Homalopsid Snakes, Evolution in the Mud

Homalopsid snakes are aquatic rear-fanged snakes that inhabit freshwater, brackish water, and marine environments from Pakistan's Indus River eastward to Queensland, Australia. While a few live in flowing streams with clear water and rocky bottoms, most live in the muddy habitats created by Himalayan silt flowing to the seas of Southeast Asia. Many feed on fish, but a few have adapted to feeding on crustaceans and some are commensal with crustaceans living in their burrows. The Indochinese Peninsula and Sunda Shelf contain the greatest species diversity, and the history of these snakes is closely tied to the changing landscape of Southeast Asia. Homalopsid Snakes: Evolution in the Mud is the only available book on these aquatic reptiles and the first comprehensive review of the group in 35 years. It contains species accounts, summaries of the author's field work, and photographs of the snakes and their morphology which can only be found in this book.