''Alsophis'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

snake Snakes are elongated, limbless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes have skulls with several more j ...

s in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Colubridae Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from la, coluber, 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family. The earliest species of the family date back to the Oligocene epoch. Colubrid snakes are found on ev ...

Species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

in the genus ''Alsophis'' are among those snakes commonly called "racers". ''Alsophis'' species are endemic to the

Lesser Antilles The Lesser Antilles ( es, link=no, Antillas Menores; french: link=no, Petites Antilles; pap, Antias Menor; nl, Kleine Antillen) are a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. Most of them are part of a long, partially volcanic island arc bet ...

in the Caribbean. One

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

in the genus ''Alsophis'', ''A. antiguae'', is one of the world's rarest known snakes. Snakes of the genus ''Alsophis'' are small and

rear-fanged A snake skeleton consists primarily of the skull, vertebrae, and ribs, with only vestigial remnants of the limbs. Skull The skull of a snake is a very complex structure, with numerous joints to allow the snake to swallow prey far larger than i ...

, and they are considered harmless to humans. This genus contains nine described species which are recognized as being valid. Several species once included in this genus have been placed in the

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial ...

'' Borikenophis'' and '' Pseudalsophis''.

Rarest species

'' Alsophis antiguae'' is the rarest snake in the genus ''Alsophis''. This snake once occurred on

Antigua Antigua ( ), also known as Waladli or Wadadli by the native population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua and Ba ...

and

Barbuda Barbuda (), is an island located in the eastern Caribbean forming part of the sovereign state of Antigua and Barbuda. It is located north of the island of Antigua and is part of the Leeward Islands of the West Indies. The island is a popula ...

, but by 1995, only 50 individuals remained on Great Bird Island, off the coast of Antigua. Following the removal of invasive alien predators and successful reintroductions to a further three islands (Rabbit in 1999, Green Island in 2001, and York Island in 2008), the total population has increased to more than 1,000 individuals.

Description

Snakes of the genus ''Alsophis'' are all relatively small, usually less than about 1 m (39⅜ in) in body length. Females tend to be larger than males. these racers are rear-fanged, with enlarged teeth at the rear of their upper jaws.

Behavior

''Alsophis'' species are harmless to humans and most have a gentle temperament. They are diurnal, usually active from dawn to dusk.

Species

Listed alphabetically by

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

. *'' Alsophis antiguae'' – Antiguan racer *'' Alsophis antillensis'' – Antilles racer, Guadeloupe racer, Leeward racer *'' Alsophis danforthi'' *'' Alsophis manselli'' – Montserrat racer *'' Alsophis rijgersmaei'' – Anguilla racer, Anguilla Bank racer, Leeward Islands racer *'' Alsophis rufiventris'' – orange-bellied racer,

red-bellied racer The red-bellied racer (''Alsophis rufiventris'') is a species of Colubrid snake that is endemic to the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean, where it is found on the islands of Saba, Sint Eustatius, Saint Kitts, and Nevis. Males have black-bordered ...

, Saba racer *''

Alsophis sanctonum The Terre-de-Haut racer (''Alsophis sanctonum'') is a species of snake found in the Caribbean, on the Lesser Antilles. This species is endemic to Terre-de-Bas Island and Terre-de-Haut Island which make up the Îles des Saintes. Terre-de-Bas and T ...

'' *'' Alsophis sibonius'' – Antilles racer, Dominica racer, Dominican racer, Leeward racer ''

Nota bene (, or ; plural form ) is a Latin phrase meaning "note well". It is often abbreviated as NB, n.b., or with the ligature and first appeared in English writing . In Modern English, it is used, particularly in legal papers, to draw the atte ...

'': A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Alsophis''.

References

External links

Life is Short, but Snakes are LongAntiguan racer at Fauna & Flora InternationalOffshore Islands Conservation Programme
Snake genera Taxa named by Leopold Fitzinger Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Snakes of the Caribbean {{Colubrids-stub