Caraiba

Caraiba is a monotypic genus of snakes in the family Colubridae. The genus contains the sole species Caraiba andreae, also known commonly as the black and white racer or the Cuban lesser racer, which is endemic to Cuba. There are six recognized subspecies.

Taxonomy

The genus name, Caraiba, is a reference to the Caribbean. The specific name, andreae, is in honor of a Danish ship's master, "Captain Andrea", who collected the holotype.

The following six subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.

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

C. andreae is found throughout Cuba. It is also found on Isla de la Juventud, and on other smaller offshore islands.
The preferred natural habitats of C. andreae are shrubland and forest, at altitudes from sea level to.

Dorsally, C. andreae is black, with a dorso-lateral series of yellow spots on each side. The upper labials are white. Ventrally it is white, with black markings. Adults may attain a total length of, which includes a tail long.

C. andreae is oviparous.