Pseudoxyrhopus ankafinaensis (Ankafina Brook Snake)

[surroundx]

A colubrid snake known only from a single specimen collected in 1880 from Madagascar (Raxworthy & Nussbaum, 1994). It is currently listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN (Glaw, Raxworthy & Vences, 2011).

References

Glaw, F., Raxworthy, C.J. & Vences, M. (2011). Pseudoxyrhopus ankafinaensis. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.1. (http://www.iucnredlist.org). Downloaded on 21 July 2012.

Raxworthy, Christopher J. and Nussbaum, Ronald A. (1994). Review of the Madagascan snake genera Pseudoxyrhopus, Pararhadinaea and Heteroliodon (Squamata: Colubridae). Miscellaneous Publications of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan 182: 1-37. [Warning: 12.2 MB file]

[Melanie]

Scientific Name: Pseudoxyrhopus ankafinaensis
Species Authority: Raxworthy & Nussbaum, 1994
Assessment Information [top]
Red List Category & Criteria: Critically Endangered B1ab(iii) ver 3.1
Year Published: 2011
Assessor/s: Glaw, F., Raxworthy, C.J. & Vences, M.
Reviewer/s: Bowles, P. & Cox, N.A.
Justification:
Listed as Critically Endangered as it is known only from a restricted area of less than 100 km², and a single location, where there is virtually no forest habitat remaining. Although the species' ability to withstand forest loss and degradation cannot be determined, from the failure of dedicated searches to rediscover this species it must be assumed that it will not survive in deforested land, thus there is a continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat. It is possible that this species is Extinct, as no specimens have been recorded for well over a century.
Geographic Range [top]
Range Description:

This snake is endemic to Madagascar, where it is known a single locality in the central highlands at Ankafina (Raxworthy and Nussbaum 1994, Glaw and Vences 2007), at 1,400 m asl.
Countries:
Possibly extinct:
Madagascar
Range Map: Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.
Population [top]
Population:

This snake was collected 130 years ago. It has not been recorded in recent times despite dedicated searches for it.
Population Trend: Unknown
Habitat and Ecology [top]
Habitat and Ecology: This snake is found in mid-altitude tropical moist forest (C. Raxworthy pers. comm. January 2011).
Systems: Terrestrial
Threats [top]
Major Threat(s): The majority of the forest in the area has been cleared for slash and burn agriculture.
Conservation Actions [top]
Conservation Actions: Dedicated searches have been undertaken to rediscover this species but have proved unsuccessful to date. If this species is relocated, it is likely that urgent conservation action will be required to preserve remaining forest habitat.

www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/172860/0