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PYTHONOMORPHA: FROM MOSASAUR FLIPPERS TO LIMBLESS DOOM

The early history of the snake lineage is traced from the Cretaceous sea monsters through to the relatively recent Titanoboa and its currently-living relatives. Who'd have thought that the mighty mosasaurs were relatives of our limbless friends?

 
Mosasauroidea
†Mesoleptos
 
Mosasauroidea
†Vallecillosaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Aigialosauridae
†Aigialosaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Aigialosauridae
†Carsosaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Aigialosauridae
†Opetiosaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Aigialosauridae
†Portunatasaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Halisaurinae
†Eonatator
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Halisaurinae
†Halisaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Halisaurinae
†Phosphorosaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Halisaurinae
†Pluridens
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Mosasaurinae
†Amphekepubis
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Mosasaurinae
†Dallasaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Mosasaurinae
†Clidastes
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Mosasaurinae
†Kourisodon
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Mosasaurinae
†Liodon
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Mosasaurinae
†Goronyosaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Mosasaurinae
†Prognathodon
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Mosasaurinae
†Plesiotylosaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Mosasaurinae
†Gnathomortis
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Mosasaurinae | Globidensini
†Globidens
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Mosasaurinae | Globidensini
†Carinodens
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Mosasaurinae | Globidensini
†Harranasaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Mosasaurinae | Globidensini
†Igdamanosaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Mosasaurinae | Globidensini
†Xenodens
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Mosasaurinae | Mosasaurini
†Moanasaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Mosasaurinae | Mosasaurini
†Eremiasaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Mosasaurinae | Mosasaurini
†Plotosaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Mosasaurinae | Mosasaurini
†Mosasaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Russellosaurina
†Haasiasaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Russellosaurina
†Komensaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Russellosaurina | Plioplatecarpinae
†Angolasaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Russellosaurina | Plioplatecarpinae
†Ectenosaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Russellosaurina | Plioplatecarpinae
†Gavialimimus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Russellosaurina | Plioplatecarpinae
†Selmasaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Russellosaurina | Plioplatecarpinae | Plioplatecarpini
†Latoplatecarpus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Russellosaurina | Plioplatecarpinae | Plioplatecarpini
†Platecarpus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Russellosaurina | Plioplatecarpinae | Plioplatecarpini
†Plesioplatecarpus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Russellosaurina | Plioplatecarpinae | Plioplatecarpini
†Plioplatecarpus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Russellosaurina | Tethysaurinae
†Pannoniasaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Russellosaurina | Tethysaurinae
†Tethysaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Russellosaurina | Tylosaurinae
†Taniwhasaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Russellosaurina | Tylosaurinae
†Tylosaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Russellosaurina | Tylosaurinae
†Kaikaifilu
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Russellosaurina | Yaguarasaurinae
†Romeosaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Russellosaurina | Yaguarasaurinae
†Russellosaurus
 
Mosasauroidea | Mosasauridae | Russellosaurina | Yaguarasaurinae
†Yaguarasaurus
 
Ophidiomorpha | Dolichosauridae
†Acteosaurus
 
Ophidiomorpha | Dolichosauridae
†Adriosaurus
 
Ophidiomorpha | Dolichosauridae
†Aphanizocnemus
 
Ophidiomorpha | Dolichosauridae
†Dolichosaurus
 
Ophidiomorpha | Dolichosauridae
†Coniasaurus
 
Ophidiomorpha | Dolichosauridae
†Judeasaurus
 
Ophidiomorpha | Dolichosauridae
†Kaganaias
 
Ophidiomorpha | Dolichosauridae
†Pontosaurus
 
Ophidiomorpha | Dolichosauridae
†Primitivus
 
Ophidiomorpha | Dolichosauridae
†Tetrapodophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia
†Coniophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia
†Diablophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia
†Portugalophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia
†Dinilysia
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia
†Eophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia
†Eupodophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia
†Najash
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia
†Parviraptor
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Lapparentophiidae
†Lapparentophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Lapparentophiidae
†Pouitella
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Madtsoiidae
†Adinophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Madtsoiidae
†Alamitophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Madtsoiidae
†Eomadtsoia
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Madtsoiidae
†Gigantophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Madtsoiidae
†Herensugea
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Madtsoiidae
†Madtsoia
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Madtsoiidae
†Menarana
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Madtsoiidae
†Nanowana
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Madtsoiidae
†Nidophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Madtsoiidae
†Patagoniophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Madtsoiidae
†Platyspondylophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Madtsoiidae
†Powellophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Madtsoiidae
†Rionegrophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Madtsoiidae
†Sanajeh
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Madtsoiidae
†Wonambi
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Madtsoiidae
†Yurlunggur
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Pachyophiidae
†Simoliophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Pachyophiidae
†Eupodophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Pachyophiidae
†Haasiophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Pachyophiidae
†Mesophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Pachyophiidae
†Pachyophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Pachyophiidae
†Pachyrhachis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Leptotyphlopidae | Leptotyphlopinae
Epacrophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Leptotyphlopidae | Leptotyphlopinae
Leptotyphlops
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Leptotyphlopidae | Leptotyphlopinae
Myriopholis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Leptotyphlopidae | Leptotyphlopinae
Namibiana
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Leptotyphlopidae | Epictinae | Epictini | Epictina
Epictia
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Leptotyphlopidae | Epictinae | Epictini | Epictina
Habrophallos
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Leptotyphlopidae | Epictinae | Epictini | Epictina
Siagonodon
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Leptotyphlopidae | Epictinae | Epictini | Renina
Rena
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Leptotyphlopidae | Epictinae | Epictini | Renina
Trilepida
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Leptotyphlopidae | Epictinae | Epictini | Tetracheilostomina
Mitophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Leptotyphlopidae | Epictinae | Epictini | Tetracheilostomina
Tetracheilostoma
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Leptotyphlopidae | Epictinae | Rhinoleptini
Tricheilostoma
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Leptotyphlopidae | Epictinae | Rhinoleptini
Rhinoleptus
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Leptotyphlopidae | Epictinae | Rhinoleptini
Rhinoguinea
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Anomalepididae
Anomalepis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Anomalepididae
Helminthophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Anomalepididae
Liotyphlops
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Anomalepididae
Typhlohis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Typhlopidae
Acutotyphlops
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Typhlopidae
Afrotyphlops
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Typhlopidae
Amerotyphlops
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Typhlopidae
Anilios
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Typhlopidae
Antillotyphlops
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Typhlopidae
Argyrophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Typhlopidae
Cubatyphlops
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Typhlopidae
Cyclotyphlops
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Typhlopidae
Grypotyphlops
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Typhlopidae
Indotyphlops
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Typhlopidae
Letheobia
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Typhlopidae
Madatyphlops
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Typhlopidae
Malayotyphlops
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Typhlopidae
Ramphotyphlops
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Typhlopidae
Rhinotyphlops
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Typhlopidae
Sundatyphlops
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Typhlopidae
Typhlops
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Scolecophidia | Typhlopidae
Xerotyphlops
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Amerophidia | Anilidae
Anilius
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Amerophidia | Tropidophiidae
Trachyboa
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Amerophidia | Tropidophiidae
Tropidophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Uropeltoidea | Uropeltidae
Melanophidium
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Uropeltoidea | Uropeltidae
Platyplectrurus
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Uropeltoidea | Uropeltidae
Pseudoplectrurus
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Uropeltoidea | Uropeltidae
Plectrurus
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Uropeltoidea | Uropeltidae
Rhinophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Uropeltoidea | Uropeltidae
Teretrurus
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Uropeltoidea | Uropeltidae
Uropeltis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Uropeltoidea | Anomochilidae
Anomochilus
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Uropeltoidea | Cylindrophiidae
Cylindrophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Pythonoidea | Pythonidae
Antaresia
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Pythonoidea | Pythonidae
Apodora
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Pythonoidea | Pythonidae
Aspidites
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Pythonoidea | Pythonidae
Bothrochilus
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Pythonoidea | Pythonidae
Leiopython
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Pythonoidea | Pythonidae
Liasis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Pythonoidea | Pythonidae
Malayopython
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Pythonoidea | Pythonidae
Morelia
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Pythonoidea | Pythonidae
Nyctophilopython
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Pythonoidea | Pythonidae
Python
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Pythonoidea | Pythonidae
Simalia
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Pythonoidea | Xenopeltidae
Xenopeltis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Pythonoidea | Loxocemidae
Loxocemus
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Booidea | Boidae | Boinae
†Titanoboa
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Booidea | Boidae | Boinae
Boa
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Booidea | Boidae | Boinae
Chilabothrus
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Booidea | Boidae | Boinae
Corallus
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Booidea | Boidae | Boinae
Epicrates
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Booidea | Boidae | Boinae
Eunextes
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Booidea | Boidae | Calabariinae
Calabaria
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Booidea | Boidae | Candoiinae
Candoia
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Booidea | Boidae | Sanziniinae
Acrantophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Booidea | Boidae | Sanziniinae
Sanzinia
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Booidea | Erycinae
Charina
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Booidea | Erycinae
Eryx
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Booidea | Erycinae
Lichanura
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Booidea | Ungaliophiinae
Ungaliophis
 
Ophidiomorpha | Ophidia | Serpentes | Alethinophidia | Afrophidia | Macrostomata | Booidea | Ungaliophiinae
Exiliboa
 
Sir Graham