Lamprophiidae
The Lamprophiidae are a family of snakes found mostly in Africa, but also in parts of southern Europe and western Asia. A few species reach southeastern Asia. There are 322 species as of April 2019. Biology. Lamprophiids are a very diverse group of snakes. Many are terrestrial but some are fossorial (e.g. "Amblyodipsas"), arboreal (e.g. "Langaha"), or semi-aquatic (e.g. "Lycodonomorphus"). Some are fast-moving (e.g. "Psammophis") whereas others are slow (e.g. "Duberria"). They are found in deserts, grasslands, temperate and tropical forests, steppes and mountains. Together they feed on mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. Some species  use constriction to subdue their prey (e.g. "Boaedon"), whereas others are highly venomous and dangerous to humans (e.g. "Atractaspis"). Tooth morphology within Lamprophiidae is probably more variable than within any other snake family. Most species are oviparous. Classification. Most lamprophiids were historically considered to be members of the subfamily Lamprophiinae in the family Colubridae. The following classification follows Pyron et al., 2010, whose finding that lamprophiids are more closely related to elapids has been repeated by several other studies. Together these two groups are sometimes referred to as the Elapoidea. In fact, some studies have found that Elapidae is nested  within Lamprophiidae, a finding that, if confirmed, will likely necessitate taxonomic changes to restore monophyly within the Elapoidea. In Captivity. Some members of the Lamprophiidae, such as the African house snake (genus "Boaedon") are kept and bred as pets by herpetoculturists worldwide. Due to their placid nature, classification as nonvenomous snakes, easy care requirements and small size, many of the species that are bred in captivity are considered by many to be a perfect pet reptile for novices and experienced reptile keepers alike.