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NT
Near Threatened
A
Animalia
E
Endemic
Santa Cruz •
North Seymour •
Isabela •
Fernandina •
Santa Fe •
Pinzon •
Española •
Baltra
Racer snakes in the Galapagos are constrictors and only mildly venomous. They prey on various small animals such as lava lizards, geckos, insects, iguanas, mice, rats, and bird hatchlings. They pose no threat to humans and are not aggressive. These snakes are typically dark brown with stripes or spots.
There is some confusion regarding the number of racer snake species in the Galapagos due to insufficient research. Current research identifies several species: the Galapagos racer (Pseudalsophis biserialis), now only found on islets near San Cristobal and Floreana; the Española racer (Pseudalsophis hoodensis) from Española and nearby islets; the Santa Cruz racer (Pseudalsophis dorsalis) from Santa Cruz, Baltra, Santa Fe, and adjacent islets; the Fernandina racer (Pseudalsophis occidentalis) from Fernandina, Isabela, and Tortuga; the banded racer (Pseudalsophis slevini) from Pinzon; and the striped racer (Pseudalsophis steindachneri) from Baltra and Santa Cruz.