Acta Musei Moraviae

The snake fauna of Děvínska Nová Ves (Slovak Republic) in relation to the evolution of snake assemblages of the European Middle Miocene

The reptile assemblage of Děvínska Nová Ves (Astaracian – MN 6) is diversified, including Colubridae, Elapidae and Viperidae. Recently, the following snake taxa were reported from this site: Colubrinae B & D, Colubrinae gen. et sp. indet., Neonatrix sp. and Elapidae C. All the taxa (Colubridae and Elapidae) represent the modem European snake fauna which displaced ‚ancienť snake fauna (including family Boidae) out of the Central European area. The last Central European occurrence of large boid snakes (Boinae or Pythoninae) is documented at the Lower/Middle Miocene transition, while ‚Oriental vipers‘ group occurs here till the end of Middle Miocene. Representatives of cobras (Elapidae) became extinct during the Upper Miocene in Central Europe.