Phylogeny
Some common names of Atractaspis are "mole viper" and "burrowing asp". The genus Atractaspis is commonly mistaken for the family Viperidae. One reason for this confusion is that the long, hollow fangs of Atractaspis are similar in many respects to those of Viperidae. However, hypotheses about the exact phylogenic placement of Atractaspis suggest that rather than being closely related to Viperidae, Atractaspis is more closely related to the families Colubridae and Elapidae. Evidence that supports this is seen in the venom of Atractaspis, which is unlike viperid venom. The antigenic properties of the venom appear to be related to the venom of Elapidae. The specific properties of the venom will be explained in lower sections. Even within the genus Atractaspis, there are clear differences in the development of the venom gland: Atractaspis microlepidota develops long venom glands, whereas Atractaspis bibronii develops short venom glands.
Read more about this topic: Small-scaled Burrowing Asp