Comments on the critically endangered Canasí Trope (Tropidophis celiae, Tropidophiidae)

Third locality record of the rare Canasi Trope, Tropidophis celiae (Squamata: Tropidophiidae), with comments on its conservation status

“…4) near the site where we observed the T. celiae. Since T. celiae is a confirmed frog predator (Estrada et al 1997;Hedges et al 1999), we presume that these frog species inhabiting La Pluma Cave represent potential prey for this snake (see Torres et al 2016 for similar criteria regarding Canasí).…”

“…The latter, beside the other justifications given by Fong (2019), permits T. celiae to fulfill the IUCN criteria for the category of Critically Endangered (B1ab[iii]), not Endangered, as it is currently listed (Fong 2019). Following IUCN criterion D (e.g., Rodríguez Schettino 2012) and given the extremely low encounter rate and very low representation in museum collections, we propose that T. celiae must be listed as Critically Endangered (see Torres et al 2016 for similar criteria).…”

“…Nine of these species have restricted distributions and are listed in some threatened category on the IUCN Red List (https://www.iucnredlist.org). Such is the case with the Canasi Trope (T. celiae), which has been regarded as the rarest species of Tropidophis in Cuba (Torres et al 2016). It was originally described by Hedges et al (1999), based on a single specimen collected on the eastern side of the mouth of the Canasí River at the northern coast of Mayabeque Province.…”

“…It was originally described by Hedges et al (1999), based on a single specimen collected on the eastern side of the mouth of the Canasí River at the northern coast of Mayabeque Province. Only four additional specimens have been collected after the original description, including a gravid female that gave birth to two newborn in captivity (Torres et al 2013(Torres et al , 2016. Photographs of a sixth individual were posted on Instagram on 15 April 2020, but no additional information was provided except the species name, the country ("Cuba"), and "March 2020," which might refer to its collection date (https://www.instagram.com/p/B_AflvugwS3/).…”

“…All known individuals come from only two localities, the type locality and ca. 3 km SE of Carbonera Village in northern Matanzas Province (Hedges et al 1999;Torres et al 2013Torres et al , 2016.…”