Hi, all,

Guess I've been lurking long enough. Greetings from Andros Island, Bahamas. I live and work near Cargill Creek--if that means anything to anyone here--but haven't messed with snakes on anything like a routine basis since leaving Guam in mid-1992. My interest was rekindled recently in a big way, largely as a majorly unintended consequence of some actions taken by a morbidly ophidiophobic manager.

Our 'big two' indigenous snakes here are, of course, the Bahamian boa (Epicrates striatus, IIRC) and the brown racer (Alsophis vudii, and I won't even try to remember all its colloquial names). I'm much more interested in the latter, because, in no particular order: almost everybody goes gaga for boas; just seeing any more of an A. Vudii than its retreating tail is a blast; and my long-dormant but still healthy
appreciation of North American racers is sort of slopping over into the Caribbean area.

But I'm going wonko trying to find published info on this species. In fact, I've only been able to turn up one fairly recent reference: Franz, R. and C.K. Dodd, Jr. 1994, Life history notes: Alsophis vudii vudii (Brown runner), Diet and Growth, Herp. Rev. 25:28. Now I've just got to find a copy of the actual article. I gather that 'Herp. Rev.' is Herpetological Review. Does anyone here have a street address,
telephone number, or other current contact information for this publication? Failing that, should the library at the University of Miami or some similar institution be able to get hold of it?

Second: As far as I know, all the Caribbean and neotropical racers are rear-fanged and considered mildly venomous. Has anyone ever actually researched the toxicity of A. vudii venom? If so, what were the results? I've never heard of anyone having a severe reaction to a bite from this species, but let's say that my urge to Just Take One For Science is easily resisted.

Granted, the A. vudii I've encountered seemed much more interested in escaping than biting. The only specimen I've even had go into a threat display--which admittedly looked pretty cool--had been pre-agitated by a mockingbird.

You folks run a really informative forum here, and TIA for any info regarding the above questions. I'm going out now to turn over a few rocks with a couple of my buds, the Resident Bug Nerds. Will drop by again later.

Cheers,
John

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