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Tropidophis melanurus
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Tropidophiidae
Genus:	Tropidophis
Species:	T. melanurus
Binomial name
Tropidophis melanurus (Schlegel, 1837)
Synonyms
Boa melanura Schlegel, 1837 Tropidophis melanurus — Bibron In de la Sagra, 1840 Notophis bicarinatus Hallowell, 1856 Ungalia melanura — Cope, 1868 Ungalia melanura — Boulenger, 1893 Tropidophis melanurus melanurus — Schwartz & Thomas, 1960

Tropidophis melanurus, commonly known as the dusky dwarf boa, Cuban wood snake, or Cuban giant dwarf boa, is a nonvenomous dwarf boa species endemic to Cuba. There are three subspecies that are recognized as being valid, including the nominate subspecies described here.

Description

Adults of T. melanurus grow to an average of 32 to 39 inches (81 to 99 cm) in total length (including tail).

Geographic range

T. melanurus is found in Cuba, as well as on some nearby islands, including Cayos de San Felipe (Cayo Real), and Isla de la Juventud. The type locality given is "l'île de Cuba."

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of T. melanurus is forest.

Diet

T. melanurus preys upon amphibians (frogs), reptiles (lizards), birds, and mammals (rodents).

Reproduction

The mode of reproduction of T. melanurus is unclear: it has been described as oviparous, and as ovoviviparous.

Subspecies

Etymology

The subspecific name, ericksoni, is in honor of Edwin B. Erickson who assisted Schwartz in fieldwork in 1957.

References

1. ^ Fong, A. (2021). "Tropidophis melanurus ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
2. ^ McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré TA (1999). Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
3. ^ "Tropidophis melanurus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 25 September 2007.
4. Burnie, David; Wilson, Don E. (2001). Animal. London: Dorling Kindersley. 624 pp. ISBN 0-7894-7764-5.
5. Species "Tropidophis melanurus " at The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
6. Schwartz A, Thomas R (1960).

Further reading

• Boulenger GA (1893). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume I., Containing the Families ... Boidæ .... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 448 pp. + Plates I–XXVIII. (Ungalia melanura, pp. 111–112).
• Schlegel H (1837). Essai sur la physionomie des serpens. Partie Générale. xxviii + 251 pp. AND Partie Descriptive. 606 + xvi pp. Amsterdam: M.H. Schonekat. (Boa melanura, new species, pp. 399–401). (in French).
• Schwartz A, Henderson RW (1991). Amphibians and Reptiles of the West Indies: Descriptions, Distributions, and Natural History. Gainesville: University of Florida Press. 720 pp. ISBN 978-0813010496. (Tropidophis melanurus, p. 638).
• Schwartz A, Thomas R (1960). "Four New Snakes (Tropidophis, Dromicus, Alsophis) from Isla de Pinos and Cuba". Herpetologica 16 (2): 73–90. (Tropidophis melanurus dysodes, new subspecies; T. m. ericksoni, new subspecies).
• 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. (Tropidophis melanurus, p. 194).

External links

• Tropidophis melanurus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 25 September 2007.

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