Rhineura

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Cladus: Craniata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Lepidosauromorpha
Superordo: Lepidosauria
Ordo: Squamata
Subordo: Serpentes
Infraordo: Caenophidia
Superfamilia: Colubroidea

Familia: Colubridae
Subfamilia: Colubrinae
Genus: Telescopus
Species: T. beetzi – T. dhara – T. fallax< – T. gezirae – T. hoogstraali – T. nigriceps – T. obtusus – T. pulcher – T. rhinopoma – T. semiannulatus – T. tessellatus – T. variegatus
Name

Telescopus
References

Haacke, W.D. 2013: Description of a new tiger snake (Colubridae, Telescopus) from south-western Africa. Zootaxa 3737(3): 280–288. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3737.3.6 Reference page.

Vernacular names
հայերեն: Կատվաօձ

Telescopus, the Old World catsnakes, is a genus of 12 species of mildly venomous opisthoglyphous snakes in the family Colubridae.

Geographic range

Species of the genus Telescopus are found from the Balkans and Pakistan through to southern and western Africa, plus two species in northern Eurasia.
Description

The genus Telescopus is characterised by having a slender slightly flattened cylindrical body and attaining a total length (including tail) of between 80–180 cm (about 2.5–6 feet). They have medium-large eyes with vertical pupils, a typical feature of nocturnal reptiles, and have smooth dorsal scales. The dentition of the genus is as follows; typically 10–12 maxillary teeth, with a space before a pair of grooved fangs at the rear of the mouth, approximately level with the eyes. The anterior mandibular teeth are usually longer than the posterior mandibular teeth, perhaps to aid the arboreal species in catching and holding prey whilst in trees. The species are mostly drab, spotted snakes, but include the spectacular tiger snake (T. semiannulatus), which is orange in color with black saddles along its back.[1]
Habitat and Behaviour

The genus Telescopus includes both arboreal and terrestrial species, and can be found from sea level up to 2,000 metres (about 6,600 feet) above sea level. They are nocturnal hunting snakes with a distinct head and large eyes.
Diet

The primary prey species of Telescopus are small lizards, including geckos, although some members of the genus may occasionally prey on small birds, rodents and amphibians.
Reproduction

All species in the genus Telescopus are oviparous, laying clutches of 5-15 eggs.
Venom

All species in the genus Telescopus are venomous, with the venom being of a neurotoxic nature, however they are not considered particularly harmful to man. This is because the opisthoglyphous venom-delivery system is not as efficient as the delivery systems found in Elapidae and Viperidae. However, some members of the genus Telescopus such as T. dhara have particularly large venom glands, and the venom toxicity in some species has been compared to that of the Acanthophis species. For these reasons it is advisable that all Telescopus species be handled with caution. It is also important to consider that allergic reactions are possible after a bite, and such a reaction would significantly worsen the effects of an envenomation.
Species
Telescopus beetzi - Beetz's tiger snake also known as Namib tiger snake.

Telescopus beetzi (Barbour, 1922) - Beetz's tiger snake, Namib tiger snake
Telescopus dhara (Forskål, 1775)
Telescopus fallax (Fleischmann, 1831)
Telescopus finkeldeyi Haacke, 2013 - Damara tiger snake
Telescopus gezirae Broadley, 1994
Telescopus hoogstraali K.P. Schmidt & Marx, 1956
Telescopus nigriceps (Ahl, 1924)
Telescopus obtusus (Reuss, 1834) - Egyptian catsnake
Telescopus pulcher (Scortecci, 1935)
Telescopus rhinopoma (Blanford, 1874)
Telescopus semiannulatus A. Smith, 1849
Telescopus tessellatus (Wall, 1908) - checkered catsnake
Telescopus tripolitanus (F. Werner, 1908)
Telescopus variegatus (J.T. Reinhardt, 1843)

References

Boulenger GA (1896). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the Colubridæ (Opisthoglyphæ and Proteroglyphæ), ... London: Trustees of the British Museum. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I- XXV. (Genus Tarbophis, p. 47).