Molecular phylogeny, classification, and biogeography of West Indian racer snakes of the Tribe Alsophiini (Squamata, Dipsadidae, Xenodontinae) Author Hedges, Blair Author Couloux, Arnaud Author Vidal, Nicolas text Zootaxa 2009 2067 1 28 journal article 10.5281/zenodo.187018 35d81ccb-1856-4852-a5b6-d9058b3dbc0b 1175-5326 187018 Genus Caraiba Zaher et al., 2009 Type species. Liophis andreae Reinhardt & Lütken, 1862 :214 . Diagnosis. The species in this genus has 17 midbody scale rows, 131–157 ventrals, 90–120 subcaudals, 1 apical scale pit, 8 upper labials, 9 lower labials, 20–23 total maxillary teeth, and 25–28 dentary teeth ( Table 2 ). Caraiba differs in at least one of these characters from all other alsophiine genera except Hypsirhynchus . From that genus it differs in having a hemipene with enlarged papillate body calyces in the basal region and medial surface of the lobes ( Zaher 1999 ). Content. One species (six species + subspecies) is included in the genus ( Table 1 ). Distribution. The genus is distributed on Cuba , including Isla de Juventud ( Fig. 2 ). Remarks. The single species of Caraiba is a moderate-sized species of racer, occurring sympatrically with smaller and larger genera of racers on Cuba . The finding here ( Figs. 1 and 4 ) that “ Antillophis ” andreae ( Cuba ) groups with large Cuban racers of another genus (see below) and that “ Antillophis ” parvifrons (Hispaniola) groups with Hispaniolan species ( Hypsirhynchus ) is also supported by morphology: the former species ( Cuba ) have 17 midbody scale rows whereas the latter species (Hispaniola) have 19 midbody scale rows. Myers (1973) also had reservations about Maglio’s (1970) recognition of Antillophis based on morphology. Zaher et al. (2009) described Caraiba for the single species, based only on its hemipenial differences.