r' REPTILIA: : SERPENTES: Catalogue of American Amphibians and .

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;fidePeter Stafford, BMNH),collected by P.H. Gosse, date'of collection unknown (accessioned 17 August 1845) Figure. Alsophis ater from Kingston, Jamaica (MCZ R-6005), (not examined by authors). Scale = 1 cm. 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 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, 144-162 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 . -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 . 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. Garman, S. 1887. On West Indian reptiles in the Museum of Robert W. Henderson, Section of Vertebrate Zoology, Milwau- Comparative Zoiilogy. Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc. 24:278-286. kee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI 53233, and Robert Powell, Gosse, P.H. 1851. Naturalist's sojourn in Jamaica. Longmans, Department of Natural Sciences, Avila College, Kansas City, MO 64145. Brown, Green, and Longmans, London. n Grant, C. 1940. The herpetology of Jamaica. 11. The reptiles. Bull. Inst. Jamaica Sci. 1:63-148. Primary editor for this account, Larry David Wilson. Giinther, A.C.L.G. 1858. Catalogue of colubrine snakes in the collection of the British Museum. Trustees British Mus., Published 20 December 1996 and Copyright O 1996 by the So- London. ciety for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles.