Classification – Pupil Shapes of Snakes

The existing classifications for snake pupils are not well standardized and leave too much room for interpretation. Peter Uetz and I are currently working on a reclassification to solve this problem, see the table below. Please contact either me or Peter if you have ideas for improvement.

Pupil	Description	Example	Synonyms

Literature

• The pupillary light responses of animals; a review of their distribution, dynamics, mechanisms and functions (DOUGLAS, 2018)
• Additions to the description of Paroplocephalus atriceps with a discussion on pupil shape in it and other Australian snakes (BUSH, 2017)
• Why do animal eyes have pupils of different shapes? (BANKS ET AL, 2015)
• Pupil shape in the animal kingdom: From the pseudopupil to the vertical pupil (GONZALES-MARTIN-MORO ET AL, 2014)
• Insights into the adaptive significance of vertical pupil shape in snakes (BRISCHOUX, SHINE, PIZZATTO 2010)
• Pupil shapes and lens optics in the eyes of terrestrial vertebrates (MALMSTRÖM, KRÖGER 2006)
• The origin of snakes (Serpentes) as seen through eye anatomy (CARPRETTE ET AL, 2004)
• Extreme adaptability to light, in the round pupil of the snake Spalerosophis (WERNER 1970)