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Archaeophis Temporal range: Eocene
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	†Palaeophiidae
Genus:	†Archaeophis Massalongo, 1859
Species:	†A. proavus
Binomial name
†Archaeophis proavus Massalongo, 1859

Archaeophis proavus is an extinct species of marine palaeophiid snake from the Eocene of Monte Bolca, Italy. It had the highest vertebral count known among snakes, with 565 vertebrae.

Massalongo also described a second species in the genus, A. bolcensis, but this was subsequently placed in the new genus Anomalophis. Another species, A. turkmenicus from Turkmenistan, is also thought to most likely belong to a distinct, currently undescribed genus.

References

1. Smith, K. T.; Georgalis, G. L. (2022). "The diversity and distribution of Palaeogene snakes: a review, with comments on vertebral sufficiency". In Gower, D.; Zaher, H. (eds.). The Origin and Early Evolution of Snakes. Cambridge University Press. pp. 55‑84. ISBN 9781108938891.
2. Massalongo, A. (1859). Specimen photographicum animalium quorumdam plantarumque fossilium Agri Veronensis. Vicentini-Franchini. p. 101.
3. Auffenberg, W. (1959). "Anomalophis bolcensis (Massalongo), a new genus of fossil snake from the Italian Eocene". Breviora. 114: 1–16.
4. Rage, Jean-Claude; Bajpai, Sunil; Thewissen, Johannes G. M.; Tiwari, Brahma N. (2003). "Early Eocene snakes from Kutch, Western India, with a review of the Palaeophiidae". Geodiversitas. 25 (4): 695–716 – via ResearchGate.

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