Thomas's Racer
Pseudalsophis thomasi
Silhouette: Alex Slavenko · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyColubridae (Colubrid Snakes)
- GenusPseudalsophis (Galápagos and Elegant Racers)
- SpeciesPseudalsophis thomasi (Thomas's Racer)
About the Thomas's Racer
Pseudalsophis thomasi, or Thomas' racer, a species of snake in the family Colubridae. It is endemic to several islands in the Galápagos group. The genus name Pseudalsophis comes from the name of a genus of Caribbean snakes Alsophis due to their superficial similarities, combined with the Greek word pseudo meaning false. The specific name is in honor of the herpetologist Robert A. Thomas.
Diurnal snakes, active throughout the day with the exception of hot midday hours. They can be found in rocky areas, deciduous forest, and dry grassland habitats. Foraging predators they feed on small animals such as lizards (Microlophus jacobii), geckos (Phyllodactylus maresi), snakes, birds, and insects. Snakes are mildly venomous enough to endanger small prey items but not enough to harm a human. Thomas's Racers have no natural predators however they are preyed upon by introduced black rats.
Thomas's racer is endemic to the islands of Santiago, Bartolomé, and Rábida. Its total estimated range is approximately 459 km2 It is the more common of the two snake species found on Santiago and Rábida, the other being the much rarer Pseudalsophis hephaestus... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Thomas's Racer in Galápagos Islands
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Galápagos Islands
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Darwin's Racer
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Hood Island Racer
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Santiago Racer
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Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Galápagos Islands | 🇪🇨 Ecuador |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Thomas's Racer in Galápagos Islands?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Thomas's Racer sighting in Galápagos Islands, based on 22 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Thomas's Racer in Galápagos Islands?
January has the highest sighting rate for Thomas's Racer in Galápagos Islands in our monthly data.