Genus · Homalopsidae
Gyiophis
2 species make up the genus Gyiophis. None are considered dangerous to humans.
About Southeast Asian mud snakes
A tiny genus of secretive, semi-aquatic mud snakes from mainland Southeast Asia.
Gyiophis is a small genus of just a couple of described species in the family Homalopsidae, the Indo-Australian water and mud snakes. Homalopsids are rear-fanged, semi-aquatic snakes built for life in soft muddy water, with valved or upward-set nostrils, small eyes set high on the head, and smooth or weakly keeled scales that shed mud easily. Gyiophis sits among the lesser-known mainland members of this group, occurring in Myanmar and nearby parts of mainland Southeast Asia, where it is associated with lowland freshwater and muddy wetland habitats such as marshes, streams, and waterlogged ground.
Members are small, drably colored snakes that are difficult for most people to recognize on sight, since they look much like other plain homalopsid mud snakes. In general terms, look for a stout-bodied, smooth-scaled water snake with a rounded snout, small high-set eyes, and muted brown or grayish coloration rather than bold patterning. Because the genus is obscure and species-level identification rests on details of scalation and head structure, the practical takeaway is the family-level signature: a mud-dwelling, water-associated snake of Southeast Asian wetlands. Reliable identification of a specific Gyiophis species is best left to specimens and qualified herpetologists.
Like other homalopsids, Gyiophis is rear-fanged and mildly venomous, with enlarged grooved teeth at the back of the jaw used to subdue small aquatic prey such as fish and amphibians. Homalopsids are not considered dangerous to humans and have no record of causing serious envenomation, but rear-fanged does not mean harmless: any wild snake can bite, and a bite from a venomous species should be treated with care. Do not handle wild snakes. If a bite occurs, seek emergency care promptly and contact US Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or your local emergency services. These are nocturnal to crepuscular ambush feeders that give birth to live young, like many of their mud snake relatives, and they spend most of their lives hidden in mud and shallow water.
Gyiophis belongs to the Homalopsidae family (Mud & water snakes). Aquatic, mud-dwelling snakes with upward-facing eyes and nostrils. Stout, often drab snakes with upturned nostrils, found in or near muddy water.
Danger: Rear-fanged with mild venom; not considered dangerous to humans.
All species (2)
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