Colubroidea

Colubroidea is a superfamily of snakes within the suborder Serpentes that includes the majority of living snakes. It is exceptionally diverse in form and ecology, with species occupying habitats from forests and deserts to freshwater and marine environments. Among colubroids, most species are non-venomous, but several lineages have evolved venom delivery systems, including rear-fanged configurations used to subdue prey.

The circumscription of Colubroidea has varied with taxonomic opinions and new molecular data. In many contemporary classifications it comprises families such as Colubridae, Dipsadidae, Natricidae, and related groups. Some schemes also include additional, smaller families, while other lineages such as Elapidae and Viperidae are treated as separate groups outside Colubroidea, often placed in allied clades within Caenophidia depending on the taxonomy used. Because of ongoing phylogenetic research, the exact composition of Colubroidea continues to be revised.

Evolutionary history suggests that Colubroidea originated in the Late Cretaceous to early Paleocene and underwent substantial diversification during the Cenozoic. This timing coincides with broad ecological opportunities and geographic expansion, contributing to the clade’s present-day species richness.

Ecology and significance: Colubroidea contains many of the snakes people encounter in daily life and includes a wide array of feeding strategies, from insectivory and reptile predation to small mammal and bird diets. The group is a central focus of studies on venom evolution, ecology, and biogeography, reflecting its prominent place in snake diversity.