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| SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION |
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| COMMON
NAME: |
Brazilian rainbow boa, rainbow boa, slender boa |
| KINGDOM: |
Animalia |
| PHYLUM: |
Chordata |
| CLASS: |
Reptilia |
| ORDER: |
Squamata |
| FAMILY: |
Boidae |
| GENUS
SPECIES: |
Epicrates (possession - in reference to constriction)
cenchria (bead-like scales) |
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| DESCRIPTION: |
Compared to other snakes, the Brazilian rainbow
boa is a medium-sized snake. Its color ranges from
red to orange to mahogany brown with a dark ring
pattern down the dorsal (back) surface and dark
spots along the sides. Its scales are iridescent,
especially after shedding. |
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| SIZE: |
Approximately 1.5-2.1 m (5-7 ft) |
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| DIET: |
Feeds on a variety of warm-blooded vertebrates |
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| INCUBATION: |
8-12 weeks
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| Females
are ovoviviparous - the young develop in eggs that
the female retains inside her body. |
| CLUTCH
SIZE |
2-35
live young; 37.5-50 cm (15-20 in) long |
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| SEXUAL
MATURITY: |
2-4 years |
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| LIFE
SPAN: |
Up to 20 years |
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| RANGE: |
Central and South America; Southern Venezuela, Guyana,
and Surinam south through Amazon Basin |
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| HABITAT: |
Found in rivers and drainage areas |
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| POPULATION: |
GLOBAL |
No
data |
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| STATUS: |
IUCN |
Not listed |
| CITES |
Appendix II |
| USFWS |
Not listed |
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|
| 1. |
Like all snakes, boas are excellent swimmers, but
they usually avoid going into the water as much
as possible. |
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| 2. |
Boas are considered primitive snakes, differing
from other species by having two vestigial, or remnant,
hind limbs. These vestigial limbs appear as spurs
on either side of the cloaca. |
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| 3. |
Boas have special pits on their face that allow
them to detect heat. This is very important because
these snakes are nocturnal hunters that use this
ability to find warm-blooded prey at night. |
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Rainbow boas are one of the most sought after
exotic snake for the pet trade because of their
iridescent skin. Over collection and rainforest
destruction for agriculture, ranching, and development
has significantly decreased their populations.
Boas
are very important in controlling rodent populations,
which, when in excess, can have a serious deleterious
effect on the environment.
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|
|
Bauchot, Roland (ed.). Snakes a Natural History.
New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1994.
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Ernst, Carl H., and Zug, George R. Snakes in
Question. Washington: Smithsonian Institution
Press, 1996. |
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Mattison, Chris. Snakes of the World. New
York: Facts on File Publications, Inc., 1986.
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| Mehrtens,
John M. Living Snakes of the World. New York:
Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1987. |
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| Stafford,
Peter J. Pythons and Boas. New Jersey: T.F.H.
Publications, Inc., 1986. |
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