Farancia erytrogramma seminola Neill, 1964
Southern Florida rainbow snake
Taxonomy & Nomenclature
Conservation Status
Missing
Last record: 13 September 1952
This species was declared "officially extinct" on the 5th of October, 2011. However, another press release since then has condemned the US government's eagerness to declare the species extinction without adequate surveys, and in spite of several unconfirmed reports. The Centre for Snake Conservation was as of February 2014 looking for a generous donor to help fund a trip back to Fish Eating Creek.
Distribution
Fish Eating Creek, Florida, USA
Biology & Ecology
Hypodigm
Only three specimens of this subspecies were ever collected between 1949 and 1952; the holotype (now residing in the Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida) and two paratypes, both of which seem to have been lost at some point.
Holotype: UF 19416
For photos of the holotype, see: http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/herpetology/fl-guide/Faranciaeseminola.htm
Media
References
Original scientific description:
Neill, Wilfred T. (1964). Taxonomy, Natural History, and Zoogeography of the Rainbow Snake, Farancia erytrogramma (Palisot de Beauvois). American Midland Naturalist 71(2): 257-295. [Abstract]
Other references:
Travers, Scott. (21 July, 2024). A Herpetologist Reveals America’s 3 Rarest Snakes—And Where To Find Them. Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/scotttravers/2024/07/21/a-herpetologist-reveals-americas-3-rarest-snakes-and-where-to-find-them/ [Accessed on 10 August 2024]
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/extinction-countdown/2011/11/30/extinct-snake-photo-worth-500/
http://extinctanimals.proboards.com/thread/10105/south-florida-rainbow-snake