Hypsirhynchus ater (Jamaican Racer)

[Melanie]

The Black Racer (Alsophis ater) was endemic to Jamaica. It disappears in the 1940s after deforestation and the predation by introduced mongooses. After the found of a skin in the early 1970s there is a faint hope that it might have survived.

[Melanie]

Also known as Jamaican Tree-snake

[another specialist]

Assessment Information
Red List Category & Criteria: CR B1+2ce ver 2.3 (1994)
Year Assessed: 1996
Annotations: Out of date
Assessor/s: Gibson, R.
History: 1994 - Endangered (Groombridge 1994)



www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/940/all

[another specialist]

Caribbean Amphibians and Reptiles
By Brian I. Crother, Albert Schwartz

[another specialist]

Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History) ...
By British Museum (Natural History). Dept. of Zoology, British Museum Natural History, George Albert Boulenger

[another specialist]

Amphibians and Reptiles of the West Indies
By Albert Schwartz, Robert W. Henderson

[sebbe67]

Nevertheless, Gosse’s (1851) description of Alsophis ater being the “most common Ophidian reptile in Jamaica” (1844-1846) is probably accurate, and specimens were collected as late as 1920-1930 (BMNH;USNM). Since then, only a single shed skin has been collected (early 1970’s; R. I. Crom-bie, pers. comm.). Although the disappearance of A. ater may be attributable to various factors, species of Alsophis are known to be sensitive to Herpestes introductions (see below), and Jamaica has har-bored mongooses longer than any otherisland in the West Indies

academic.uprm.edu/publications/cjs/VOL28/P001-010.PDF

[simontonge]

This is a photo of a specimen of Alsophis ater taken in the Natural History Museum in London in 1981 by William Oliver that I thought might be of interest to forum readers. I don't think this species has been illustrated here before.

Attachments:

[Peter]

This is certainly of interest to me and I'm sure indeed also to other forum readers. Thanks for sharing. Always great to see pictures of museum specimens!

[simontonge]

Hi Peter Yes I think that documenting the surviving specimens of extinct species is important and it is certainly interesting. Artistic reconstructions are valuable and have their place but they can't beat the real thing! It is a shame that sometimes photos of specimens are put on this forum but the provenance of them isn't also given. I think contributors should always try to state at least where and when the photo was taken even if they don't know anything else about it.
Incidentally I think the specimen illustrated here may be one of the two syntypes of this species.
Happy New Year to all!

[surroundx]

Jul 4, 2009 11:38:07 GMT @sebbe67 said:

Nevertheless, Gosse’s (1851) description of Alsophis ater being the “most common Ophidian reptile in Jamaica” (1844-1846) is probably accurate, and specimens were collected as late as 1920-1930 (BMNH;USNM). Since then, only a single shed skin has been collected (early 1970’s; R. I. Crom-bie, pers. comm.). Although the disappearance of A. ater may be attributable to various factors, species of Alsophis are known to be sensitive to Herpestes introductions (see below), and Jamaica has har-bored mongooses longer than any otherisland in the West Indies

academic.uprm.edu/publications/cjs/VOL28/P001-010.PDF

Valid address now: scholar.googleusercontent.com/scholar?q=cache:gyCDZPzQluoJ:scholar.google.com/&hl=en&as_sdt=0,5

[Sebbe]

This large, diurnal, and apparently easily-observed species was historically abundant and widely distributed across Jamaica, but appears to have declined rapidly subsequent to the introduction of the "Small Indian Mongoose" in 1872, and has not been documented since the early twentieth century. A ~2010 video disseminated by villagers from central Jamaica possibly shows the species and allows some hope that it persists, but if it does the number of mature individuals must be tiny, certainly <50.

This species is endemic to Jamaica, where was historically common island-wide but has not been recorded since the nineteenth century (Henderson and Powell 1996, 2009). It was known from the lowlands into the mountains, with GIS derived elevations from historical collection localities placing the minimum elevation as 55m and the maximum as 1,442m.

This large and presumably easily-detected, diurnal species has not been recorded with certainty over the last century (B. Wilson pers. comm. 2015), although there is a recent video (c.2010) from villagers in central Jamaica apparently documenting a large (~1 m, much larger than other congeners) black snake which may be referable to the species (S.B. Hedges and B. Wilson pers. comm. 2015). If any animals survive the number of mature individuals is tiny, certainly <50 individuals.

www.iucnredlist.org/details/940/0

[Peter]

Sept 16, 2012 6:22:38 GMT surroundx said:

Jul 4, 2009 11:38:07 GMT @sebbe67 said:

Nevertheless, Gosse’s (1851) description of Alsophis ater being the “most common Ophidian reptile in Jamaica” (1844-1846) is probably accurate, and specimens were collected as late as 1920-1930 (BMNH;USNM). Since then, only a single shed skin has been collected (early 1970’s; R. I. Crom-bie, pers. comm.). Although the disappearance of A. ater may be attributable to various factors, species of Alsophis are known to be sensitive to Herpestes introductions (see below), and Jamaica has har-bored mongooses longer than any otherisland in the West Indies

academic.uprm.edu/publications/cjs/VOL28/P001-010.PDF

Valid address now: scholar.googleusercontent.com/scholar?q=cache:gyCDZPzQluoJ:scholar.google.com/&hl=en&as_sdt=0,5

The links are broken. Does anyone remember which paper this was?

EDIT: found on Branden's website:
Henderson, Robert W. (1992). Consequences of predator introductions and habitat destruction on amphibians and reptiles in the post-Columbus West Indies. Caribbean Journal of Science 28: 1-10.