A new species of Tropidophis (Squamata: Tropidophiidae) and molecular phylogeny of the Cuban radiation of the genus

Abstract

Cuba has the highest diversity of snakes in the genus Tropidophis, representing 53 % of all the known species. Tropidophis steinleini sp. nov. is described from the eastern region of Cuba, raising the number of species to 17 in this archipelago. The new species is most closely related to T. wrighti, T. spiritus and T. morenoi. We discuss the phylogenetic relationships of this new species and other species of the genus in Cuba, based on molecular data, and classified them within three species groups according to the obtained tree topology.

New prey records for two snakes of the genus Tropidophis (Tropidophiidae) from urban habitats in La Habana, Cuba

“…Because anoles tend to sleep on perches above ground level, both in plants and in human-made structures such as buildings, fence mesh, and barbed wire, the Spotted Red Trope probably found its prey using an active foraging strategy. This coincides with comments in Díaz and Cádiz (2020) and Rodríguez-Cabrera et al (2020a, 2020c, who described this species as a climbing, semi-arboreal snake.…”

Westernmost record of the Spotted Red Trope, Tropidophis maculatus (Squamata: Tropidophiidae), with comments on the Tropidophis species assemblage from the Guanahacabibes Peninsula

“…Our observation of the individual from the "María La Gorda" Resort corroborates statements in Díaz and Cádiz (2020) and Rodríguez-Cabrera et al (2020a, 2020c) that this species readily climbs. In this case, the snake was on a wooden handrail, similar to conspecifics observed on vegetation in more natural areas (Rodríguez-Cabrera et al 2020a, 2020c.…”

“…W ith 17 endemic species, Cuba is home to the world's greatest diversity of snakes in the genus Tropidophis (Squamata: Tropidophiidae) (e.g., Hedges 2002;Domínguez et al 2006;Díaz and Cádiz 2020;Uetz et al 2021). Most species have limited distributions, whereas some others are widely distributed and occupy a variety of habitat types (e.g., Rodríguez Schettino et al 2013).…”

Giant dwarfs: Very large giant tropes Tropidophis melanurus (Squamata: Tropidophiidae), and new maximum size records for the species

“…S nakes of the family Tropidophiidae, sometimes-called dwarf boas, comprise two genera: Tropidophis and Trachyboa (Wilcox et al 2002). All but five of the 33 currently recognized species of Tropidophis occur in the West Indies (Hedges 2002;Henderson and Powell 2009;Rodríguez Schettino et al 2013;Díaz and Cádiz 2020;Uetz et al 2021). However, molecular studies suggest that recognition of Trachyboa renders Tropidophis paraphyletic, given that the South American clade is sister to Trachyboa instead of the West Indian clade (Franco Curcio et al 2012;Reynolds et al 2014Reynolds et al , 2018.…”

“…Cuba, with 17 endemic species, harbors more than 60% of all species in the West Indian clade (Hedges 2002;Henderson and Powell 2009;Rodríguez Schettino et al 2013;Díaz and Cádiz 2020;Uetz et al 2021). Dwarf boas are viviparous, nocturnally active constrictors that feed mostly on ectotherms such as lizards and frogs, although the larger species occasionally consume small endotherms (for reviews see Henderson and Powell 2009;Rodríguez-Cabrera et al 2017, 2020a, 2020b.…”