The Galápagos racer (Pseudalsophis biserialis) is a colubrid snake in the genus Pseudalsophis that is endemic to the Galápagos Islands. It is a mildly venomous constrictor but it is not considered aggressive or harmful to humans. The two subspecies are the eastern and western racers, the latter being larger, longer, and darker than the former. The western subspecies specializes in hunting fish, while both subspecies eat small reptiles, eggs, rodents, and bird hatchlings. The Galapagos racer is near threatened due to recently introduced species that feed on snake eggs, including pigs, rats, mice, and cats.[1][2][3] It is one of only three species of snakes on the Galápagos Islands, and it was first described in 1860.[4][5] In November 2016, a video clip from the BBC series Planet Earth II showing a group of Galápagos racers hunting marine iguana hatchlings became a viral trend.[6]
| Galapagos racer | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Pseudalsophis |
| Species: | P. biserialis
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| Binomial name | |
| Pseudalsophis biserialis (Günther, 1860)
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Description
editThe snake is the only snake that occurs in the islets around the Floreana Island in Galápagos. The average sizes of males and females are respectively 129 and 126 cm. The snake is mildly venomous, with venom impacting the snake's small prey, but without effect on humans. Their diet includes small lizards, invertebrates, and birds. [7]
Taxonomy and etymology
editOriginally classified as Herpetodryas biserialis by Albert Günther in 1860,[8] this species has been renamed numerous times since then.[9][10] The generic names have included Dromicus, Orpheomorphus, and Oraphis.[11]
References
edit- ^ a b Márquez, C.; Cisneros-Heredia, D.F.; Yánez-Muñoz, M. (2017). "Pseudalsophis biserialis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T190541A56253872. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T190541A56253872.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ "Pseudalsophis biserialis".
- ^ "Galapagos racer - Galapagos Conservation Trust".
- ^ Günther,A. 1860. On a new snake from the Galapagos islands. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (3) 6: 78-79
- ^ Thomas, Robert A 1997. Galapagos terrestrial snakes: biogeography and systematics. Herpetological Natural History 5 (1): 19-40
- ^ Conversation, Rhys Jones, The (11 November 2016). "In Defence of Racer Snakes - The 'Bad Guys' of Snake vs Iguana".
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Alejandro Arteaga. "Southern Galápagos Racer (Pseudalsophis biserialis)".
- ^ Günther, A. 1860. On a new snake from the Galapagos Islands Herpetodryas biserialis. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1860: 97-98.
- ^ George R. Zug (28 June 2013). Reptiles and Amphibians of the Pacific Islands: A Comprehensive Guide. Univ of California Press. p. 222. ISBN 978-0-520-27495-2.
- ^ Julian Fitter; Daniel Fitter; David Hosking (5 January 2016). Wildlife of the Galápagos: Second Edition. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. p. 96. ISBN 978-0-691-17042-8.
- ^ Van Denburgh, John (1912). The Snakes of the Galapagos Islands. Vol. 1. California Academy of Science. pp. 325–327.