Alsophis antillensis

The Alsophis antillensis can reach nearly a meter in length. These racers are non-venomous and known for their agility and speed. These snakes are excellent hunters due to their speed and elusive prey. These snakes also appear in varying colors and patterns including browns, grays, and reds to allow them to blend into their natural habitats.{{Cite journal |last=Lynn |first=W. Gardner |date=1957 |title=Notes on a Collection of Reptiles and Amphibians from Antigua, B.W.I. |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/3890156?seq=3 |journal=Herpetologica |volume=13 |issue=1 |pages=53–56 |issn=0018-0831}}

This snake feeds on lizards, frogs, birds, and small mammals. It rarely bites humans, but may release a foul-smelling, though harmless, cloacal secretion when disturbed.{{citation |last1=Malhotra |first1=Anita |title=Reptiles & Amphibians of the Eastern Caribbean |pages=27, 38–39, 75, 84, 87, 88, 122 |year=1999 |publisher=Macmillan Education Ltd. |isbn=0-333-69141-5 |last2=Thorpe |first2=Roger S.}}{{citation |last1=Powell |first1=Robert |title=Conservation Status of Lesser Antillean Reptiles |journal=Iguana |volume=12 |issue=2 |pages=63–77 |year=2005 |last2=Henderson |first2=Robert W.}}

These snakes are primarily diurnal. Even though they are non-venomous, their constricting abilities allow them to be an effective predator. When threatened, these snakes displaying loud hissing and striking to ward off potential threats. Due to their fast nature, these snakes are can flee quickly, allowing them to avoid predators and their agile nature allows them to be excellent hunters.{{Cite journal |last=Barbour |first=T. |date=1917 |title=Notes on the herpetology of The Virgin Islands |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3334825#page/121/mode/1up |journal=Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington |volume=30 |pages=97–103 |via=Bioidiversity Heritage Library}}

The genus Alsophis is endemic to the Lesser Antilles. Alsophis antillensis is a terrestrial snake endemic to the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe (Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre) and Marie-Galante.

Alsophis antillensis is a species in the genus Alsophis or Caribbean Racers.{{Cite journal |last=Barbour |first=T. |date=1914 |title=A contribution to the zoögeography of the West Indies: with especial reference to amphibians and reptiles |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VegXAAAAYAAJ&lr=&source=gbs_navlinks_s |journal=Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology |volume=44 |pages=205–346 |via=Google Books}}{{Cite journal |last=Barbour |first=T. |date=1935 |title=A second list of Antillean reptiles and amphibians |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/51226056#page/239/mode/1up |journal=Zoologica |volume=19 |issue=3 |pages=77–141 |via=Biodiversity Heritage Library}} This group of snakes has a somewhat complicated taxonomic history. Other species that were previously considered synonyms or subspecies of A. antillensis but are now considered separate species include:

• Alsophis sibonius from Dominica{{cite iucn|title=Alsophis manselli|page=e.T190567A115325863|author=Daltry, J.C.|year=2016|volume=2016|access-date=1 May 2021|author2=Henderson, R.W.|author3=Powell, R.|errata=2017|doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T190567A71748201.en}}
• Alsophis manselli from Montserrat{{cite iucn |author=Henderson, R.W. |author2=Powell, R. |date=2019 |title=Alsophis sibonius |volume=2019 |page=e.T190569A71748211 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T190569A71748211.en |access-date=18 November 2021}}
• Alsophis antiguae from Antigua (extinct except for a population on Great Bird Island and reintroductions on Rabbit, Green and York Islands){{Cite journal |last=Henderson |first=R.W. |date=1989 |title=A new subspecies of Alsophis antiguae (Serpentes: Colubridae) from Great Bird Island (Antigua), Lesser Antilles |url=http://bionames.org/bionames-archive/pdf/57/ca/05/57ca0590d2a7f6a1bf9c55225233e51585f6c0bd/57ca0590d2a7f6a1bf9c55225233e51585f6c0bd.pdf |journal=Caribbean Journal of Science |volume=25 |pages=119–122}}{{Cite journal |last=Daltry |first=J. C. |last2=Lindsay |first2=K. |last3=Lawrence |first3=S. N. |last4=Morton |first4=M. N. |last5=Otto |first5=A. |last6=Thibou |first6=A. |date=2017 |title=Successful reintroduction of the Critically Endangered Antiguan racer Alsophis antiguae to offshore islands in Antigua, West Indies |url=https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/izy.12153 |journal=International Zoo Yearbook |language=en |volume=51 |issue=1 |pages=97–106 |doi=10.1111/izy.12153 |issn=0074-9664}}
• Alsophis danforthi from Terre-de-Bas (sometimes considered synonymous with A. sanctonum, which is found on Terre-de-Haut){{Cite journal |last=Hedges |first=S. Blair |last2=Couloux |first2=Arnaud |last3=Vidal |first3=Nicolas |date=2009-04-08 |title=Molecular phylogeny, classification, and biogeography of West Indian racer snakes of the Tribe Alsophiini (Squamata, Dipsadidae, Xenodontinae) |url=https://mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.2067.1.1 |journal=Zootaxa |volume=2067 |issue=1 |doi=10.11646/zootaxa.2067.1.1 |issn=1175-5334}}
• Borikenophis portoricensis from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands{{Cite journal |last=Brongersma |first=L.D. |date=1937 |title=The types of Psammophis antillensis Schlegel |url=https://repository.naturalis.nl/pub/318116/ZM1937020001.pdf |journal=Zoologische Mededelingen Leiden |volume=20 |pages=1–5}}{{Cite journal |last=Grant |first=C. |date=1946 |title=A new name for Alsophis antillensis |journal=Journal of the Department of Agriculture of Puerto Rico |volume=30 |pages=118–125}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{commons category-inline|Alsophis antillensis}}
• {{cite web | title=Alsophis antillensis | website=The Reptile Database | date=15 October 2020 | url=https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species.php?genus=Alsophis&species=antillensis | access-date=4 May 2021}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q2380923}}

Category:Alsophis

Category:Snakes of the Caribbean

Category:Endemic fauna of Guadeloupe

Category:Reptiles of Guadeloupe

Category:Reptiles described in 1837

Category:Taxa named by Hermann Schlegel

{{Dipsadinae-stub}}