Post by Sebbe on Dec 14, 2016 19:16:37 GMT
Listed as Extinct on the basis that this species was last recorded before 1963 and has not been found in repeated subsequent surveys. Barbados is a very heavily-developed island and numerous introduced species, including mongoose, cats and rats, are widespread. The magnitude of these threats to a ground-dwelling snake, combined with evidence of historical decline, leaves little reasonable doubt that - although seen alive comparatively recently, little more than 50 years ago - this species is now extinct.
This species is known only from historical records from Barbados, from which it was last recorded in 1963 (Underwood et al. 1999). More recent reports represent confusion with Mastigodryas bruesi, thought to be an introduction to the island. The history of these two species on Barbados is very confused; descriptions from the 17th Century of snakes on the island refer to an arboreal snake, and Erythrolamprus are typically terrestrial or aquatic. This suggests either that M. bruesi may have been introduced either early in the colonial period or in the pre-Columbian period, or that this species too is native to Barbados, complicating efforts to infer the historical status of Erytholamprus perfuscus on the island from the literature.
The species hasn't been recorded since 1963; it was formerly probably widespread and was reportedly common on Barbados (Underwood et al. 1999). Declines appear to have coincided with the introduction of mongoose to Barbados. Emsley (1963) reported that the species appeared to be abundant as recently as 1960; the same author reported that it had previously been considered extinct and recorded four specimens from an unnamed locality. The reliability of this testimony is unclear as it is possible this represents confusion with Mastigodryas bruesi. The snake has never since been recorded.
Mongoose were introduced to Barbados in the 1870s, and the species seems to have declined drastically from that period. The four specimens reported by Elmsley (1963) were from a locality identified as being in St. Joseph Parish on the border with St. John (Underwood et al. 1999). The species has never since been recorded. This record - from the most remote area of the island - is consistent with a remnant population close to extinction, and the lack of any subsequent records strongly suggests that it has now been lost. There are only around 20 ha of forest remaining on Barbados, a heavily-developed island.It is not known whether this species was able to survive in degraded habitats, although the last recorded specimens include records from the grounds of a school. Repeated targeted surveys aiming to rediscover this species have failed to record it, and it is presumed to be extinct.
This species is known only from historical records from Barbados, from which it was last recorded in 1963 (Underwood et al. 1999). More recent reports represent confusion with Mastigodryas bruesi, thought to be an introduction to the island. The history of these two species on Barbados is very confused; descriptions from the 17th Century of snakes on the island refer to an arboreal snake, and Erythrolamprus are typically terrestrial or aquatic. This suggests either that M. bruesi may have been introduced either early in the colonial period or in the pre-Columbian period, or that this species too is native to Barbados, complicating efforts to infer the historical status of Erytholamprus perfuscus on the island from the literature.
The species hasn't been recorded since 1963; it was formerly probably widespread and was reportedly common on Barbados (Underwood et al. 1999). Declines appear to have coincided with the introduction of mongoose to Barbados. Emsley (1963) reported that the species appeared to be abundant as recently as 1960; the same author reported that it had previously been considered extinct and recorded four specimens from an unnamed locality. The reliability of this testimony is unclear as it is possible this represents confusion with Mastigodryas bruesi. The snake has never since been recorded.
Mongoose were introduced to Barbados in the 1870s, and the species seems to have declined drastically from that period. The four specimens reported by Elmsley (1963) were from a locality identified as being in St. Joseph Parish on the border with St. John (Underwood et al. 1999). The species has never since been recorded. This record - from the most remote area of the island - is consistent with a remnant population close to extinction, and the lack of any subsequent records strongly suggests that it has now been lost. There are only around 20 ha of forest remaining on Barbados, a heavily-developed island.It is not known whether this species was able to survive in degraded habitats, although the last recorded specimens include records from the grounds of a school. Repeated targeted surveys aiming to rediscover this species have failed to record it, and it is presumed to be extinct.
www.iucnredlist.org/details/12081/0