Short racer

The short racer (Platyceps brevis), is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to northeastern Africa.

Short racer
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Genus:	Platyceps
Species:	P. brevis
Binomial name
Platyceps brevis (Boulenger, 1895)
Synonyms[2]
Zamenis brevis Boulenger, 1895 Coluber brevis — Parker, 1932 Haemorrhois brevis — Welch, 1982 Eremiophis brevis — Welch, 1983 Platyceps brevis — Schätti & Utiger, 2001

Geographic range

P. brevis is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania.^[2]

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.^[2]

• Platyceps brevis brevis (Boulenger, 1895)
• Playceps brevis smithi (Boulenger, 1895)

Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Platyceps.

Reproduction

P. brevis is oviparous.^[2]

Etymology

The subspecific name, smithi, is in honor of American physician Arthur Donaldson Smith.^[3]