Table Of Contentr' REPTILIA: SQUAMATA: SERPENTES: COLUBRIDAE
Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles.
Henderson, R.W. and R. Powell. 1996. Alsophis ales
Alsophis ater (Gosse)
Jamaican Racer
Narrix atra Gosse, 185 1 :228. Type-locality, "Jamaica." Syn-
types, British Museum of Natural History (BMNH) 1946.
1.4.65 (SVL 537 mm, total length 853 mm), 1946.1.5.6
(SVL 632 mm, total length 1035 mm), sexes undetermined
(Giinther, 1858, listed both as females, but as neither speci-
men has been dissected, that conclusion must remain specu-
1ative;fideP eter Stafford, BMNH),collected by P.H. Gosse,
Figure. Alsophis ater from Kingston, Jamaica (MCZ R-6005),
date'of collection unknown (accessioned 17 August 1845)
Scale = 1 cm.
(not examined by authors).
Natri-x capistrara Gosse, 185 1 :37 1. 'Qpe-locality, "Jamaica."
Syntypes, British Museum of Natural History (BMNH) olive. Some individuals may have black dots dorsally. Usually
1946.1.4.94, adult female (SVL 503 mm, total length 775 a distinct black line passes through the eye.
mm); 1946.1.23.81, subadult male (SVL 277 mm, total
length 488 mm); juvenile (sex undetermined) (SVL 185 Descriptions. In addition to that of Gosse (1 85 I), descrip-
mm, total length 300 mm), collected by P.H. Gosse, date tions are in Grant (1940) and Schwartz and Henderson (1991).
of collection unknown (not examined by authors).
Dromicus ater: Giinther, 1858: 127. Illustrations. No previous illustrations have been published.
Alsophis ater: Cope, 1862:76. First use of present combina-
tion. Distribution. At one time, this species may have been found
Leimadophis ater: Barbour, 19 10:300. islandwide on Jamaica (Gosse, 185 I), but it is now very rare or
extinct (Schwartz and Henderson, 1988) (also see Remarks).
Content. No subspecies are recognized. The range has been illustrated in Schwartz and Henderson
r'
(1991).
Definition. This moderately large (maximum known SVL
850 mm) colubrid has 17 1-185 ventrals, 144-16 2 subcaudals, Fossil Record. None.
17 dorsal scale rows at midbody, 818 supralabials, 111 preoculars,
2/2 postoculars, and 1+2/1+2 temporals. A loreal is absent. The Pertinent Literature. Grant (1940) noted the rarity of this
cloaca1 scute (= anal plate) is divided. species and discussed prior confusion between Alsophis and
Ground color of the dorsum and venter is black or dark Arrhyton on Jamaica. Maglio (1970) discussed phylogeny and
Map. Range of Alsophis ater (modified from Schwartz and Henderson, 1991). The type-locality is too imprecise to plot; dots mark
other known records; question marks indicate records of uncertain validity.
IC
zoogeography based on primarily osteological and hemipenial Hallowell, E. 1856 (1857). Notes on the reptiles in the collec-
morphology. Henderson and Sajdak (1986) commented on its tion of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philad'a. Proc.
rarity. Schwartz and Henderson (1991) presented information Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 8:221-238.
ondistribution and natural history. Henderson and Sajdak (1996) Henderson, R.W. 1992. Consequences of predator introductions
provided information on diet. Rodriguez-Robles and Greene and habitat destruction on amphibians and reptiles in the
(1996) included this species in their study of ecological rela- post-Columbus West Indies. Carib. J. Sci. 28:l-10.
tionships of Greater Antillean snakes. -and B.I. Crother. 1989. Biogeographic patterns of predation
The species is included in notes, checklists, and guides by in West Indian colubrid snakes, p. 479-5 17. In C.A. Woods
Hallowell (1856 [1857]), Reinhardt and Liitken (1 862), Jan and (ed.), Biogeography of the West Indies: Past, Present, and
Sordelli (1867). Garman (1887). Boulenger (1894), Barbour Future. Sandhill Crane Press, Gainesville, Florida.
(1910, 1914, 1922, 1930, 1935, 1937), Orcutt (1928), Dunn - and R.A. Sajdak. 1986. West Indian racers: a disappearing
(1932), Schwartz andThomas (1975), Schwartz and Henderson act or a second chance? Lore 36(3):13-18.
(1985, 1988), Henderson and Crother (1989), and Powell et al. -and --. 1996. Diets of West Indian racers (Colubridae: Also-
(1996). phis): composition and biogeographic implications, p. 327-
338. In R. Powell and R.W. Henderson (eds.), Contribu-
Remarks. Although this species apparently was once com- tions to West Indian herpetology: a tribute to Albert
mon on Jamaica (Gosse, 1851), it is likely extinct. Henderson Schwartz. SSAR Contrib. Herpetol. Vol. 12. Ithaca, New
(1992) and Powell and Henderson (1996) presented brief chro- York.
nologies of its history. Despite extensive and intensive herpe- Jan, G. and F. Sordelli. 1867. Iconographie gknkrale des ophi-
tological fieldwork, no documentable evidence of its continued diens. Livr. 25. Publ. by authors, Milan.
survival has surfaced for more than 60 years. Maglio, V.J. 1970. West Indian xenodontine colubrid snakes:
Frank and Ramus (1 995) proposed the common name "Ja- their probable origin, phylogeny, and zoogeography. Bull.
maica [sic] racer" for this species. Mus. Comp. Zool. 141: 1-53.
Orcutt, C.R. 1928. Snakes of Jamaica. Jamaican Nat. 1(2):7-8.
Etymology. The name ater is derived from the Latin (black), Powell, R. and R.W. Henderson. 1996. A brief history of West
in reference to the color of this snake. Indian herpetology, p. 29-50. In R. Powell and R.W. Hen-
derson (eds.), Contributions to West Indian herpetology: a
Acknowledgments. We thank JosC Rosado (Museum of Com- tribute to Albert Schwartz. SSAR Contrib. Herpetol. Vol.
parative Zoology) and Peter J. Stafford (British Museum of 12. Ithaca, New York.
Natural History) for their assistance. -, -, K. Adler, and H.A. Dundee. 1996. An annotated check-
list of West Indian amphibians and reptiles, p. 51-93. In R.
Literature Cited Powell and R.W. Henderson (eds.), Contributions to West n
Indian herpetology: a tribute to Albert Schwartz. SSAR
Barbour, T. 1910. Notes on the herpetology of Jamaica. Bull. Contrib. Herpetol. Vol. 12. Ithaca, New York.
Mus. Comp. Zoiil. 52:273-301. Reinhardt, J. and C.F. Liitken. 1862. Bidrag ti1 det vestindiske
-. 1914. A contribution to the zoogeography of the West Indies, ijeriges og navnligen ti1 de dansk-vestindiske Oers Herpe-
with especial reference to amphibians and reptiles. Mem. tologie. Vidensk. Meddel. Naturhist. Foren. KjZbenhavn
Mus. Comp. Zool. 44205-359. 10-181153-291.
-.
1922. An annotated list of the Amphibia and Reptilia of Ja- Rodriguez-Robles, J.A. and H.W. Greene. 1996. Ecological
maica. Handbk. Jamaica 1922:666-669. patterns in Greater Antillean macrostomatan snake assemb-
-.
1930. A list of Antillean reptiles and amphibians. Zoologica lages, with comments on body-size evolution in Epicrates
(N.Y.) 11:61-116. (Boidae), p. 339-357. In R. Powell and R.W. Henderson
-. 1935. A second list of Antillean reptiles and amphibians. (eds.), Contributions to West Indian herpetology: a tribute
Zoologica (N.Y.) 19:77-141. to Albert Schwartz. SSAR Contrib. Herpetol. Vol. 12.
-.
1937. Third list of Antillean reptiles and amphibians. Bull. Ithaca, New York.
Mus. Comp. Zoiil. 82:77-166. Schwartz, A. and R.W. Henderson. 1985. A guide to the identi-
Boulenger, G.A. 1894. Catalogue of the snakes in the British fication of the amphibians and reptiles of the West Indies
Museum (Natural History). Vol. 2. Trustees of the British exclusive of Hispaniola. Milwaukee Pub. Mus., Milwau-
Museum, London. kee, Wisconsin.
Cope, E.D. 1862. Synopsis of the species of Holcosus and -and -. 1988. West Indian amphibians and reptiles: a check-
Ameiva, with diagnoses of new West Indian and South list. Milwaukee Pub. Mus. Contr. Biol. Geol. (74):l-264.
American Colubridae. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia - and -. 1991. Amphibians and reptiles of the West Indies:
14~60-82. descriptions, distributions, and natural history. Univ. Florida
Dunn, E.R. 1932. The colubrid snakes of the Greater Antilles. Press, Gainesville.
Copeia 193289-92. - and R. Thomas. 1975. A check-list of West Indian amphib-
Frank, N. and E. Ramus. 1995. A complete guide to scientific ians and reptiles. CamegieMus. Nat. Hist. Spec. Publ. (1):l-
and common names of reptiles and amphibians of the world. 216.
NG Publ., Inc., Pottsville, Pennsylvania.
Robert W. Henderson, Section of Vertebrate Zoology, Milwau-
Garman, S. 1887. On West Indian reptiles in the Museum of
kee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI 53233, and Robert Powell,
Comparative Zoiilogy. Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc. 24:278-286.
Department of Natural Sciences, Avila College, Kansas City,
Gosse, P.H. 1851. Naturalist's sojourn in Jamaica. Longmans,
MO 64145.
Brown, Green, and Longmans, London. n
Grant, C. 1940. The herpetology of Jamaica. 11. The reptiles.
Primary editor for this account, Larry David Wilson.
Bull. Inst. Jamaica Sci. 1:63-148.
Giinther, A.C.L.G. 1858. Catalogue of colubrine snakes in the
Published 20 December 1996 and Copyright O 1996 by the So-
collection of the British Museum. Trustees British Mus.,
ciety for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles.
London.
