Terre-de-Haut racer

Terre-de-Haut racer
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Reptilia
Order:Squamata
Suborder:Serpentes
Family:Colubridae
Genus:Alsophis
Species: A. sanctonum
Binomial name
Alsophis sanctonum
Barbour, 1915
Subspecies
  • A.sanctonum sanctonum Barbour, 1915
  • A.sanctonum danforthi Cochran, 1938
Synonyms

Alsophis antillensis

The Terre-de-Haut racer (Alsophis sanctonum) is a species of snakes 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 Terre-de-Haut are very small islands with a total area of approximately 13 km2. Because of its presence only on this small area, it is a highly protected species.

It can reach nearly a meter in length. It feeds on lizards and small rodents. It rarely bites humans, but may release a foul-smelling (though harmless) cloacal secretion when disturbed.

Habitat

Alsophis sanctonum occurs along mangrove edges, roadsides, gardens, wooded areas, preferentially in semi-deciduous forest with Pimenta racemosa, Pisonia grandis, Guapinol, and Bursera simaruba. It is present in areas less frequented by humans.

Subspecies

  • A.sanctonum sanctonum Barbour, 1915 or Terre-de-Haut racer.
  • A.sanctonum danforthi Cochran, 1938 or Terre-de-Bas racer.

References

  1. ↑ Breuil, M.; Day, M. & Knapp, C. (2010). "Alsophis sanctonum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.4. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 12 December 2011.

  • Barbour, Thomas (1915). "Recent notes regarding West Indian reptiles and amphibians". Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 28: 71–78.
  • Cochran, Doris Mable (1938). "Reptiles and amphibians from the Lesser Antilles collected by Dr. S. T. Danforth". Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 51: 147–155.
  • Questel, K. (2011). "ALSOPHIS : Les Serpents des Petites Antilles".
  • Breuil, M. (2002). "Histoire naturelle des Amphibiens et des Reptiles terrestres de l'Archipel Guadeloupéen. Guadeloupe, Saint-Martin, Saint-Barthélemy". Patrimoines Naturels. 54: 339.


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