Genus · Homalopsidae
Phytolopsis
The genus Phytolopsis contains a single species. It is not considered dangerous to humans.
About mud snakes
A little-known aquatic mud snake of the southeast Asian wetlands, built for a life in murky water.
Phytolopsis is a small genus in the family Homalopsidae, the Indo-Australian and southeast Asian mud snakes. The family is defined by a fully aquatic or semiaquatic lifestyle, eyes and nostrils set high on the head so the snake can breathe and watch while mostly submerged, and valvular nostrils that seal underwater. Phytolopsis fits squarely in this mold, a water-dwelling snake of the regional rivers, swamps, and flooded lowlands rather than a creature of dry ground.
Like other homalopsids, members of this genus are rear-fanged. They carry enlarged grooved teeth toward the back of the upper jaw and a mild venom used to subdue the fish, frogs, and other small aquatic prey they hunt in the water. This venom is adapted to cold-blooded prey and is not considered dangerous to people. Mud snakes are not aggressive and rely on staying hidden in water and mud rather than confronting anything large. Even so, no wild snake should be handled, and any bite that causes unusual swelling, pain, or other symptoms warrants a call to US Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or your local emergency services.
Recognizing Phytolopsis in the field comes down to general homalopsid traits rather than any single flashy mark, since the genus is poorly documented. Expect a stout, smooth to weakly keeled body, a head only slightly distinct from the neck, upward-facing eyes and nostrils, and drab brown to grayish coloration that blends into mud and tannin-stained water. These are live-bearing snakes, like their homalopsid relatives, giving birth to small litters of fully formed young rather than laying eggs, an adaptation that suits an animal that rarely leaves the water.
Phytolopsis 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 (1)
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