Palaeophiidae
Extinct family of snakes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Palaeophiidae is an extinct family of marine snake within the infraorder Alethinophidia.
| Palaeophiidae | |
|---|---|
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| Fossil vertebrae of Palaeophis maghrebianus from Khouribga (Morocco) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Superfamily: | Acrochordoidea |
| Family: | †Palaeophiidae Lydekker 1888 |
Species within this family lived from the Late Cretaceous to the Late Eocene, approximately from 70.6 to 33.9 million years ago.[1] Phylogenetic analysis has proposed them as being related to the extant file snakes (family Acrochordidae),[2] although these results have been disputed since,[3] and new analysis show this relationship as poorly supported.[4] Fossil records provide evidence suggesting Paleophiidae are among the largest snakes to ever exist.[5]
Subfamilies and genera
- Archaeophiinae Rage et al. 2003
- †Archaeophis Massalongo 1859
- Palaeophiinae Lydekker, 1888
- †Palaeophis Owen 1841
- †Pterosphenus Lucas 1898
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