Alsophis

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Cladus: Craniata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Lepidosauromorpha
Superordo: Lepidosauria
Ordo: Squamata
Subordo: Serpentes
Infraordo: Caenophidia
Superfamilia: Colubroidea

Familia: Dipsadidae
Subfamilia: Xenodontinae
Tribus: Alsophiini
Genus: Alsophis
Species (9): A. antiguae – A. antillensis – A. danforthi – A. manselli – A. rijgersmaei – A. rufiventris – A. sajdaki – A. sanctonum – A. sibonius

Source(s) of checklist:

Chec (9): A. anomalus – A. ater – A. biserialis – A. cantherigerus – A. elegans – A. melanichnus – A. portoricensis – A. sanctaecrucis – A. vudii
Name

Alsophis Fitzinger, 1843: Syst. Rept., 26.
References
Primary references

Alsophis is a genus of snakes in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. Species in the genus Alsophis are among those snakes commonly called "racers". Alsophis species occur throughout the Caribbean. One species 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.[1] Several species once included in this genus have been placed in the genera Borikenophis and Pseudalsophis.

Rarest species

Alsophis antiguae is probably the rarest snake in the genus Alsophis. This snake once occurred on Antigua and Barbuda, but by 1995, only 50 individuals remained on Great Bird Island, off the coast of Antigua.[2] 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.[3]
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.[4]

Alsophis antiguae Parker, 1933 – Antiguan racer
Alsophis antillensis (Schlegel, 1837) – Antilles racer, Guadeloupe racer, Leeward racer
Alsophis danforthi Cochran, 1938
Alsophis manselli Parker, 1933 – Montserrat racer[5]
Alsophis rijgersmaei Cope, 1869 – Anguilla racer, Anguilla Bank racer, Leeward Islands racer
Alsophis rufiventris (A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & A.H.A. Duméril, 1876) – orange-bellied racer, red-bellied racer, Saba racer
Alsophis sanctonum Barbour, 1915
Alsophis sibonius Cope, 1879 – Antilles racer, Dominica racer, Dominican racer, Leeward racer[6]

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

EOL.org
Daltry, Jenny C.; Bloxam, Quentin; Cooper, Gillian; Day, Mark L.; Hartley, John; Henry, McRonnie; Lindsay, Kevel; Smith, Brian E. (2001). "Five years of conserving the 'world's rarest snake', the Antiguan racer Alsophis antiguae". Oryx. 35 (2): 119–127. doi:10.1017/s0030605300031677.
Fauna & Flora International. "Antiguan racer". Retrieved 17 May 2015.
Genus Alsophis at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
Daltry, J.C., Henderson, R.W. & Powell, R. 2016. Alsophis manselli (errata version published in 2017). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T190567A115325863. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T190567A71748201.en. Downloaded on 01 May 2021.
Henderson, R.W. & Powell, R. 2019. Alsophis sibonius. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T190569A71748211. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T190569A71748211.en. Downloaded on 01 May 2021.