Arrhyton

Arrhyton[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Subfamily:	Dipsadinae
Genus:	Arrhyton Günther, 1858
Species
Nine recognized species, see article

Arrhyton is a genus of New World snakes, commonly known as island racers or racerlets, in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. The genus contains nine described species.[2]

Description

Snakes of the genus Arrhyton share the following characters. The maxillary bone is short, with eight small teeth, which are followed, after a large interspace by a strongly enlarged fang. The mandibular teeth are small and equal. The head is slightly distinct from the neck. The eye is rather small, with a round pupil. The body is cylindrical in cross-section. The dorsal scales are smooth, without apical pits, and are arranged in 15 or 17 rows. The ventrals are rounded. The tail is moderately long. The subcaudals are in two rows.[3]: 251 

Geographic range

Species in the genus Arrhyton are found in Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and the British Virgin Islands.[4]

Species

The following species are recognized as being valid.[5]

• Arrhyton ainictum Schwartz & Garrido, 1981 – Cuban island racer
• Arrhyton albicollum Díaz, Fong, Salas & Hedges, 2021 – Gibara white-collared racerlet
• Arrhyton dolichura F. Werner, 1909 – Habana island racer
• Arrhyton procerum Hedges & Garrido, 1992 – Zapata long-tailed groundsnake
• Arrhyton redimitum (Cope, 1862) – Oriente brown-capped racerlet
• Arrhyton supernum Hedges & Garrido, 1992 – Oriente black groundsnake
• Arrhyton taeniatum Günther, 1858 – Günther's island racer
• Arrhyton tanyplectum Schwartz & Garrido, 1981 – San Vincente island racer
• Arrhyton vittatum (Gundlach, 1861) – common island racer

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Arrhyton.

References

1. "Arrhyton ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
2. "Arrhyton". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
3. Boulenger, GA (1894). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume II., Containing the Conclusion of the Colubridæ Aglyphæ. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). pp. xi, 1–382 + Plates I–XX.
4. "Arrhyton Günther, 1858". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
5. Arrhyton at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 4 May 2015.

Further reading

• Günther A (1858). Catalogue of Colubrine Snakes in the Collection of the British Museum. London: Trustees of the British Museum. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xvi + 281 pp. (Arrhyton, new genus, p. 240, 244).
• Schwartz A, Thomas R (1975). A Check-list of West Indian Amphibians and Reptiles. Carnegie Museum of Natural History Special Publication No. 1. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Carnegie Museum of Natural History. 216 pp. (Arrhyton dolichurum, p. 177; A. taeniatum, p. 178; A. vittatum, pp. 178–179).