the cave splayfoot salamander ( chiropterotriton mosaueri ) is a species of salamander in the family plethodontidae .

it is endemic to mexico .

its natural habitat is caves .

it is threatened by habitat loss .

in 2010 , this species was observed for the first time since its 1941 description .

cave splayfoot salamander

as the human footprint expands , many amphibians are being pushed back into marginal areas , such as the mexican cave system where the cave splayfoot salamander ( chiropterotriton mosaueri ) turned up .
the spotted - tail cave salamander ( eurycea lucifuga ) of the united states .
conservationists have turned up live specimens of two west african frogs and a cave - dwelling salamander from mexico .
very little is known about this species because it has rarely been seen ; nearly 70 years passed from the formal discovery of the cave splayfoot salamander in the early 1940s , until it was seen again by a scientist in 2010 . cave splayfoot salamanders are found crawling about on the damp walls in near - total darkness . forest clearance around its former habitat has resulted in the drying out of caves that used to contain this species .
there had been no sightings of this salamander since its initial discovery in 1941 .
after excitedly telling my companions from the town , i reentered the cave and found another species , the bigfoot splayfoot salamander ( chiropterotriton magnipes ) , crawling upside down on the cave ceiling . this species was only known from a handful of sites , all rather far away from where i was , and was certainly one of the most unusual amphibians i had ever seen , with its giant feet and nearly translucent skin . after exploring some distance into the cave , i went on to find another c . mosaueri and three more c . magnipes , all crawling on the cave walls or ceiling .
haideotriton wallacei , the georgia blind salamander ( haideotriton is considered synonymous with eurycea by some experts . )
the salamander was last seen in 1941 , and was rediscovered by abseiling into caves deep in the forest .
the last time that the mexican salamander was seen , glenn miller was one of the world ' s biggest stars .
this salamander was initially collected in 1937 ( and described by woodall in 1941 ) and was then not seen again for 73 years .
with the highly notable exception of proteus anguinus , all
cave salamanders
are members of the family plethodontidae (
lungless salamanders
) .
this week , ci announced the rediscovery of three amphibian species not seen for decades . below , herpetologist sean rovito describes his experience finding a mexican salamander species not seen in 69 years .
this species is very active and can move about quickly ( s . rovito , pers . comm . ) . it is a cave - dweller ( woodall 1941 ) , syntopic with
eurycea ( of north america ) and speleomantes ( of italy and france ) are two genera of lungless salamanders with so many individual species termed
cave salamanders
that the entire group is sometimes so designated .
we went just before sundown . the cave was on a steep slope covered with pine and oak trees , with lots of limestone and agave plants all around . no sooner had i entered than i saw a large adult salamander with a very long tail atop a rock on the cave floor . although i had not seen many species of chiropterotriton , it looked different from any other i had seen , and i instantly knew that it must be c . mosaueri . it moved very rapidly and attempted to escape before i was able to catch it . it was exhilarating to be the first one to see a species that had been seen only once , and so long ago .
this species was previously known only from a cave near durango town , in northern hidalgo , mexico , at 2 , 160 m asl . however , recently it has been found in another location nearby ; both within the parque nacional los mármoles . there is no a priori reason to assume that the species is endemic from hidalgo and more cave exploration is needed to determine its range . its extent of occurrence ( eoo ) and area of occupancy ( aoo ) is 40 km 2 .
the population trend is unknown as this species had not been seen for 73 years . however , in 2010 , this species was recorded again from a cave near the type locality . it is no longer found at the type locality , which has become uninhabitable due to pollution and dessication .
the forest habitat surrounding the caves is under severe pressure from expanding agriculture , slash and burn agricultural methods and wood extraction . like chiropterotriton magnipes , this species seems to have disappeared from its type locality due to the drying of its caves following the removal of forest and from pollution - the cave is currently filled with trash .
several salamanders that primarily or exclusively inhabit caves have commonly been termed
cave salamanders
. some of these animals have developed special , even extreme , adaptations to their subterranean environments . these adaptations include rudimentary ( or even absent ) eyes—thus the related term
blind salamanders
—or absence of pigmentation , rendering them a pale yellowish or pinkish color ( e . g . , eurycea rathbuni ) .
i felt tremendously lucky not only to have found these magnificent salamanders , but also to know that both of these species persist in the wild after so many years . the people from the town were also excited to know that the salamander still existed on their land , and invited me to stay for a delicious dinner while we talked about salamanders and other animals and plants they had seen their town . it was one of the most exciting days i have had in five years of working with tropical salamanders .
conservation actions it is found in a cave and it could occur at other caves in parque nacional los mármoles . it is protected by mexican law under the
special protection
category ( pr ) . conservation needed improved management of the park is required , with special attention to the caves where this and other salamanders could occur . ideally some caves should be put off limits given their fragility . research needed research is needed on its natural history , population size and distribution . a species recovery plan needs to be developed and implemented preferably together with the park ' s authorities , and a monitoring program is recommended to follow population trends .
a mission aimed at rediscovering amphibian species thought to be extinct has yielded its first results .
the expeditions are partially designed to bring attention to the plight of amphibians around the world , with a third of species at risk of extinction .
it ' s pretty extraordinary to think about just how long it has been since these animals were last seen ,
observed project co - ordinator robin moore of conservation international ( ci ) .
the omaniundu reed frog disappeared the year that sony sold its first ever walkman .
the expeditions , formally launched last month , collectively aim to find out whether 100 species thought extinct are in fact still alive .
the west african species - the omaniundu reed frog ( hyperolius sankuruensis ) from democratic republic of congo , last seen in 1979 , and the mount nimba reed frog ( hyperolius nimbae ) from ivory coast , unknown since 1967 - are particularly intriguing , as both countries are subject to fairly intensive habitat loss .
it was thought to need humid caves , and conservationists feared it had been wiped out as the forests dried out after extensive logging .
these are fantastic finds and could have important implications for people as well as for amphibians ,
said dr moore .
we don ' t know whether study of these animals could provide new medicinal compounds - as other amphibians have - and at least one of these animals lives in an area that is important to protect as it provides drinking water to urban areas .
but these rediscovered animals are the lucky ones - many other species we have been looking for have probably gone for good .
the re - discovery mission is scheduled to produce its final tally before october ' s summit of the un convention on biological diversity , to be held in nagoya , japan .
there , governments will discuss the human factors that are pushing many plant and animal species towards extinction , with amphibians in the vanguard .
the foreign secretary quits , telling theresa may
needless self - doubt
is leading to
semi - brexit
.
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frost , d . r . 2015 . amphibian species of the world : an online reference . version 6 . 0 . new york , usa . available at : urltoken .
wake , d . , parra - olea , g . , garcía parís , m . & rovito , s .
justification : listed as critically endangered because its extent of occurrence is 40 km 2 , it is currently only known from one threat - defined location , and there is continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat and in the number of mature individuals . the population is known to be much , much smaller than some decades ago . because of poor management of the area where it occurs , it is unclear whether this location will remain suitable in the near future .
it is a crevice - dweller that apparently requires humid caverns in pine - oak forest in order to survive . it is a terrestrial species that breeds by direct development .
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diagnosis : medium - sized body , 39 . 6 mm to 46 . 4 mm svl . tail is slender and longer than the body ( 46 . 5 - 63 . 9 mm tail length , tail : body ratio of 1 . 35 ) , with a slight constriction at the base . snout is truncate with the upper jaw protruding beyond the lower . large nostrils , located near the angles of the snout . limbs are quite long , with toes overlapping a distance of 2 costal folds when appressed . toes are spatulate and are webbed , with toe i both reduced and enclosed in webbing ; in contrast , each outer digit has one phalanx free from the webbing . this species has 12 or 13 costal grooves . vomerine teeth are present in 2 arched series with 8 to 13 teeth in each series . males have posterior maxillary teeth , like
by having 12 costal grooves , finger ii longer than finger iv , longer legs , a shorter head , and more vomerine teeth . it can be distinguished from
preserved specimens are uniformly dark brown on the dorsum and nearly uniform light tan on the venter , with only a few pigment granules visible ventrally on the chest and under the limbs and tail ( woodall 1941 ) .
endemic to northeastern mexico , in the sierra madre oriental . the type locality is a mixed pine / oak forest , near durango and northwest of hidalgo , on a rocky slope at 2160 m asl .
the specific epithet was given in honor of dr . walter mosauer , a herpetologist and professor at ucla , who specialized in the study of mexican amphibians and reptiles .
stuart , s . , hoffmann , m . , chanson , j . , cox , n . , berridge , r . , ramani , p . , and young , b . ( eds ) ( 2008 ) .
lynx edicions , iucn , and conservation international , barcelona , spain ; gland , switzerland ; and arlington , virginia , usa .
> university of california , berkeley , ca , usa . accessed jul 9 , 2018 .
> university of california , berkeley , ca , usa . accessed 9 jul 2018 .
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attributes / relations provided by ♦ 1 oliveira , brunno freire ; são - pedro , vinícius avelar ; santos - barrera , georgina ; penone , caterina ; c . costa , gabriel . ( 2017 ) amphibio , a global database for amphibian ecological traits . sci . data .
ecoregions provided by world wide fund for nature ( wwf ) . wildfinder : online database of species distributions , ver . 01 . 06 wwf wildfinder
protected areas provided by le saout , s . , hoffmann , m . , shi , y . , hughes , a . , bernard , c . , brooks , t . m . , bertzky , b . , butchart , s . h . m . , stuart , s . n . , badman , t . & rodrigues , a . s . l . ( 2013 ) protected areas and effective biodiversity conservation . science , 342 , 803–805
exploring the vital connections between nature ' s well - being and our own .
sean rovito is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the instituto de biología , unam in méxico . this is the latest report from field researchers participating in ci’s search for the lost frogs campaign . read our previous blog posts here .
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alsophis is a genus of snakes in the colubroid dipsadidae family .

they are among those snakes called " racers " and occur throughout the caribbean .

one species in the genus alsophis is one of the world ’s rarest known snakes .

snakes of the genus alsophis are small and rear-fanged snakes , and they are considered harmless to humans .

this genus contains at least eight described species .

several species once included in this genus have been placed in the genera borikenophis and pseudalsophis .

alsophis

alsophis rijgersmaei cope 1869 : 154 alsophis cinereus — garman 1887 : 282 alsophis cinereus — barbour 1923 : 6 alsophis rigersmaei —barbour 1930 alsophis rijersmai — schwartz & henderson 1991 : 575 alsophis rijgersmaei — crother 1999 alsophis rijgersmaei — breuil 2002 alsophis rijgersmaei — wallach et al . 2014 : 24
alsophis leucomelas manselli parker 1933 alsophis manselli — hedges et al . 2009 alsophis manselli — wallach et al . 2014 : 24
alsophis leucomelas antiguae parker 1933 : 158 alsophis antiguae — parker 1936 alsophis antiguae — schwartz & henderson 1991 : 565 alsophis antiguae — wallach et al . 2014 : 24
alsophis sibonius cope 1879 : 275 alsophis sibonius — garman 1887 : 283 alsophis antillensis sibonius — white & muelleman 2008 alsophis sibonius — hedges et al . 2009 alsophis sibonius — wallach et al . 2014 : 25
antiguan racer , alsophis antiguae . head of female . world s rarest snake . antigua
alsophis portoricensis occurs throughout the main island of puerto rico from coastal plain to forested middle elevations .
alsophis vudii cope 1862 : 74 alsophis vudii — barbour 1904 : 60 alsophis vudii — schwartz & henderson 1991 : 577 alsophis vudii — crother 1999 ocyophis vudii — zaher et al . 2009 cubophis vudii — hedges et al . 2009 cubophis vudii — wallach et al . 2014 : 201 cubophis vudii vudii ( cope 1862 ) alsophis vudii vudii — schwartz & henderson 1991 : 578 cubophis vudii vudii — hedges et al . 2009 cubophis vudii aterrimus ( barbour and shreve 1935 ) alsophis vudii aterrimus barbour and shreve 1935 : 362 alsophis vudii aterrimus — schwartz & henderson 1991 : 578 cubophis vudii aterrimus — hedges et al . 2009 cubophis vudii picticeps ( conant 1937 ) alsophis vudii picticeps — schwartz & henderson 1991 : 578 cubophis vudii picticeps — hedges et al . 2009 cubophis vudii raineyi ( barbour and shreve 1935 ) alsophis vudii raineyi barbour and shreve 1935 : 363 alsophis vudii raineyi — schwartz & henderson 1991 : 578 cubophis vudii raineyi — hedges et al . 2009 cubophis vudii utowanae ( barbour and shreve 1935 ) alsophis vudii utowanae barbour and shreve 1935 : 366 alsophis vudii utowanae — schwartz & henderson 1991 : 578 cubophis vudii utowanae — hedges et al . 2009
biological and proteomic analysis of venom from the puerto rican racer ( alsophis portoricensis : dipsadidae ) .
alsophis antiguae is probably the rarest snake in the genus alsophis . this snake can only be found on great bird island , off the coast of antigua , and there are currently only eighty remaining . ( daltry 119 )
hans - martin braun added the german common name
antillen - schlanknatter
to
alsophis antillensis schlegel 1837
.
biological and proteomic analysis of venom from the puerto rican racer ( alsophis portoricensis : dipsadidae ) . - pubmed - ncbi
questel k . 2011 . alsophis rijgersmaei ( anguilla bank racer ) . distribution . caribbean herpetology 23 : 1 - get paper here
questel k . 2013 . alsophis rijgersmaei ( anguilla bank racer ) . behavior . caribbean herpetology 48 : 1 - get paper here
wieg , c . 2009 . geographic variation in the bahamian brown racer , alsophis vudii . masters thesis , ohio university , 48 pp .
puerto rican racer ( eng . ) , culebra corredora ( sp . ) , alsophis portoricensis ( sci . ) , native , puerto rico .
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alsophis are harmless to humans and have gentle temperament ( daltry 121 ) . they are diurnal , which means they are active from dawn to dusk except for a rest around mid - day ( s files 1 ) . some species of alsophis have a poor resistance to common diseases not found where the snake is actually from . this couldn’t be more true for alsophis antiguae , which has ended some attempts at captive breeding ( s - files 1 ) .
illustrations : lazell , 1967 ; henderson , 1990 . conservation : possibly extinct . alsophis antiguae sajdaki henderson , 1990 has been elevated to full species status .
conant , r . 1937 . alsophis from new islands with the description of a new subspecies . proceedings of the new england zoölogical club 16 : 81–83 .
daltry , j . c . 2006 . reintroduction of the critically endangered antiguan racer alsophis antiguae to green island , antigua . conservation evidence 3 : 36 - 38 .
daltry , j . c . 2006 . reintroduction of the critically endangered antiguan racer alsophis antiguae to rabbit island , antigua . conservation evidence 3 : 33 - 35 .
conant , r . 1937 . alsophis from new islands with the description of a new subspecies . proc . new england zool . club 16 : 81 - 83 .
rodríguez - robles , j . a . , and m . leal . 1993 . alsophis portoricensis ( puerto rican racer ) . diet . herpetological review 24 : 150–151 .
snakes of the genus alsophis are all relatively small only growing to about 1 metre ( 39⅜ inches ) in total length , and experience sexual dimorphism , meaning that females grow much bigger than males ( savit 420 ) . alsophis also are rear - fanged , meaning they have enlarged teeth at the rear of their upper jaws , and may be mildly venomous ( antiguan 1 ) .
henderson r w . powell r . daltry j c . day m l . 1996 . alsophis antiguae . catalogue of american amphibians and reptiles ( 632 ) : 1 - 3 . - get paper here
daltry , j . 2006 . the effect of black rat rattus rattus control on the population of the antiguan racer snake alsophis antiguae on great bird island , antigua . conservation evidence 3 : 30 - 32 .
daltry , j . c . 2006 . control of the black rat rattus rattus for the conservation of the antiguan racer alsophis antiguae on great bird island , antigua . conservation evidence 3 : 28 - 29 .
leal , m . , and r . thomas . 1994 . notes on the feeding behavior and the exhibit of caudal luring by juvenile alsophis portoricensis ( serpentes : colubridae ) . journal of herpetology 28 : 126–128 . pdf
rodríguez - robles , j . a . , and m . leal . 1993 . effects of prey type on the feeding behavior of alsophis portoricensis ( serpentes : colubridae ) . journal of herpetology 27 : 163–168 . pdf
class - reptilia , order - squamata , family - colubridae , genus - alsophis , species - a . portoricensis . the puerto rican racer is the second largest puerto rican snake , and its venomous bite is mildly poisonous .
townsend , j . h . , r . powell , and r . w . henderson 2000 . alsophis rijgersmaei cope anguilla bank racer . catalogue of american amphibians and reptiles ( 717 ) : 1 - 3 - get paper here
henderson , r . 1989 . a new subspecies of alsophis antiguae ( serpentes : colubridae ) from great bird island ( antigua ) , lesser antilles . caribbean journal of science 25 ( 3 / 4 ) : 119 - 122 .
conservationists have made incredible progress in saving the rarest snake on the planet , the antiguan racer ( scientific name : alsophis antiguae ) . the population has dramatically spiked from just 50 individuals in the mid - nineties to over 500 today .
henderson , r . w . 1990 . a new subspecies of alsophis antiguae ( parker ) from great bird island ( antigua ) , lesser antilles . carib . j . sci . 25 ( 3 - 4 ) : 119 - 22 [ 1989 ]
ate one of them . submitted by karl questel ( la réserve naturelle de saint - barthélemy , bp 683 gustavia , 97099 saint - barthélemy cedex , sciencenaturestbarth @ gmail . com ) , jennifer boggio ( asso . alsophis @ gmail . com ) . [ questel k , boggio j . 2012 .
daltry , j . c . , lawrence , s . n . , lindsay , k . , morton , m . n . , otto , a . and thibou , a . submitted . successful reintroduction of antiguan racers alsophis antiguae to offshore islands in antigua , west indies . international zoo yearbook .
daltry , j . c . , bloxam , q . , cooper , g . , day , m . , hartley , j . , mcronnie , h . , lindsay , k . and smith , b . 2001 . five years of conserving the ' worlds rarest snake ' , the antiguan racer alsophis antiguae . oryx 335 ( 2 ) : 119 - 127 .
fifteen years ago , the future looked bleak for the antiguan racer ( alsophis antiguae ) , the world ' s rarest snake . in 1995 just 50 of the creatures survived on the isolated 8 . 4 - hectare great bird island off of antigua in the caribbean . introduced mongooses had wiped out the species on antigua itself ; invasive rats almost did the same trick on great bird .
daltry , j . c . , bloxam , q . , cooper , g . , day , m . l . , hartley , j . , mcronnie , h . , lindsay , k . and smith , b . e . ( 2001 ) five years of conserving the ' world ' s rarest snake ' , the antiguan racer alsophis antiguae . oryx , 35 ( 2 ) : 119 - 127 .
alsophis portoricensis is easily recognized by its size and coloration . it measures approximately 3 feet ( 0 . 9 meters ) in snout to vent length . it is brown above with each scale being edged with a darker brown , or sometimes white on the rearmost portions . there are no markings on the head and the throat is either unmarked or marked with dark blotches . below , scales are pale , with dark brown rear edges .
, gustavia , saint - barthélemy : réserve naturelle de saint - barthélemy & alsophis , 24 p ) . the discovery of this second juvenile indicates that the species has become established on the island . it is currently too early to know the impact of this invasive snake on local biodiversity . submitted by karl questel ( la réserve naturelle de saint - barthélemy , bp 683 gustavia , 97099 saint - barthélemy cedex , sciencenaturestbarth @ gmail . com ) , amarilli vitry ( amarillisbh @ gmail . com ) . [ questel k , vitry a . 2012 .
justification : alsophis antiguae has been assessed as critically endangered . this species was historically lost from antigua due to the introduction of mongoose , and probably from barbuda for unknown reasons , and reduced to a single population that until recently survived only on great bird island . since 1995 , the offshore islands conservation programme has led a reintroduction programme , and there are now populations on rabbit , green , and york islands , with the global population exceeding 1 , 100 . however , the species ' extent of occurrence is only 0 . 65 km² ( less than 0 . 1 % of its natural range ) and it is continually threatened by invasive species , inbreeding depression , and natural disasters . continued conservation management , population monitoring and invasive species control are needed to guarantee the species persistence .
. voucher : image . on 5 june 2012 , a female was captured in the district of lurin . seeing that she was pregnant , she was held in captivity . the female’s weight at the time of capture was 9 g , svl 70 mm ( mass to the nearest 0 . 5 g , length to the nearest mm ) . on 13 june 2012 , she give birth to three young : svl 34 mm , 1 g ; 34 mm , 0 . 5 g ; 36 mm , 1 g . maternal weight after delivery was 6 g . a few minutes after birth , young and mother ate termites , although the female had refused to eat three days earlier . this is the first report of reproduction in this species . submitted by karl questel ( la réserve naturelle de saint - barthélemy , bp 683 gustavia , 97099 saint - barthélemy cedex , sciencenaturestbarth @ gmail . com ) , jennifer boggio ( asso . alsophis @ gmail . com ) . [ questel k , boggio j . 2012 .
possibly the world ' s rarest snake , the antiguan racer is small , non - venomous and good - natured . unusually amongst snakes , this species shows dramatic sexual dimorphism with the females being much larger in size than the males and possessing almost the opposite colouration ; females are a silvery - grey colour with pale brown blotches and stripes , whereas the males are dark brown with creamy blotches ( 2 ) .
the antiguan racer is strictly diurnal ( 2 ) , remaining active in the heat of the day but often seeking out dense vegetation to provide shade ( 4 ) . adults feed primarily on anole lizards ( anolis species ) that are caught by ambush , lying in wait camouflaged beneath a thin layer of leaf litter with only their heads protruding ( 2 ) . the main predators of the antiguan racer are introduced rats and mongooses .
originally distributed throughout antigua and barbuda , in the west indies . by the late 20th century , it was found only on great bird island off the northeast coast of antigua ( 2 ) . a re - introduction programme is underway to restore this species to parts of its original range ( 3 ) .
antiguan racers prefer forested areas that are heavily shaded and have leaf litter , logs and dense undergrowth , but they may also be found on sandy or rocky areas ( 2 ) .
classified as critically endangered ( cr ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) .
in 1989 , the believed extinct antiguan racer was rediscovered on great bird island where it was indeed facing imminent extinction . by 1995 , only about 60 racers survived , and most had been severely injured by rats ( 3 ) . a conservation initiative sprang into action to save this species ; fauna and flora international , the antigua forestry unit , the island resources foundation , the durrell wildlife conservation trust , the environmental awareness group and black hills state university joined forces to create the antiguan racer conservation project ( 2 ) . this award - winning project led to the eradication of rats and mongooses from great bird island and 11 other offshore islands , an extensive study programme , and a very active education initiative for local people and visiting tourists ( 2 ) .
the results were highly successful and in 1999 ten snakes were re - introduced onto another small island that had been cleared of rats ( 4 ) . the antiguan racer was also bred in captivity for the first time , although severe problems were encountered ( 2 ) . in 2002 there were still fewer than 150 antiguan racers in existence ( 3 ) , but as a result of the various conservation efforts there are now around 300 in the wild , an impressive six - fold increase ( 6 ) . however , work remains ongoing , population numbers continue to be monitored and constant vigilance is needed to ensure that rats or mongooses do not return to the islands ( 4 ) . now something of a national celebrity , the future is slightly brighter for one of the world ' s rarest animals .
to learn more about a whitley award - winning conservation project for this species , click here .
authenticated ( 03 / 07 / 02 ) by dr jenny daltry , fauna and flora international . urltoken
diurnal active during the day . endemic a species or taxonomic group that is only found in one particular country or geographic area . sexual dimorphism when males and females of the same species differ in appearance .
fauna and flora international , environmental awareness group , forestry unit , island resources foundation . ( 1995 ) antiguan racer conservation project , phase 1 preliminary report . fauna and flora international , london .
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extinct . there is however evidence against this proposition from a study of more than 400 live specimens from great bird island which concluded that , apart from some geographical variation in ventral counts , the proposed diagnostic characters represented sexual dimorphism . on this basis this account considers that
hedges , b . , powell , r . , de silva , r . , milligan , h . t . , wearn , o . r . , wren , s . , zamin , t . , sears , j . , wilson , p . , lewis , s . , lintott , p . , powney , g . & hanson , s .
2001 ) , surviving only on great bird island . the distributional extent of this species has been increased from 8 . 4 ha to 65 ha ( 0 . 1 % of its natural range ) following reintroduction of the great bird island population (
) to three outlying islands . the snake can be found at all elevations ( up to approximately 30 m ) , but was probably also found at higher elevations on antigua prior to its extinction on the island ( j . daltry pers . comm . 2010 ) .
in 1995 , j . daltry demonstrated that the population on great bird island numbered 50 + / - 7 individuals . since reintroductions to rabbit , green and york islands the population now exceeds 1 , 100 , as of a 2015 census of the global population using mark - recapture methods ( j . daltry pers . comm . 2015 ) .
this species is found in habitats with dense undergrowth ; the surviving population is found in an area characterized largely by littoral dry forest and scrub . historically the species presumably occurred in wetter habitats on mainland antigua .
as a rare species this snake may be of interest to the pet trade , and both domestic use as pets and smuggling have been recorded ( offshore islands conservation programme ) .
a reintroduction plan was established in 1999 by the antiguan racer conservation project . since then , the antiguan racer conservation project ( now renamed the offshore islands conservation programme ) has eradicated alien mammals from 15 islands and successfully reintroduced the racer to three islands : rabbit ( 1999 ) , green ( 2002 ) and york ( 2008 ) . at present , there are no individuals of this species in captivity ( j . daltry pers . comm . 2010 ) . continued conservation management , population monitoring and invasive species control are needed to guarantee the species ' persistence . the species was formally granted national protected status in 2015 .
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justification : listed as endangered on the basis that this species has an extent of occurrence little over 1 , 000 km 2 and is known to survive on only five islands , each of which is considered a single location based on widespread threats from development , including the likely eradication of the population from scrub island following planned development . the population on st . barts is however presently viable and probably subject to at most localized threats , and while threats to anguilla are severe it is not yet clear how severe declines have been .
this species occurs on several islands of the lesser antilles ( henderson and powell 2009 ) . the species is extant on anguilla , scrub island and st . barthélemy , as well as la tortue ( questel 2011 ) . it may have been lost from sint maarten / st . martin , from where it was last reported in 1996 ; the last confirmed collection was in 1991 ( breuil 2002 ) . it was reported from le fourche and l ' ille bonhomme in the 1980s ; no recent sightings exist , but it is possible that it survives on these two islands ( questel 2012 ) .
this species occurs in xeric and mesic habitats , found in open areas , thorn forest and residential gardens , always associated with rocks . it can be found in dry stone walls . it feeds on lizards and frogs ( henderson and powell 2009 ) . little published information exists about its reproduction , but questel ( 2012 ) reports two observations of gravid females containing four eggs , and one dead specimen containing a single egg .
traffic between sint maarten / st . martin and the other islands is high , and monitoring is needed to ensure that mongoose from this ( or other ) islands do not become established on the islands where the anguilla racer survives ( questel 2012 ) . this author also proposes the feasibility of rat eradication from the satellite islands ( la tortue and scrub island ) be investigated , that protected areas be established to limit the impacts of development , and that on st . barts specifically an education campaign is undertaken to raise awareness that this snake is not venomous in an effort to reduce persecution . in 2015 a breeding colony was established at durrell wildlife park in jersey , and presently appears to be doing well ( j . daltry pers . comm . 2016 ) .
this errata assessment has been created because the map was accidentally left out of the version published previously .
( errata version published in 2017 ) . the iucn red list of threatened species 2016 : e . t941a115053801 .
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photo puerto rico ' s department of natural and environmental resources . information compiled by alan mowbray , interpretive media writer , eynf / lef
the puerto rican racer is a diurnal ( active during the daytime ) and terrestrial ( ground dwelling ) snake , although it can often be found in trees , an active hunter , once its prey is captured it is immobilized with a toxic salivary secretion of the snake’s duvernoy gland . it chews the prey several times to allow its enlarged back teeth to become effective . its diet consists primarily of small lizards ( anoles ) and frogs ( coquis ) . females lay up to eleven elongated eggs between march and may .
note : this snake is quite aggressive and will not hesitate to bite when cornered , rising up on the lower part of its body and expanding its neck skin into a “hood” in cobra fashion . when the teeth penetrate the skin and the saliva passes into the blood , it may cause swelling , soreness and discoloration of the bitten area .
this snake can occasionally be sighted in grassy areas in the tabonuco forest area beside the el portal and big tree nature trails .
daltry , jennifer c . 2007 . an introduction to the herpetofauna of antigua , barbuda and redonda , with some conservation recommendations . applied herpetology 4 ( 2 ) : 97 - 130 . - get paper here
hedges , s . blair ; arnaud couloux ; vidal , nicolas 2009 . molecular phylogeny , classification , and biogeography of west indian racer snakes of the tribe alsophiini ( squamata , dipsadidae , xenodontinae ) . zootaxa 2067 : 1 - 28 - get paper here
lazell , j . d . , jr . 1967 . wiederentdeckung von zwei angeblich ausgestorbenen schlangenarten der westindischen inseln . salamandra 3 : 91 - 97 - get paper here
malhotra , a . & thorpe , r . s . 1999 . reptiles & amphibians of the eastern caribbean . macmillan , london & oxford
parker , h . w . 1933 . some amphibians and reptiles from the lesser antilles . ann . mag . nat . hist . ( 10 ) 11 : 151 - 158 .
parker , h . w . 1936 . some extinct snakes of the west indies . ann . mag . nat . hist . 10 ( 18 ) : 227 - 233
schwartz , a . & henderson , r . w . 1991 . amphibians and reptiles of the west indies . university of florida press , gainesville , 720 pp .
wallach , van ; kenneth l . williams , jeff boundy 2014 . snakes of the world : a catalogue of living and extinct species . taylor and francis , crc press , 1237 pp .
this database is maintained by peter uetz ( database content ) and jakob hallermann , zoological museum hamburg ( new species and updates ) .
note : tdwg regions are generated automatically from the text in the distribution field and not in every cases it works well . we are working on it .
cope , e . d . 1879 . eleventh contribution to the herpetology of tropical america . proc . amer . philos . soc . 18 : 261 - 277 . - get paper here
garman , s . 1887 . on west indian reptiles in the museum of comparative zoology at cambridge , mass . proc . amer . philos . soc . 24 : 278 - 286 . - get paper here
white , lauren a . and peter j . muelleman . 2008 . juvenile pattern and ontogenetic pattern changes in dominican racers . iguana 15 ( 3 ) : 157 - 159
distribution : “so far as yet known , this distinct species is confined to the small island of st , . martins , in the spanish west indies , which has an area of only about thirty square miles .
six specimeils were sent to the academy natural sciences by dr . r . e . van rijgersma of that island . i dedicate the species to him in recognition of his labors in endeavoring to lay a basis for the complete zoology of that island” ( from cope 1869 : 155 ) . hendrik e . van rijgersma ( 1835–1877 ) , was a dutch naturalist and physician who practiced medicine on st . martin during 1863–1877 ( holthius 1959 ) . he collected plants and animals and sent the latter to the academy of natural sciences , philadelphia .
barbour , thomas 1923 . west indian investigations of 1922 . occasional papers of the museum of zoology , university of michigan ( 132 ) : 1 - 9 - get paper here
barbour , thomas 1930 . some faunistic changes in the lesser antilles . proc . new england zool . club 11 : 73 - 85
beolens , bo ; michael watkins , and michael grayson 2011 . the eponym dictionary of reptiles . johns hopkins university press , baltimore , usa - get paper here
breuil , h . 2002 . histoire naturelle des amphibiens et reptiles de l’archipel guadeloupéen : guadeloupe , saint - martin , saint - barthélemy . patrimoines naturels 54 : 339 pp .
breuil , michel ; fortuné guiougou ; karl questel ; béatrice ibéné 2009 . modifications du peuplement herpétologique dans les antilles françaises disparitions et espèces allochtones - 1 ère partie : historique - amphibiens . le courrier de la nature n° 249 : 30 - 37
cope , e . d . 1870 . seventh contribution to the herpetology of tropical america . proc . amer . philos . soc . 11 : 147 - 169 [ 1869 ] - get paper here
crother , brian i . 1999 . phylogenetic relationships among west indian xenodontine snakes ( serpentes ; colubridae ) with comments on the phylogeny of some mainland xenodontines . contemporary herpetology 2 - get paper here
hodge , k . v . d . , e . j . censky , and r . powell 2003 . the reptiles and amphibians of anguilla , british west indies . the anguilla national trust , the valley , anguilla , b . w . i . 72 pp .
massary , jean - christophe de ; corentin bochaton , roger bour , maël dewynter , ivan ineich , nicolas vidal < br / > & jean lescure 2018 . liste taxinomique de l’herpétofaune dans l’outre - mer français : ii . collectivité de saint - barthélemy bull . soc . herp . fr . 166 : 59 - 78 - get paper here
powell , r . ; passaro , r . j . ; henderson , r . w . 1992 . noteworthy herpetological records from saint maarten , netherlands antilles . carib . j . sci . 28 : 234 - 234
powell , robert ; robert w . henderson & j . s . parmerlee 2005 . the reptiles and amphibians of the dutch caribbean . st . eustatius , saba , and st maarten . the st . eustatius national parks foundation , 192 pp . [ review in reptilia gb 50 ] .
continent : caribbean distribution : guadeloupe , marie - galante ; virgin gorda ( barbout 1917 ) type locality : guadeloupe .
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may be the world’s rarest snake , and is currently critically endangered . snakes of the genus
snakes , and they are considered harmless to man . this genus contains at least nine described species .
1 . forest - > 1 . 5 . forest - subtropical / tropical dry suitability : suitable 1 . forest - > 1 . 6 . forest - subtropical / tropical moist lowland suitability : suitable
2 . land / water management - > 2 . 2 . invasive / problematic species control 3 . species management - > 3 . 2 . species recovery
11 . climate change & severe weather - > 11 . 4 . storms & flooding
6 . human intrusions & disturbance - > 6 . 3 . work & other activities
7 . natural system modifications - > 7 . 1 . fire & fire suppression - > 7 . 1 . 3 . trend unknown / unrecorded
8 . invasive and other problematic species , genes & diseases - > 8 . 1 . invasive non - native / alien species / diseases - > 8 . 1 . 2 . named species
hedges , s . b . 2010 . caribherp : west indian amphibians and reptiles . pennsylvania available at : urltoken . ( accessed : 14 / 07 / 2010 ) .
hedges , s . b . , couloux , a . and vidal , n . 2009 . molecular phylogeny , classification , and biogeography of west indian racer snakes of the tribe alsophiini ( squamata , dipsadidae , xenodontinae ) . zootaxa 2067 : 1 - 28 .
iucn . 2016 . the iucn red list of threatened species . version 2016 - 3 . available at : urltoken . ( accessed : 07 december 2016 ) .
the ten - fold increase is due to the successful partnership of six local and international organizations that make up the antiguan racer conservation project ( durrell wildlife conservation trust , fauna & flora international , the environment awareness group , black hills state university , island resources foundation and the forestry unit . the initiative has carried out nation - wide environmental education , the removal of alien rats that attacked the snakes and a pioneering reintroduction programme . remarkably , the snake conservation efforts have also benefited other native wildlife , with the number of birds having increased by 30 - fold in 15 years .
research by british and antiguan scientists in 1995 discovered only 50 antiguan racers survived , all confined to the 8 - hectare , great bird island , off the coast of antigua . the mongoose , an asian species introduced by humans , wiped out the snakes from mainland antigua , while another alien species , eurasian black rats , attacked the last of the species on great bird island . the defenceless snakes were also killed by people . hence , the antiguan racer conservation project was launched as an emergency bid to save the critically endangered species from imminent extinction .
now celebrating its 15th anniversary , the project has removed rats from 12 offshore islands and increased the snake population by ten - fold . through careful re - introduction of individual snakes , the area occupied by the antiguan racer has been boosted eight - fold to 63 hectares . the snakes have become accepted , even liked , by local residents and visitors . trained local volunteers monitor the wildlife and keep their islands rat - free . the antiguan racer still faces many challenges , including global sea level rise , but a new action plan is being developed which is expected to find additional areas where the snakes can be re - established and protected .
“i am proud we proved the pessimists wrong , and turned the fortunes of this unique and endearing animal” , said dr jenny daltry , ffi senior conservation biologist . “many people have contributed over the years , but special credit must go to the local volunteers . this success is a testament to their dedication . ”
dr brian smith , a professor in biology at black hills state university , adds , “working with students in antigua has been a highlight of my professional career . being part of an international collaboration to rescue this snake from the brink of extinction has been immensely gratifying” .
“although the population of the racer has grown by leaps , we cannot stop now” , warns natalya lawrence , programme coordinator , environmental awareness group . “there is still a need for public awareness , continued monitoring , and stronger laws to protect the snake and other endangered species on our islands . ”
removing rats from a dozen offshore islands has benefitted many other antiguan species beyond the snake . for example , caribbean brown pelicans have increased from only two breeding pairs to more than 60 pairs on the first islands to be restored , while rare white - crowned pigeons have exploded from five pairs to more than 450 pairs . sea turtles and lizards have also benefitted from reduced predation of their eggs by rats and even the plant life has improved .
“an important by - product of the antiguan racer conservation project has been to demonstrate a globally - relevant model for conservation of biodiversity” , said bruce potter , president of island resources foundation . “offshore islands are being turned into reserves where public and private organizations can control invasive species and manage tourism development pressures more effectively” .
in 2006 , the offshore islands became part of a major new marine protected area : the north east marine management area . this stunningly beautiful area draws at least 50 , 000 local and international visitors every year and covers a quarter of antigua’s coastline , making it the country’s largest protected area for biodiversity conservation .
durrell wildlife conservation trust is a member of the association of jersey charities , membership number 69 . patron : hrh the princess royal . founder : gerald durrell , obe , lhd . durrell wildlife conservation trust - uk is registered in england and wales . a charitable company limited by guarantee . registered charity number : 1121989 . registered company number : 6448493 . registered office : c / o elian corporate services ( uk ) limited , 35 great st . helen ' s , london ec3a 6ap
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black rats came to the caribbean on ships . plantation owners released the mongooses in the 1890s to kill snakes in their fields .
but today there is good news . six conservation groups teamed up to boost the population of the antiguan racer , and now the snake ' s population has grown 10 - fold to 500 individuals . its habitat , meanwhile , has expanded to other islands and a total of 63 hectares .
achieving this required efforts on multiple fronts : the snakes required a captive - breeding program as well as another program to reintroduce them into new habitats . locals had to be convinced not to fear and kill the harmless snakes . most of all , conservation groups needed to rid the island of the invasive black rats , a feat they accomplished not just on great bird island but 11 other offshore islands .
many people have contributed over the years , but special credit must go to the local volunteers
who monitor the snakes and help keep the islands rat free , fauna & flora international ( ffi ) senior conservation biologist jenny daltry said in a prepared statement .
this success is a testament to their dedication .
almost all of the racers in the wild are implanted with microchips to help monitor their health .
removing the rats has done more than help the antiguan racer—it has also benefited great bird island ' s other wildlife . according to ffi , which founded the antiguan racer conservation project , the number of birds on the island has increased more than 500 percent , sea turtle and lizard populations are on the rise , and even plant species have recovered .
the antiguan racer isn ' t out of the woods yet . they are still severely inbred , making them prone to infection , and conservationists need to keep circulating the snakes among their population groups to help expand their genetic diversity . meanwhile , great bird island , like many of the racers ' new habitats , is just a tiny cay—a sandy island on the surface ofcoral reefs , which could disappear if global sea levels rise . but for now , at least , this is a rare case of an endangered species that has a chance at survival , thanks to the efforts of the people determined to save it .
the views expressed are those of the author ( s ) and are not necessarily those of scientific american .
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this species has two subspecies : a . sanctonum sanctonum barbour , 1915 a . sanctonum danforthi cochran , 1938 .
de silva , r . , milligan , h . t . , wearn , o . r . , wren , s . , zamin , t . , sears , j . , wilson , p . , lewis , s . , lintott , p . , powney , g . , hanson , s . & hedges , b .
justification : this species is restricted to three islands ( each treated here as a separate location ) with a combined surface area of around 16 km 2 ; as the species is rare or absent in degraded parts of terre - de - haut , its true area of occupancy is expected to be somewhat lower , and is estimated to be below 10 km 2 . ongoing threats exist from localized development and more widely from the action of introduced species ; as these are leading to declines in the quality and extent of the species ' habitat it qualifies for listing as endangered under criterion b . additionally it is at extreme risk from the potential introduction of mongoose , which would lead to catastrophic and likely immediate declines and the species ' probable extinction . imports of exotic species to these islands , which form part of the same political unit as guadeloupe , are not presently regulated , and this therefore represents a highly plausible future threat .
this species is endemic to terre - de - bas and terre - de - haut ; these islets make up the îles de saintes , part of guadeloupe . terre - de - bas and terre - de - haut are very small islands with a combined total area of approximately 16 km² . it has also been recorded from îlet cabris ( breuil 2009 ) . the islands have a maximum elevation of 260 m , and the species occurs throughout the islands .
this species seems to be common on the two larger islands ; on terre - de - bas it is found across the island , while on terre - de - haut it has a more fragmentary distribution ( r . gomès pers . comm . 2015 ) . nevertheless snake densities are thought to be much lower than previously believed , as densities vary greatly by location and time of year rather than being uniform ( r . gomès pers . comm . 2015 ) . no studies have been carried out into population dynamics in this species , and interviews with people who have worked within its range for 30 years and are familiar with the species suggest that it occurs at lower densities than in the past ( r . gomès pers . comm . 2016 ) . on the latter island it is associated with less disturbed , wooded areas , where it is common , but it is very rare elsewhere ( r . gomès pers . comm . 2015 ) . there is no information about its status on îlet cabris .
this species occurs along mangrove edges and roadsides , and in gardens and wooded areas ( preferentially in semi - deciduous forest with pimenta racemosa , pisonia subcordata , hymenea courbaril , and bursera simaruba ) . although the species has been found in various habitats , it prefers areas less frequented by humans ( breuil 2002 ) .
this species currently has no conservation measures in place for it . the major part of its range on terre - de - haut lies within the morne due chameau biotope , which has national protection prohibiting urban development ( r . gomès pers . comm . 2015 ) . this protection does not , however , effectively prevent predation by stray pets or tree cutting . îlet cabrit is a conservation management area , but feral goats and chickens are widespread on this small island and their numbers are not thought to be effectively managed ( r . gomès pers . comm . 2015 ) . better enforcement of existing regulations at both sites is recommended to assist the conservation of this species ( r . gomès pers . comm . 2015 ) . the establishment and management of new protected areas could provide a safeguard for this species from habitat loss , and establishing controls to prevent the introduction of mongoose is a priority .
vudii : bahama is . : great bahama bank except bimini is . ; cat i . ; little san salvador i . ; type locality : new providence island , bahama islands .
utowanae : bahama is . : great inagua i . , including sheep cay .
syntypes : ansp 5567 , ansp 5569 - 71 , ansp 5598 - 99 . holotype : mcz 37942 [ aterrimus ] holotype : mcz 43150 [ picticeps ] holotype : mcz 37929 [ raineyi ] holotype : mcz 37941 [ utowanae ]
according to cope 1862
this species is dedicated to my friend , dr . h . c . wood , jr . , author of memoirs on myriapoda and . . . cryptogamia .
cubophis vudii utowanae was named after the research yacht utowana .
barbour , t . 1904 . batrachia and reptilia from the bahamas . bull . mus . comp . zool . harvard 46 : 55—61 - get paper here
barbour , t . and b . shreve . 1935 . concerning some bahamian reptiles , with notes on the fauna . proc . boston soc . nat . hist . 40 : 347 - 365 .
barbour , thomas 1906 . additional notes on bahama snakes . american naturalist 40 ( 471 ) : 229 - 232 - get paper here
barbour , thomas & loveridge , arthur 1946 . first supplement to typical reptiles and amphibians . bull . mus . comp . zool . harvard 96 ( 2 ) : 59 - 214 . - get paper here
cope , e . d . 1863 . synopsis of the species of holcosus and ameiva , with diagnoses of new west indian and south american colubridae . proc . acad . nat . sci . philadelphia 14 [ 1862 ] : 60 - 82 . - get paper here
maglio , vincent j . 1970 . west indian xenodontine colubrid snakes : their probable origin , phylogeny , and zoogeography . bull . mus . comp . zool . harvard 141 ( 1 ) : 1 - 54 - get paper here
mehrtens , j . m . 1987 . living snakes of the world in color . sterling publ . co . , hic . , new york , ny : 480 pp .
powell , robert . 2014 . cubophis vudii ( cope ) - bahamian racer , bahamian brown racer . catalogue of american amphibians and reptiles ( 903 ) : 1 - 15 - get paper here
description : the antiguan racer is an extremely rare species of snake that lives on antigua , a caribbean island . they are increasingly under threat by non - native invasive predators such as rats , mongooses and dogs . despite being nonvenomous and relatively docile compared to many snakes , the antiguan racer is often the victim of persecution by humans . it is considered one of the world ' s most rare and endangered snakes .
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a non - profit open - access journal editor - in - chief : s . blair hedges ( pennsylvania state university ) , e - mail associate editors : robert henderson ( milwaukee public museum ) ; robert powell ( avila university ) ; and byron wilson ( university of the west indies ) . description and instructions
category : behavior . date of observation : 10 october 2013 . location : grand colombier , saint - barthélemy . coordinates :
, away from artificial illumination . a large anguilla bank racer , estimated at 130 cm in total length , was observed moving in the leaf litter at 22 : 12 , 4 hours after sunset and one day before the first quarter moon . the snake did not react to a camera flash or light from a headlamp and continued its movement slowly away from the trail . the eyes of the snake were metallic blue in the glare of the of the headlamp . submitted by karl questel ( st . jean , st . barthelemy , guadeloupe , 97133 , french west indies , karlquestel @ gmail . com ) . [ questel k . 2013 .
category : distribution . dates of observation : four , between 28 july 2011 and 30 september 2013 . location : guadeloupe , basse terre , lachaise . coordinates :
. elevation : 62 m . voucher : image by p . parmentier . this invasive species has been reported at several locations on grande terre , guadeloupe ( o . lorvelec , a . levesque , and a . m . bauer , 2011 ,
, 44 : 1 ) . here , we confirm that it is now established on basse terre . adults and juveniles were seen inside and outside of a house in lachaise . another introduced gecko ,
, was present but no interactions between the two species were observed . submitted by patrick parmentier ( lachaise , sainte - rose , 97115 , guadeloupe , french west indies [ fwi ] , patrick - parmentier @ orange . fr ) ; béatrice ibéné ( association l’asfa : morne burat 971780 sainte - anne , guadeloupe , fwi , beatrice . ibene @ wanadoo . fr ) , régis gomès ( association l’asfa : morne burat 971780 sainte - anne , guadeloupe , fwi , mabuya971 @ gmail . com ) . [ parmentier p . , ibéné b . , gomès r . 2013 .
category : conservation . date of observation : 19 june 1987 . location : u . s . virgin islands ; saint croix , green cay . coordinates :
. elevation : 17 m . voucher : image . this is only known photograph of a living individual and only the third sighting of the species since 1882 . one specimen was collected in 1964 on green cay ( hedges , b . & conn , c . e . , 2012 , a new skink fauna from caribbean islands [ squamata , mabuyidae , mabuyinae ] ,
, 3288 , 1 - 244 . ) and the other sighting was also made on green cay , in september 2000 ( evans ma , et al . , 2010 , sandy point , green cay and buck island national wildlife refuges . conservation action plan . u . s . department of the interior , fish and wildlife service , 264 p . ) . there is no record of a skink ( any species ) from the main island of saint croix since 1882 ( hedges & conn 2012 ) . green cay ( 5 . 7 hectares ) is a small islet only 450 m off the ne coast of saint croix . the sighting reported here ( in 1987 ) was made in early afternoon ( 13 : 45 hrs ) after a rain , in woodland habitat ( primarily
) near the highest point on the island ( southern end ) . the saint croix ameiva (
) was found in the same habitat . trees averaged 14 cm in diameter at breast height , with a density of 5 - 16 per 100 m2 . shrubs (
) comprised 5 - 35 % cover , and there was no grass cover . the soil was loose , easily dug by hand . the animal in the photo here possesses several typical characteristics of the species , including sharp , bold lateral stripes , reduced dorsolateral stripes , and a small ear opening , which distinguishes it from its closest relative
, occurring elsewhere in the virgin islands . the individual , a female , was 131 mm total length , 72 mm snout - vent length , and weighed 13 grams . it differs in many ways from the other species of skink on saint croix ,
( lesser saint croix skink ) , which has a short head and greatly reduced hands , feet , and digits ( hedges & conn 2012 ) .
has not been seen since the holotype and only specimen was collected in 1875 ( hedges & conn 2012 ) . the introduction of the small indian mongoose to caribbean islands in the late nineteenth century has been directly implicated in population reductions , extirpations , and extinctions of many species of reptiles , including 38 species of skinks ( hedges & conn 2012 ) . herpetologists have visited the main island of saint croix and its islets , including green cay , since the last sightings of skinks ( both species ) and no individuals have been seen . however , these two species were not recognized taxonomically until 2012 , and therefore concerted and thorough searches are needed before they should be considered extinct . photographed by a . j . meier . submitted by s . blair hedges ( pennsylvania state university , department of biology , 208 mueller lab , university park , pennsylvania , 16802 , usa , sbh1 @ psu . edu ) , and albert j . meier ( western kentucky university , department of biology , bowling green , kentucky , 42101 , usa , albert . meier @ wku . edu ) . [ hedges sb , meier aj . 2013 .


mordellistena tibialis is a species of beetle in the mordellistena genus that is in the mordellidae family .

it was described by lea in 1917 .

mordellistena tibialis

larva : mordellistena is the only genus in this family which larvae have characteristic tergal processes and paired urogomphi ( comment by artjom zaitsev ) .
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upcoming events 2018 bugguide gathering in virginia july 27 - 29 : registration and discussion photos of insects and people from the 2015 gathering in wisconsin , july 10 - 12 photos of insects and people from the 2014 gathering in virginia , june 4 - 7 . photos of insects and people from the 2013 gathering in arizona , july 25 - 28 photos of insects and people from the 2012 gathering in alabama photos of insects and people from the 2011 gathering in iowa photos from the 2010 workshop in grinnell , iowa photos from the 2009 gathering in washington
formerly treated in a much broader sense ; many spp . have been moved to other genera , incl .
small , slender , linear or wedge - shaped . scutellum somewhat trianglular , rounded . antennae usually threadlike , sometimes slightly sawtoothed . eyes coarsely granulate . each hind tibia has 1 - 6 short , more or less oblique ridges on outer surface ; tarsal segments may also bear ridges . most are solid black , but some have red , orange or yellow markings
plants in aster family , some trees , mostly oak . for many species , food in unknown .
ford e . j . , jackman j . a . ( 1996 ) new larval host plant associations of tumbling flower beetles ( coleoptera : mordellidae ) in north america . coleopterists bulletin 50 : 361 - 368 .
nomenclatural changes for selected mordellidae ( coleoptera ) in north america j . a . jackman & w . lu . 2001 . insecta mundi 15 ( 1 ) : 31 - 34 .
taxonomic changes for fifteen species of north american mordellidae ( coleoptera ) a . e . lisberg . 2003 . insecta mundi 17 ( 3 - 4 ) : 191 - 194 .
american beetles , volume ii : polyphaga : scarabaeoidea through curculionoidea arnett , r . h . , jr . , m . c . thomas , p . e . skelley and j . h . frank . ( eds . ) . 2002 . crc press llc , boca raton , fl .
a manual of common beetles of eastern north america dillon , elizabeth s . , and dillon , lawrence . 1961 . row , peterson , and company .
peterson field guides : beetles richard e . white . 1983 . houghton mifflin company .
the book of field and roadside : open - country weeds , trees , and wildflowers of eastern north america john eastman , amelia hansen . 2003 . stackpole books .
disclaimer : dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service . we strive to provide accurate information , but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world . if you need expert professional advice , contact your local extension office .
contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content . click the contributor ' s name for licensing and usage information . everything else copyright © 2003 - 2018 iowa state university , unless otherwise noted .
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the rondon 's marmoset ( mico rondoni ) , also known as the rondônia marmoset , is a small species of monkey from the family callitrichidae found in the south-western amazon in brazil .

it is endemic to the state of rondônia , and its range bordered by the rio mamoré , rio madeira , rio ji-paraná , serra dos pacaás novos and possibly bolivia .

it was only described in 2010 , and its name refers to the famous amazonian explorer cândido rondon .

prior to its description , it was included in emilia 's marmoset ( mico emiliae ) .

rondon 's marmoset is a member of the silvery marmoset ( mico argentatus ) group within the genus mico .

like others in its group , its pelage is generally silvery-gray .

it has dark fur on much of its head , forehead and the sides of its face , which contrasts with a whitish patch in the middle of its forehead .

the fur on its legs become reddish-brown on its shins and almost black at the ankles .

its tail is mostly black .

it averages about 330 grams ( 12 oz ) in weight .

length excluding tail averages about 22 centimetres ( 8.7 in ) and the tail averages about 31 centimetres ( 12 in ) .

exudates are an important part of rondon 's marmoset 's diet , and like other marmosets its digestive tract is specially adapted for this purpose .

adaptations include chisel-like lower incisors , which can gouge gum-producing trees to begin a flow of exudate , and an enlarged cecum , which helps digest the exudates .

despite being able to tolerate habitat disturbance , rondon 's marmoset may be the most threatened species in the genus mico .

it is considered vulnerable by the iucn , though it has been suggested that data deficient would be more appropriate .

another callitrichid , weddell ’s saddleback tamarin ( saguinus fuscicollis weddelli ) also occurs over much of rondon 's marmoset 's range .

however , rondon 's marmoset is rare or absent from areas where weddell 's saddleback tamarin is common .

weddell 's saddleback tamarin is known to take over rondon 's marmoset 's gum feeding sites .

rondon ' s marmoset

mico rondoni ferrari , sena , schneider and silva jr . , 2010 – rondon ' s marmoset
ochoa - quintero jm , chang ch , gardner ta , rezende messias m , sutherland wj , delben fac . habitat loss on rondon’s marmoset potential distribution . land . 2017 ; 6 ( 1 ) : 8 .
ochoa - quintero , j . m . ; chang , c . h . ; gardner , t . a . ; rezende messias , m . ; sutherland , w . j . ; delben , f . a . c . habitat loss on rondon’s marmoset potential distribution . land 2017 , 6 , 8 .
ochoa - quintero , jose m . ; chang , charlotte h . ; gardner , toby a . ; rezende messias , mariluce ; sutherland , william j . ; delben , fernanda a . c . 2017 .
habitat loss on rondon’s marmoset potential distribution .
land 6 , no . 1 : 8 .
are poorly studied with half of the currently known species being described after 1976 , and their distribution and threats remain poorly understood . using the model maxent , we re - evaluated the distribution range for rondon’s marmoset , one of the most threatened species in this genus . our results estimated a distribution that is 15 , 500 km
de oliveira , m . m . , rylands , a . b . , ferrari , s . f . & silva jr . , j . s .
de oliveira , m . m . , rylands , a . b . , ferrari , s . f . & silva jr . , j . s . 2008 .
of forest is projected to be cleared by 2040 under current deforestation patterns . the expected cumulative loss of over 50 % of its range size in the coming 15 years raise awareness about the threaten category of this species . in the absence of new protected areas , it remains to be seen whether rondon’s marmoset can be effectively conserved in remaining fragments of forest in farmlands .
vivo ( 1985 ) was the first to alert the scientific community to this marmoset of the state of rondônia , brazil . vivo ( 1985 ) provided a detailed description of the marmoset from nova brasília . he believed it to be callithrix emiliae thomas , 1920 , being similar in pelage colour if just a little darker . it is certain that these rondônia marmosets should be considered a new species , similar to , but distinct from , both emiliae and melanura , due to their range being widely separated from m . emiliae of southern pará ( rylands et al . 1993 , 2000 , 2008 ; ferrari et al . 1999 ) . nagamachi et al . ( 1996 , 1997 , 1999 ) analysed the karyotype , and sena et al . ( 2002 ) carried out a phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase ii gene sequences that substantiated the distinctiveness of vivo’s rondônia marmoset .
disclaimer : itis taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available , and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties . however , it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes . while every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up - to - date information available , ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the united states is a party , wildlife statutes , regulations , and any applicable notices that have been published in the federal register . for further information on u . s . legal requirements with respect to protected taxa , please contact the u . s . fish and wildlife service .
the range is reportedly delimited to the north and west by the rios mamoré - madeira and jiparaná , and to the south by the serra dos pacáas novos , where it may be parapatric with m . melanura , which is “typically found in the savanna - like vegetation , rather than rain forest ecosystems , that predominate in southern rondônia . ferrari et al . ( 1995 ) failed to find any evidence of the occurrence of marmosets during surveys of the guajará - mirim state park in west - central rondônia . likewise no marmosets were recorded at pimenta bueno on the upper rio jiparaná ( ferrari et al . 1996 ) , although g . r . monção has recorded this species there ( pers . comm . to a . b . rylands , february 2006 ) . the range of this marmoset , as such , is evidently much smaller than previously thought . vivo ( 1985 ) argued that the foz do rio castanho specimens , later described as callithrix argentata marcai by alperin ( 1993 ) were similar , and vivo ( 1985 ) made no mention of the two other localities indicated by hershkovitz ( 1977 : 214b , mouth of the rio jiparaná , upper rio madeira ; and 214c , urupá , rio jiparaná ) , but his map would argue that they would also be “ c . emiliae ” . the discovery of m . nigriceps ( ferrari and lopes 1992 ) means that the range of vivo’s ( 1985 ) “ c . emiliae ” is restricted to the left bank of the rio jiparaná .
this species is an inhabitant of amazonian lowland rain forest . marmosets and tamarins are distinguished from the other monkeys of the new world by their small size , modified claws rather than nails on all digits except the big toe , the presence of two as opposed to three molar teeth in either side of each jaw , and by the occurrence of twin births . they eat fruits , flowers , nectar , plant exudates ( gums , saps , latex ) and animal prey ( including frogs , snails , lizards , spiders and insects ) . marmosets have morphological and behavioural adaptations for gouging trees trunks , branches and vines of certain species to stimulate the flow of gum , which they eat , and in some species form a notable component of the diet ( coimbra - filho and mittermeier 1976 ; rylands 1984 ) . they live in extended family groups of between four and 15 individuals . generally , only one female per group breeds during a particular breeding season . the groups defend home ranges 10 - 40 ha , the size depending on availability and distribution of foods and second - growth patches . martins et al . ( 1987 ) , ferrari and martins ( 1992 ) , and lopes and ferrari ( 1994 ) studied some aspects of the ecology and behaviour of mico rondoni , especially feeding behaviour . mico rondoni is syntopic with weddell ' s saddleback tamarin , saguinus fuscicollis weddelli , possibly as a result of a recent range extension of the saddleback tamarin to the east side of the rio madeira ( ferrari 1993 ; lopes and ferrari 1994 ) . although similar in size , the two species differ in their exploitation of gum : the marmoset gouges holes in tree trunks and branches , and vines , specializing on this resource , whereas its consumption the saddleback tamarin is opportunistic ( ferrari and martins 1992 ) . lopes and ferrari ( 1994 ) recorded the marmosets in association with the saddleback tamarins for 40 % of their observations of the latter . mico rondoni tends to forage and travel higher above the ground ( 10 m or higher ) than the saddelback tamarin groups ( lopes and ferrari 1994 ) . size : adults mean 326 . 9 g ( n = 6 males and two females ) ( ferrari and martins 1992 ) .
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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
justification : listed as vulnerable as there is reason to believe the species has declined by at least 30 % over the past 18 years ( three generations ) due primarily to ongoing habitat loss .
this species is rare and its range evidently very patchy . the reasons for this are not known , but may be related to its sympatry with saguinus fuscicollis weddelli ( see martins et al . 1987 ; ferrari and martins 1991 ; ferrari 1993 ) . population densities are low when compared with those typical of other amazonian marmosets .
the major threat is ongoing habitat loss from the construction of the samuel hydroelectric dam , highway br - 364 ( a corridor of deforestation in the southern amazon ) and development in its western range limits along the rio madeira , all of which resulted from the polonoroeste development project of the 1980s . two new hydroelectric dam projects have been approved for the upper rio madeira in rondonia near the bolivian border , which will inundate large areas of land and result in extensive forest loss .
this species is recorded from the samuel state ecological station , rondônia ( 20 , 865 ha ) ( martins et al . 1987 ) .
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the amazon basin is one of the most biologically diverse places on earth . however , agricultural expansion and infrastructure development have led to widespread deforestation that threatens the survival of many taxa . conservation strategies to contest these threats include protected areas and environmental legislation . nevertheless , the basic biology of many taxa is largely unknown , which poses an immense challenge when devising effective strategies to safeguard such species in the long - term . this is particularly true for primates . monkeys from the genus
) . furthermore , much of its modeled distribution ( 71 % ) lies outside of protected areas . agriculture expansion and infrastructure development have converted / destroyed 20 , 532 km
of forest within its range ( 38 % ) mainly in areas without protection . another 10 , 316 km
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mittermeier , rusell a . , anthony b . rylands , and don e . wilson , eds .