Henophidia is a former parvorder of the suborder Serpentes (snakes) that contains boas, pythons and numerous other less-well-known snakes.
Snakes once considered to belong to superfamily Henophidia include two families now considered Amerophidia (Aniliidae – red pipe snakes, and Tropidophiidae – dwarf "boas" or thunder snakes), three families now considered Uropeltoidea (Cylindrophiidae – Asian pipe snakes, Anomochilidae – dwarf pipe snakes, and Uropeltidae – shield-tailed snakes and short-tailed snakes), three families now considered Pythonoidea (Pythonidae – pythons, Loxocemidae – Mexican burrowing snake, and Xenopeltidae – sunbeam snakes), at least one family now considered Booidea (Boidae – boas [including sand boas and many other lineages often called boas, mostly now considered subfamilies of Boidae]
Because these snakes do not form a monophyletic group or former and ophidia meaning serpent, so former/older snakes (in contrast to Caenophidia, i.e. recent snakes).
Former families
- Aniliidae – coral pipe snakes and pipe snakes.
- Anomochilidae – dwarf pipe snakes.
- Boidae – boas (including sand boas)
- Bolyeriidae – Round Island boas.
- Cylindrophiidae – Asian pipe snakes.
- Loxocemidae – Mexican burrowing snake.
- Pythonidae – pythons
- Tropidophiidae – dwarf boas.
- Uropeltidae – shield-tailed snakes and short-tail snakes.
- Xenopeltidae – sunbeam snakes.