''Alsophis'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

snake Snakes are elongated limbless reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (). Cladistically squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales much like other members of the group. Many species of snakes have s ...

s in the

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zo ...

Dipsadinae of the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Colubridae Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from , 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family. The earliest fossil species of the family date back to the Late Eocene epoch, with earlier origins suspected. C ...

Species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

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

Lesser Antilles The Lesser Antilles is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea, forming part of the West Indies in Caribbean, Caribbean region of the Americas. They are distinguished from the larger islands of the Greater Antilles to the west. They form an arc w ...

in the

Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...

. One

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

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, 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 (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

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

Rarity of 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 local population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the most populous island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua ...

and Barbuda, 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 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. *'' Alsophis antiguae'' – Antiguan racer *'' Alsophis antillensis'' – Antilles racer, Guadeloupe racer, Leeward racer *'' Alsophis cantherigerus'' *'' Alsophis danforthi'' *'' Alsophis manselli'' – Montserrat racer *'' Alsophis rijgersmaei'' – Anguilla racer, Anguilla Bank racer, Leeward Islands racer *'' Alsophis rufiventris'' – orange-bellied racer, red-bellied racer, Saba racer *'' Alsophis sanctonum'' *'' Alsophis sibonius'' – Antilles racer, Dominica racer, Dominican racer, Leeward racer '' Nota bene'': 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 {{Dipsadinae-stub