Opisthotropis

reptile genus

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 17, 2026

Quick Summary

Opisthotropis is a genus of snakes found in mountain streams in China and Southeast Asia. These snakes are nocturnal and typically live beneath stones. They feed on fish, adult frogs, tadpoles, and invertebrates. Females of this genus lay one to six eggs. The genus Opisthotropis is part of the Opisthoglypha group, which are snakes with grooved posterior maxillary teeth that conduct venom.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

5 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

water snake
In addition, Opisthotropis, an unusual genus made up of 20 species, lives beneath stones in mountain streams in China and Southeast Asia; it is nocturnal and feeds upon fish, adult frogs, tadpoles, and invertebrates. Females of this genus lay one to six eggs.
Read More
In addition, Opisthotropis, an unusual genus made up of 20 species, lives beneath stones in mountain streams in China and Southeast Asia; it is nocturnal and feeds upon fish, adult frogs, tadpoles, and invertebrates. Females of this genus lay one to six eggs.
Read More