Magliophis exiguus (COPE, 1862)
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Magliophis exiguus
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| Higher Taxa | Colubridae (Dipsadinae), Alsophiini, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | Magliophis exiguus exiguus (COPE 1863) Magliophis exiguus subspadix SCHWARTZ 1967 |
| Common Names | E: Virgin Islands Miniracer, Ground Snake Spanish: Culebrita de jardín |
| Synonym | Dromicus exiguus COPE 1862: 79 Dromicus exiguus — GARMAN 1887: 282 Dromicus exiguus — BOULENGER 1894: 126 Leimadophis exiguus — STEJNEGER 1904: 698 Arrhyton exiguus — MAGLIO 1970 Arrhyton exiguum — SCHWARTZ & HENDERSON 1991: 585 Arrhyton exiguum — CROTHER 1999 Magliophis exiguus — ZAHER et al. 2009 Magliophis exiguum — HEDGES et al. 2009 Magliophis exiguum — WALLACH et al. 2014: 423 Magliophis exiguus — HEDGES et al. 2019 Magliophis exiguus exiguus (COPE 1863) Arrhyton exiguum exiguum — SCHWARTZ & HENDERSON 1991: 586 Magliophis exiguus exiguus — HEDGES et al. 2009 Magliophis exiguus exiguus — HEDGES et al. 2019 Magliophis exiguus subspadix SCHWARTZ 1967 Arrhyton exiguum subspadix — SCHWARTZ & HENDERSON 1991: 586 Magliophis exiguus subspadix — HEDGES et al. 2009 Magliophis exiguus subspadix — HEDGES et al. 2019 |
| Distribution | Puerto Rico Bank; US and British Virgin Islands. exiguum: U.S. and British Virgin Is.: Isla Culebra, St. Thomas, Hassel Isl., Tortola, Peter Isl., Virgin Gorda, Anegada [HR 30: 112]. Type locality: St. Thomas and St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands; restricted to St. Thomas by Schwartz, 1967d. subspadix: southwestern Puerto Rico, from the vicinity of Parguera east to Playa de Arroyo. Type locality: “7.0 km E Guánica, Puerto Rico.” |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Syntypes: Unlocated. Holotype: MCZ 81121 [subspadix] |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis (genus): Species in this genus have 19 midbody scale rows, 137–165 ventrals, 71–102 subcaudals, no apical scale pits, eight upper labials, and nine lower labials (Table 2). Magliophis differs from each of the other alsophiine genera in at least one of those characters. Diagnosis (exiguus): A subspecies of D. exiguus characterized by small size (males to 291 mm, females to 312 mm snout-vent length), low number of ventrals (137 to 145 in males, 138 to 148 in females), ventrals / subcaudals low (214 to 235 in males, 212 to 232 in females), no or very few dark spots in the dorsal zone, ventral angulate dark markings usually absent bat occasionally present and restricted, venter not heavily stippled, and at least unilateral absence of a loreal in about one third of the specimens. (Schwartz 1967: 4) Diagnosis (subspadix): A subspecies of D. exiguus characterized by small size (both sexes to 283 mm snout-vent length), moderate number of ventrals (143 to 150 in males, 145 to 152 in females), ventrals / subcaudals moderate (222 to 238 in males, 224 to 231 in females), dorsal zone usually unmarked except for a short and much fragmented nuchal line, adjacent dark blotching between this line and the stripe absent, a median dorsal line on the posterior part of the body and along the tail, ventral angulate markings very obscure to absent, venter not heavily stippled, aiid only occasionally without loreal scales. (Schwartz 1967: 9) |
| Comment | For illustrations see Stejneger, 1904; Schmidt, 1928; Schwartz, 1967; Philibosian and Yntema, 1977; Rivero, 1978; MacLean, 1982. Arrhyton exiguus stahli has been elevated to full species status. Type species: Dromicus exiguus COPE 1863 is the type species of the genus Magliophis ZAHER et al. 2009. |
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