Cyclocoridae

Cyclocoridae is a special group of snakes that lives only in the Philippines. These snakes belong to a larger family called elapoid snakes, which includes many different kinds of snakes found around the world 12. Because they are found nowhere else, these snakes are very important for scientists who study unique animals and their homes. Learning about Cyclocoridae helps us understand how animals adapt to specific places and why protecting their environment is important.

Taxonomy

Cyclocoridae is a family of snakes that was first recognized in 2017. It includes several unique groups of snakes found only in the Philippines. These snakes are closely related to each other but differ from other snake families.

Scientists discovered that these snakes belong to their own family, separate from others like Lamprophiidae. They likely started to evolve separately from their closest relatives around 35 to 40 million years ago. Not much is known about these snakes, including where they live, how they behave, or how to protect them.

Genera and species

There are five groups of these snakes, with some groups having two snakes and others having just one. The groups and their snakes are:

• Genus Cyclocorus
  • C. lineatus
  • C. nuchalis
• Genus Levitonius
  • L. mirus
• Genus Hologerrhum
  • H. philippinum
  • H. dermali
• Genus Myersophis
  • M. alpestris
• Genus Oxyrhabdium
  • O. leporinum
  • O. modestum