Oxybelis rutherfordi, Rutherford's vine snake, commonly known as the Horsewhip in Trinidad & Tobago, is a species of snake.[1] The species was originally described in 2020 by Robert C. Jadin, Christopher Blair, Sarah A. Orlofske, Michael J. Jowers, Gilson A. Rivas, Laurie J. Vitt, Julie M. Ray, Eric N. Smith & John C. Murphy.

Oxybelis rutherfordi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Oxybelis
Species:
O. rutherfordi
Binomial name
Oxybelis rutherfordi
Jadin, Blair, Orlofske, Jowers, Rivas, Vitt, Ray, Smith & Murphy 2020

Description

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Oxybelis rutherfordi is one of the Neotropical vine snakes . In 2020 it was described as being distinct from a similar species of vine snake; Oxybelis aeneus.[1] Phylogenetic analyses has shown distinctive genetic differences.

Range & habitat

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The species has been observed in Trinidad & Tobago, Venezuela including Margarita Island, and French Guiana. The Holotype was collected in the grounds of the William Beebe Tropical Research Station (also known as Simla), in the Arima Valley in the Northern Range of Trinidad and is an adult female.[1]

Etymology

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The species was named after Mike G. Rutherford, collector of the holotype and at the time curator of the University of the West Indies Zoology Museum (UWIZM), for his contributions to the zoology and natural history of Trinidad and Tobago.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Jadin, Robert C.; Blair, Christopher; Orlofske, Sarah A.; Jowers, Michael J.; Rivas, Gilson A.; Vitt, Laurie J.; Ray, Julie M.; Smith, Eric N.; Murphy, John C. (2020-10-07). "Not withering on the evolutionary vine: systematic revision of the Brown Vine Snake (Reptilia: Squamata: Oxybelis) from its northern distribution". Organisms Diversity & Evolution. 20 (4): 723–746. doi:10.1007/s13127-020-00461-0. S2CID 225161403.