{"id":3334,"date":"2022-07-20T12:00:45","date_gmt":"2022-07-20T12:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/svk.dlr.mybluehost.me\/?p=3334"},"modified":"2023-10-01T14:51:13","modified_gmt":"2023-10-01T14:51:13","slug":"el-genero-magliophis-y-su-estado-actual-en-la-naturaleza","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/conservationopportunity.org\/en\/el-genero-magliophis-y-su-estado-actual-en-la-naturaleza\/","title":{"rendered":"The genus Magliophis and its current status in nature"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

Magliophis stahli. Photo taken by Eric Torres<\/p><\/div>\r\n

Herpetologists (biologists specializing in the study of reptiles and amphibians) have recently expressed how the lack of attention to reptiles has resulted in a lack of data on the population of some species inhabiting the area. Consequently, the late biologist, Juan A. Rivero, emphasized in his book Lizards and Snakes of Puerto Rico (2006)<\/em>, The reptile preservation reports have not had the same importance as those of the Puerto Rican parrot and the coqu\u00ed. For this reason, the conservation status of many of the reptile species that are native to Puerto Rico is unknown, such as the Magliophis stahli<\/em> (Garden Snake of Puerto Rico) and the Magliophis exiguus <\/em>(Virgin Islands Garden Snake).\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n
\r\n
\"\"

Adolfo Rodr\u00edguez Vel\u00e1zquez<\/p><\/div>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cIn effect, the International Union for Conservation of Nature<\/em> (IUCN) has as its main goal to Least Concern <\/em>at Magliophis<\/em>. As such, in terms of herpetofauna and research in Puerto Rico and the Antilles, it must be said, are reduced,\u201d said the president of Proyecto Serpientes en Puerto Rico (PSPR), Adolfo Rodr\u00edguez Vel\u00e1zquez.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

There is a controversy here in the distribution of scientific data, since, although there is a lack of research related to snake species in the Antilles, they are still categorized with the same standard as other organisms that have a more established demography.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cEverything you have of her (Magliophis<\/em>), are observations, personal communications, people who have been working and who then have these encounters with the species. But there is no specific research, focused on the species as such, and that is why there is a deficiency of data,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Unfortunately, the attitude of snakes, in general, has \u201ccontributed\u201d to the lack of information. Since, these organisms usually live \u201cin cryptic lands\u201d, making the work of herpetologists even more complicated.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n
\r\n
\"\"

Rio Grande Territorial Plan (2010) (Table 12, critical faunal elements), presents M. exiguus (formerly A. exiguum) as \u201cdata deficient\u201d.\u201d<\/p><\/div>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cI would tell you that I haven't seen that many. Magliophis<\/em> and field work. My thesis study was focused on the Borikenophis<\/em> (racer snake) and one of my study areas is the Cambalache State Forest. I have, in about three years, more than 300 Borikenophis<\/em> marked, but Magliophis<\/em>, In that forest, I've seen three in my life,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Why is there a lack of concern?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Following the categorization of the IUCN <\/a>and the decision taken not to include the Magliophis<\/em> in the document of Puerto Rico State Wildlife Action Plan <\/em><\/a>causes the current status of the genus to be in a dubious position, however, there are explanations that justify the classifications of the snakes.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cThere are no formal estimates of the species (M. stahli and M. exiguus)<\/em>\u201deven so, we cannot be conclusive and say that the species is rare, endangered and declining, because we do not have the data on the species,\u201c said Professor Alberto R. Puente Col\u00f3n.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The professor recommended that, given the lack of studies and information on the species, the snake should be looked at from the point of view of natural threats, such as deforestation, predation and environmental pollution.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"\"

Borikenophis portoricensis. Photo taken by PSPR<\/p><\/div>\r\n

\u201cWe have enough continuous forests to sustain them (Magliophis<\/em>), are there any threats present and is it suffering from any kind of excessive predation? Possibly not. So, if the conditions do not change and the forest is there and the detection exists, then possibly we don't have to worry that it is diminishing,\u201d he commented.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Regarding the concern that the reptile is categorized as a Least Concern <\/em>(under minor concern) instead of Data Deficient <\/em>(data deficient), the professor presented a problem with the lack of professionals focused on herpetology-related studies in Puerto Rico.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cNo one has raised the concern that there is a decline in the population, along that there has been no formal study to determine if the species needs help. This may be one reason why the IUCN marked it that way. In addition, the Magliophis <\/em>has a very wide distribution on the island, although it is not so easy to find,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n
\r\n
\"\"

Prof. Alberto R. Puente Col\u00f3n<\/p><\/div>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n

Contrary to the PSPR president's searches, Puente Col\u00f3n has had more contact with the species.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cI was at a site in Toa Baja for three days and I could see about ten individuals, so is that a lot or a little? We don't know. In nature, not all species have to be so common, there are some that are rare, and so are their ways of existing, but in the terms of the Magliophis<\/em>, Adolfo works during the day, mainly in search of the Borikenophis<\/em>, They are more diurnal than nocturnal, and possibly this species prefers the night more,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Another reason why no concern has been raised about the garden snake is because of the increase in the volume of forests in Puerto Rico.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cIn fact, the increase signals to us that there are more habitats available for the species. One could, being thus an ecological conservationist, say that the Magliophis <\/em>does not need to be declared as endangered or protected. Rather, it needs to be monitored and studied in order to know and be able to identify when a problem occurs and be able to save it,\u201d he concluded.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

###<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Herpetologists (biologists specializing in the study of reptiles and amphibians) have recently expressed how the attention that reptiles are receiving has resulted in unfortunate interactions between the population and the snakes that inhabit the area. Consequently, the late biologist, Juan A. Rivero, emphasized in his book Lagartos y Culebras de Puerto Rico (2006), that reports related to the preservation of reptiles have not had the same importance as those of the Puerto Rican Parakeet and the coqu\u00ed. For this reason, the conservation status of many of the reptile species that are native to Puerto Rico, such as Magliophis stahli (Puerto Rican Garden Snake) and Magliophis exiguus (Virgin Islands Garden Snake), is unknown.\u00a0<\/p>","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":3352,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","postBodyCss":"","postBodyMargin":[],"postBodyPadding":[],"postBodyBackground":{"backgroundType":"classic","gradient":""},"enableOnePageScrollInPage":false,"onePageScrollCss":"","onePageScrollSpeed":1000,"onePageScrollAnimation":"easeInOutQuad","onePageScrollShowDotNavigation":true,"onePageScrollNavigation":"scaleUp","onePageScrollNavigationPosition":"right","onePageScrollNavigationHorizontal":[],"onePageScrollNavigationVertical":[],"onePageScrollNavigationSpacing":[],"onePageScrollNavigationColor":"#00ff0d","onePageScrollNavigationColorHover":"#00ff0d","onePageScrollNavigationColorActive":"#00ff0d","onePageScrollNavigationIcon":[],"onePageScrollNavigationWidth":[],"onePageScrollNavigationWidthHover":[],"onePageScrollNavigationWidthActive":[],"onePageScrollNavigationHeight":[],"onePageScrollNavigationHeightHover":[],"onePageScrollNavigationHeightActive":[],"onePageScrollNavigationBorder":[],"onePageScrollNavigationBorderHover":[],"onePageScrollNavigationBorderActive":[],"onePageScrollNavigationBorderRadius":[],"onePageScrollNavigationBorderRadiusHover":[],"onePageScrollNavigationBorderRadiusActive":[],"onePageScrollNavigationTooltipTypography":[],"onePageScrollNavigationTooltipColor":"#ffffff","onePageScrollNavigationTooltipColorHover":"","onePageScrollNavigationTooltipBgColor":"#00ff0d","onePageScrollNavigationTooltipBgColorHover":"","onePageScrollNavigationTooltipPadding":[],"onePageScrollNavigationTooltipPaddingHover":[],"onePageScrollNavigationTooltipBorderRadius":[],"onePageScrollNavigationTooltipBorderRadiusHover":[],"pageSettingsCustomCss":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[138],"tags":[131,204,202,132,203,201],"class_list":["post-3334","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-noticias","tag-conservacion","tag-magliophis","tag-pspr","tag-puerto-rico","tag-reptiles","tag-serpientes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/conservationopportunity.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3334","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/conservationopportunity.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/conservationopportunity.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conservationopportunity.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conservationopportunity.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3334"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/conservationopportunity.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3334\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6147,"href":"https:\/\/conservationopportunity.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3334\/revisions\/6147"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conservationopportunity.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3352"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/conservationopportunity.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3334"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conservationopportunity.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3334"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conservationopportunity.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3334"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}