeriidae are a family[2] of snakes native to Mauritius and a few islands around it, especially Round Island. They also used to be found on the island of Mauritius, but were extirpated there due to human influence and foraging pigs in particular.[3] These snakes used to be placed in the Boidae, but are now classed as a separate family. Two monotypic genera are recognized, but only a single species is extant (not extinct).[2] Bolyeriidae appear to be most closely related to the Asian genus Xenophidion.[4]
- ^ McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré TA. (1999). Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
- ^ a b c "Bolyeriidae". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 16 August 2007.
- ^ Bolyeridae at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 3 November 2008.
- ^ Lawson, R.; Slowinski, J. B.; Burbrink, F. T. (2004). "A molecular approach to discerning the phylogenetic placement of the enigmatic snake Xenophidion schaeferi among the Alethinophidia". Journal of Zoology. 263 (3): 285–294. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.504.6967. doi:10.1017/s0952836904005278.