Antilles slender snake

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Antilles slender snake
Antilles snake in Rosalie, Dominica.

Antilles snake in Rosalie, Dominica.

Systematics
Subordination : Snakes (serpentes)
Superfamily : Adders (Colubridae)
Family : Subfamily (Dipsadinae)
Genre : Alsophis
Type : Antilles slender snake
Scientific name
Alsophis antillensis
( Schlegel , 1837)

The Antilles Slim Natter ( English Antilles Racer , French Couresse de la Guadeloupe ; Alsophis antillensis ) is a species of snake from the family of snakes . It is endemic to some islands in the Lesser Antilles : Montserrat , Dominica and Guadeloupe . It is critically endangered and only widespread on Dominica, probably because there are no mongooses on the island .

description

The animals are 80 to 100 cm long, are dark gray / brown in color, with lighter drawings on the upper side, some of which appear as a zigzag pattern. The reptile is very shy, nontoxic and completely harmless. If picked up, they can secrete a foul-smelling cesspool . They feed on lizards and other small creatures. The species is egg-laying .

Systematics

Research distinguishes three subspecies: Alsophis antillensis antillensis , Alsophis antillensis manselli and Alsophis antillensis sibonius . The population on Dominica is often seen as a separate species A. sibonius . The subspecies A. a. manselli is limited to Montserrat. The population in Guadeloupe may have died out .

Synonyms are Psammophis antillensis , Dromicus antillensis , Dromicus leucomelas .

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Schlegel: Essai sur la physionomie des serpens. 1837.
  2. ↑ reptile-database.reptarium.cz .

literature

  • Anita Malhotra, Roger S. Thorpe, Eric Hypolite, Arlington James: A report on the status of the herpetofauna of the Commonwealth of Dominica, West Indies. In: Applied Herpetology , vol. 4, 2007: 177-94. doi = 10.1163 / 157075407780681365
  • Anita Malhotra, Roger S. Thorpe: Reptiles & Amphibians of the Eastern Caribbean. MacMillan, London & Oxford 1999: 27, 38-39, 75, 84, 87, 88, 122. ISBN 0-333-69141-5
  • Robert Powell, Robert W. Henderson: Conservation Status of Lesser Antillean Reptiles. In: Iguana, vol. 12, 2, 2005: 63-77.
  • Hermann Schlegel: Essai sur la physionomie des serpens. Lot of Descriptive. La Haye (J. Kips, J. HZ. Et WP van Stockum) 1837.
  • Lauren A. White, Peter J. Muelleman: Juvenile pattern and ontogenetic pattern changes in Dominican Racers. In: Iguana 15, (3) 2008: 157-159.
  • Hussam Zaher, Felipe Gobbi Grazziotin, John E. Cadle, Robert W. Murphy, Julio Cesar de Moura-Leite, Sandro L. Bonatto: Molecular phylogeny of advanced snakes (Serpentes, Caenophidia) with an emphasis on South American Xenodontines: a revised classification and descriptions of new taxa. In: Pap. Avulsos Zool. (São Paulo) 49 (11) 2009: 115-153.

Web links

Commons : Antillen-Schlanknatter ( Alsophis antillensis )  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files