Reptile
Tobago One-Lined Snake
Atractus cf. univittatus
The Tobago One-Lined Snake is a small, burrowing colubrid endemic to Tobago. Known only from a very limited specimen record, it is distinguished from the related Atractus trilineatus by possessing a single dorsal stripe rather than three. Its rarity and secretive fossorial habits mean it may be more common than records suggest, but population data are essentially absent.
Description
Atractus cf. univittatus is a small, cylindrical burrowing snake, similar in form to A. trilineatus but with a single pale dorsal stripe. It inhabits forest soil and leaf litter and is rarely encountered. Like all Atractus species it is non-venomous and feeds on earthworms and invertebrates.
Ecology
This species is endemic to Tobago, meaning it exists nowhere else in the world. The "cf." in its scientific name reflects uncertainty about whether the Tobago population is the same species as mainland univittatus or represents a distinct undescribed taxon. It is fully protected under the Conservation of Wildlife Act.
Threats
- Habitat loss in Tobago (forest clearance)
- Small island range; inherently vulnerable
- Under-recorded; status poorly known