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Tropidophis melanurus (SCHLEGEL, 1837)

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Higher TaxaTropidophiidae, Henophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes)
SubspeciesTropidophis melanurus melanurus (SCHLEGEL 1837)
Tropidophis melanurus dysodes SCHWARTZ & THOMAS 1960
Tropidophis melanurus ericksoni SCHWARTZ & THOMAS 1960 
Common NamesE: Giant Trope, Wood Snake
G: Kubanische Zwergboa 
SynonymBoa melanura SCHLEGEL 1837: 399
Tropidophis melanurus — BIBRON in DE LA SAGRA 1840: 208
Tropidophis melanurus — DUMÉRIL & BIBRON 1844: 491
Tropidophis melanurus — JAN 1864
Ungualia [sic] melanura — GARMAN 1887: 278
Ungalia melanura — BOULENGER 1893: 111
Tropidophis melanurus — STULL 1928: 39
Tropidophis melanurus melanurus — SCHWARTZ & OGREN 1956
Tropidophis melanurus — SCHWARTZ & HENDERSON 1991: 638
Tropidophis melanurus — MATTISON 1995: 112
Tropidophis melanurus — MCDIARMID, CAMPBELL & TOURÉ 1999: 220
Tropidophis melanurus — MATTISON 2007: 137
Tropidophis melanurus — WALLACH et al. 2014: 754

Tropidophis melanurus dysodes SCHWARTZ & THOMAS 1960
Tropidophis melanurus dysodes — SCHWARTZ & HENDERSON 1988
Tropidophis melanurus dysodes — POWELL & HENDERSON 2012

Tropidophis melanurus ericksoni SCHWARTZ & THOMAS 1960
Tropidophis melanurus ericksoni — SCHWARTZ & HENDERSON 1988
Tropidophis melanurus ericksoni — POWELL & HENDERSON 2012 
DistributionCuba

melanurus: throughout Cuba with exception of range of T. m. dysodes. Type locality: Cuba.

dysodes: Pinar del Rio Province, Cuba. Type locality: 1 km N La Coloma, Pinar del Rio Province, Cuba.

ericksoni: Isla de la Juventud.Type locality: Bibijagua, Isla de la Juventud.  
Reproductionovovivparous 
TypesHolotype: Unlocated (SCHWARTZ & HENDERSON 1988)
Holotype: AMNH 82893 [dysodes]
Holotype: AMNH 82897 [ericksoni] 
DiagnosisDiagnosis (genus and family). Tropidophiids differ from other caenophidian snakes by the following combination of features: frontal supraorbital shelf present and demarcated medially by narrow shallow longitudinal furrow often bearing a line of foramina on the dorsal surface of the frontal; maxilla suborbital ramus extends posteriorly to posterior quarter of orbit; vomer septum transversely fenestrated; palatine vomerine process splays laterally at tips to buttress vomer posteriorly; trigeminal foramina enclosed by prootic; ectopterygoid contact with pterygoid is expanded significantly on the dorsal surface of the pterygoid body; vertebrae lack prezygapophyseal processes; expanded hypapophyses with a sharp anteroventral corner present in the midand posterior trunk vertebrae; hypapophyses extend to the cloacal vertebrae with fused lymphapophyses; anterior caudal vertebrae with reduced knob-like or spur-like haemapophyses; middle and posterior vertebrae with expanded haemapophyses fused proximally and forming a small, broad and short peduncular base. (Zaher et al. 2024)


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CommentSubspecies: Tropidophis melanurus bucculentus COPE, 1868 has been elevated to full species status.

For illustrations see Cooper, 1958; Schwartz and Thomas, 1960; Petzold, 1963; Petzold, 1969; Schwartz and Henderson, 1985.

Type species: Boa melanura SCHLEGEL 1837: 399 is the type species of the genus Tropidophis BIBRON 1840.

Type genus: Tropidophis BIBRON 1840 is the type genus of the family Tropidophiidae Brongersma, 1951 (originally as Tropidophinae Brongersma, 1951: 124)

Phylogeny (genus, family): Zaher et al. 2024

Key: mainland South-America: Ortega-Andrade et al. 2022: 30.

Comparisons: for lists of measurements and scalation characters among Tropidophis see Hedges 2002.

Habitat: partly arboreal (Harrington et al. 2018). 
EtymologyNamed after Greek melanos (μέλανος), black, and possibly Greek oura (ουρα), tail, although most specimens do not appear to be particularly dark.

The genus was named after Greek tropidion (τροπίδιον), keel + Greek ophis (ὄφις), snake, serpent. [“...Le nom de Tropidophis, formé des mots grecs τρόπις ἶδος carène, ὄφις serpent, rappellera que le nouveau genre d'Ophidiens auquel nous l'appliquons a chacune des pièces de son écaillure relevée d'une petite saillie longitudinal..." 
References
  • Bailey, J. R. 1937. A review of some recent Tropidophis material. Proc. New England Zool. Club 16: 41-52.
  • Boulenger, G.A. 1893. Catalogue of the snakes in the British Museum (Nat. Hist.) I. London (Taylor & Francis), 448 pp. - get paper here
  • Brongersma, L.D. 1951. Some notes upon the anatomy of Tropidophis and Trachyboa (Serpentes). Zoologische Mededelingen 31: 107-124 - get paper here
  • Caballero, Daylon Fundora; Yuney Hamedh Cruz Antigua 2023. Failed predation by a Cuban Giant Trope, Tropidophis melanurus (Serpentes, Tropidophiidae), on a Cuban Giant Anole, Anolis equestris (Squamata: Dactyloidae). Reptiles & Amphibians 30 (1): e19637 - get paper here
  • Cooper, J.E. 1958. Ascent to Cueva del Aura. Maryland Nat. 28(1-4):2-16.
  • DAUVAL, ALEJANDRO HERNÁNDEZ & DAYLON FUNDORA CABALLERO. 2022. Actividad diaria y ciclo anual de Tropidophis melanurus (Squamata: Tropidophiidae) en el Jardín Botánico de Cienfuegos, Cuba. Novitates Caribaea (19): 12–23. - get paper here
  • Díaz, L. M. y Cádiz, A. 2020. A new species of Tropidophis (Squamata: Tropidophiidae) and molecular phylogeny of the Cuban radiation of the genus. Novitates Caribaea (16): 1-19; doi: 10.33800/nc.vi16.222 - get paper here
  • Duméril, A. M. C. and G. Bibron. 1837. Erpétologie Générale ou Histoire Naturelle Complete des Reptiles. Vol. 4. Libr. Encyclopédique Roret, Paris, 570 pp. - get paper here
  • Duméril, A. M. C. and G. Bibron. 1844. Erpetologie Générale ou Histoire Naturelle Complete des Reptiles. Vol.6. Libr. Encyclopédique Roret, Paris, 609 pp. - get paper here
  • Estrada, A.R. 1998. Anfibios y Reptiles Encontrados Durante 1988 y 1989 en Cayo Paredón Grande, Archipiélago de Sabana-Camagüey, Cuba. Carib. J. Sci. 34 (1-2): 106-112
  • Fong G, Ansel, Irelis Bignotte Giró, Karell Maure García 2013. Unsuccessful predation on the toad Peltophryne peltocephala (Bufonidae) by the Cuban snake Tropidophis melanurus (Tropidophiidae). Herpetology Notes 6: 73-75
  • Garman, S. 1887. On West Indian reptiles in the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Cambridge, Mass. Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc. 24: 278-286. - get paper here
  • Gower, D.; Garrett, K. & Stafford, P. 2012. Snakes. Firefly Books, Buffalo, NY,<br>144 p..
  • Harrington, Sean M; Jordyn M de Haan, Lindsey Shapiro, Sara Ruane 2018. Habits and characteristics of arboreal snakes worldwide: arboreality constrains body size but does not affect lineage diversification. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 125 (1): 61–71 - get paper here
  • Hedges, S. B. and O. H. Garrido. 1992. A new species of Tropidophis from Cuba (Serpentes: Tropidophiidae). Copeia 1992 (4): 820-825 - get paper here
  • Hedges, S. Blair, Alberto R. Estrada and Luis M. Diaz 1999. New snake (Tropidophis) from western Cuba. Copeia 1999 (2): 376-381 - get paper here
  • Hedges, S.B. 2002. Morphological variation and the definition of species in the snake genus Tropidophis (Serpentes, Tropidophiidae). Bull. nat. Hist. Mus. London (Zool.) 68 (2): 83-90 - get paper here
  • Hoopes, I. 1938. Further Notes on Tropidophis melanurus Schlegel in Captivity Copeia 1938 (4): 203-204 - get paper here
  • Iturriaga, Manuel 2014. Autohemorrhaging behavior in the Cuban Dwarf Boa Tropidophis melanurus Schlegel, 1837 (Serpentes: Tropidophiidae). Herpetology Notes 7: 339-341 - get paper here
  • Jan, G. 1864. Iconographie générale des ophidiens. 5. Livraison. J.B. Bailière et Fils, Paris - get paper here
  • Mattison, Chris 1995. The Encyclopedia of Snakes. New York: Facts on File, 256 pp.
  • Mattison, Chris 2007. The New Encyclopedia of Snakes. Princeton University Press
  • McDiarmid, R.W.; Campbell, J.A. & Touré,T.A. 1999. Snake species of the world. Vol. 1. [type catalogue] Herpetologists’ League, 511 pp.
  • O’Shea, M. 2018. The Book of Snakes. Ivy Press / Quarto Publishing, London, - get paper here
  • Petzold, H.G. 1963. Über die kubanische Zwergboa Tropidophis melanurus (Schlegel), eine selten importierte Schlange. DATZ 16 (1):16-20.
  • Petzold, H.G. 1969. Zur Haltung and Fortpflanzungsbiologieeiniger kubanischer Schlangen im Tierpark Berlin. Salamandra 5:124-40 - get paper here
  • Rodríguez-Cabrera, Tomás M. 2018. The American Bullfrog, Lithobates catesbeianus (Ranidae): An exotic prey item of the Cuban endemic Giant Trope, Tropidophis melanurus (Tropidophiidae). IRCF Reptiles & Amphibians 25 (2): 148–150 - get paper here
  • RODRÍGUEZ-CABRERA, TOMÁS M.; ERNESTO MORELL SAVALL, ALEJANDRO M. RODRÍGUEZ-GONZÁLEZ, ALEJANDRO HERNÁNDEZ GÓMEZ & JAVIER TORRES. 2021. Predation on murid rodents by the Giant Trope, Tropidophis melanurus (Squamata: Tropidophiidae), with comments on predation of mammals by snakes of the genus Tropidophis. Reptiles & Amphibians 28(3): 516–519. - get paper here
  • RODRÍGUEZ-CABRERA, TOMÁS M.; ERNESTOL MORELL SAVAL, RAMSES ALONSO NAVARRO, JOHN Q. PIGGOT, ALEJANDRO M. RODRÍGUEZ-GONZÁLEZ & JAVIER TORRES. 2021. Giant dwarfs: Very large giant tropes Tropidophis melanurus (Squamata: Tropidophiidae), and new maximum size records for the species. Reptiles & Amphibians 28(3): 404–410. - get paper here
  • Rodríguez-Cabrera, Tomás M.; José Rosado, Ruben Marrero, and Javier Torres 2017. Birds in the diet of snakes in the genus Tropidophis (Tropidophiidae): Do prey items in museum specimens always reflect reliable data? . IRCF Reptiles & Amphibians 24 (1): 61–64 - get paper here
  • Rodríguez Schettino, Lourdes, Carlos A. Mancina & Vilma Rivalta González 2013. REPTILES OF CUBA: CHECKLIST AND GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTIONS. Smithsonian Herp. Inf. Serv. (144): 1-96 - get paper here
  • Schlegel, H. 1837. Essai sur la physionomie des serpens. Partie Descriptive. La Haye (J. Kips, J. HZ. et W. P. van Stockum), 606 S. + xvi - get paper here
  • Schwartz, A. & Henderson, R.W. 1991. Amphibians and Reptiles of the West Indies. University of Florida Press, Gainesville, 720 pp.
  • Schwartz, A. and Henderson, R.W. 1985. A guide to the identification of the amphibians and reptiles of the West Indies exclusive of Hispaniola. Milwaukee Public Mus., 165 pp.
  • Schwartz, A. and Ogren, L.H. 1956. A collection of reptiles and amphibians from Cuba, with the descriptionof two new forms. Herpetologica 12 (2): 91-110 - get paper here
  • Schwartz, A. and Thomas, R. 1960. Four new snakes (Tropidophis, Dromicus, Alsophis) from the Isla de Pinos and Cuba. Herpetologica 16 (2): 73-90. - get paper here
  • Seung Hoon, Cha 2012. Snake, the world most beautifull curve [in Korean]. Hownext, 304 pp. [ISBN 978-89-965656-7-3] - get paper here
  • Sjöbeck, Anders 1992. Breeding Tropidophis melanurus melanurus in captivity. Litteratura Serpentium 12 (4): 97-99 - get paper here
  • Stull, O.G. 1928. A revision of the genus Tropidophis. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology University of Michigan 195: 1-49. - get paper here
  • Torres J, Rodríguez-Cabrera TM 2020. Diurnal refuge sharing between species of Cuban snakes of the genus Tropidophis (Squamata: Tropidophiidae). Caribbean Herpetology, 74: 1–2 - get paper here
  • Torres, Javier; Carlos Pérez-Penichet and Orlando Torres. 2014. Predation attempt by Tropidophis melanurus (Serpentes, Tropidophiidae) on Anolis porcus (Sauria, Dactyloidae). Herpetology Notes 7: 527-529 - get paper here
  • Wallach, Van; Kenneth L. Williams , Jeff Boundy 2014. Snakes of the World: A Catalogue of Living and Extinct Species. [type catalogue] Taylor and Francis, CRC Press, 1237 pp.
  • Zaher, H., Trusz, C., Koch, C., Entiauspe-Neto, O. M., Battilana, J., & Grazziotin, F. G. 2024. Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of the dwarf boas of the family Tropidophiidae (Serpentes: Alethinophidia). Systematics and Biodiversity, 22(1), 2319289 - get paper here
  • Zaher, Hussam 1994. Les Tropidopheoidea (Serpentes; Alethinophidia) sont-ils réellement monophylétiques? Arguments en faveur de leur polyphylétisme. Comptes Rendus de L Academie Des Sciences Serie III - Sciences de La Vie - Life Sciences 317 (5): 471-478
 
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