Scientific Classification of Snakes

(And Various Long, Thin, Legless Non-Snakes)

Class Amphibia

This class has several subclasses.

• Order Caecilia
  Not snakes. From Caecilian taxonomy (site vanished):

  No, they aren't people from southern Italy, they are the least studied order of living amphibians (Lissamphibians). Caecilians are legless, occasionally eyeless, elongate, annulated, smooth-skinned, burrowing creatures which resemble earthworms about as much as is possible for a vertebrate. They are restricted to the moist tropics but distributed worldwide (except Australia and Madagascar). They are sometimes referred to as Gymnophionans or Apodans.

  Caecilians are currently classified into six families.
  • Family Rhinatrematidae
  • Family Ichthyophiidae
  • Family Uraeotyphlidae
  • Family Caeciliaidae
  • Family Scolecomorphidae
  • Family Typhlonectidae

Class Reptilia

This class has several subclasses. For more information see my source, Classification of Living Reptiles or Animal Diversity Web: Class Reptilia .

• Subclass Lepidosauria
  This class contains two Orders.
  • Order Rhynchocephalia
    The only living members are two species of Tautarus.
  • Order Squamata
    Lizards, snakes, and amphibians.
    Animal Diversity Web:Order Squamata
    • Suborder Gekkota
      Lizards.
      • Family Pygopodidae
        Not Snakes! Legless lizards.
        • Subfamily Pygopodinae
        • Subfamily Lialisinae
    • Suborder Serpentes
      Snakes!
      • Superfamily Typhlopoidea (Scolecophidia)
        • Family Anomalepidae
        • Family Typhlopidae
        • Family Leptotyphlopidae (Glauconiidae)
      • Superfamily Henophidia (Boidea)
        • Family Acrochordidae
        • Family Aniliidae (Ilysiidae)
        • Family Boidae
        • Family Bolyeridae
        • Family Loxocemidae
        • Family Tropidophiidae
        • Family Uropeltidae
        • Family Xenopeltidae
      • Superfamily Xenophidia
        • Family Atractaspididae
        • Family Colubridae
        • Family Elapidae
        • Family Hydrophiidae
        • Family Viperidae

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This page is maintained by B.J. Herbison. See the Herbison Consulting index. Copyright © 1996-2009 by B.J. Herbison. Last modified 09:17 Saturday 28 March 2009.