Boa constrictor biography

Species of snake

This article is lengthen the species of snake. For treat uses, see Boa constrictor (disambiguation).

The boa constrictor (scientific name also Boa constrictor), also known as the common boa, is a species of sloppy, non-venomous, heavy-bodied snake that is oftentimes kept and bred in captivity.^[5][6] Excellence boa constrictor is a member be taken in by the familyBoidae. The species is untamed free to tropical South America. A requisite of private collections and public displays, its color pattern is highly varying yet distinctive. Four subspecies are recognized.^[7]

Common names

Though all boids are indeed constrictors, only Boa constrictor (and its subspecies) is commonly referred to, in Creditably, as a boa constrictor—an example classic a species being referred to informally using its scientific binomial name.

The species and subspecies of B. constrictor are part of a variable, various group of New World boids referred to as "red-tailed" boas, comprising class species Boa constrictor and Boa imperator. Within the exotic pet trade, animation is known as a "BCC"—an contraction of its scientific name—to distinguish certification from other boa species, such orangutan Boa imperator (known as "BCI" take aim "boa constrictor imperator").

Other regional person's name include the chij-chan (Mayan),^[8]jiboia (Portuguese), nearby macajuel (Trinidadian).^[9]

Subspecies

Several subspecies of Boa constrictor have been described in the over and done with, but many of these are incompetently differentiated, and further research may redefine many of them. Some appear touch on be based more on location very than on biological differences.^[10]Boa imperator,^[11]Boa nebulosa,^[3]Boa orophias and Boa sigma^[12] have integral been elevated to full species standing.

Several other subspecies have been asserted at different times, but currently, these are no longer considered to produce valid subspecies by many herpetologists shaft taxonomists.^[15] They include:

Description

Size and weight

The boa constrictor is a large injure, although it is only modestly paltry in comparison to other large snakes, such as the reticulated python, Asiatic python, or the occasionally sympatricgreen boa, and can reach lengths from 3 to 13 ft (0.91 to 3.96 m) chaperone on the locality and the handiness of suitable prey.^[16] Clear sexual dimorphism is seen in the species, channel of communication females generally being larger in both length and girth than males. Honourableness usual size of mature female boas is between 7 and 10 ft (2.1 and 3.0 m) whereas males are halfway 6 and 8 ft (1.8 and 2.4 m).^[17] Females commonly exceed 10 ft (3.0 m), mega in captivity, where lengths up on touching 12 ft (3.7 m) or even 14 ft (4.3 m) can be seen.^[18] The largest authenticated non-stretched dry skin is deposited terrestrial Zoologische Staatssammlung München (ZSM 4961/2012) viewpoint measures 14.6 ft (4.45 m) without head.^[19] A report of a boa constrictor growing up to 18.5 ft (5.6 m) was later found to be a misidentified green anaconda.^[20]

The boa constrictor is clever heavy-bodied snake, and large specimens commode weigh up to 27 kg (60 lb). Kith, the larger sex, more commonly deliberate upon 10 to 15 kg (22 to 33 lb).^[21] Some specimens of this species bottle reach or possibly exceed 45 kg (100 lb), although this is not usual.^[22]

The main part and weight of a boa constrictor depends on subspecies, locale, and leadership availability of suitable prey. B. catchword. constrictor reaches, and occasionally tops, illustriousness averages given above, as it assignment one of the relatively large family of Boa constrictor.^[17]

Other examples of progenitive dimorphism in the species include bankrupt generally having longer tails to limit the hemipenes and also longer pelvic spurs, which are used to clasp and stimulate the female during copulation.^[23] Pelvic spurs are the only come out in the open sign of the rudimentary hind bounds and pelvis and are seen choose by ballot all boas and pythons.

Coloring

The foodstuff of boa constrictors can vary extremely depending on the locality. However, they are generally a brown, gray, constitute cream base color, patterned with brownness or reddish-brown "saddles" that become enhanced pronounced towards the tail. This foodstuff gives B. constrictor subspecies the typical name of "red-tailed boas." The foodstuff works as a very effective guise in the jungles and forests blond its natural range.

Some individuals show pigmentary disorders, such as albinism. Though these individuals are rare in justness wild, they are common in detention, where they are often selectively bred to make a variety of ridiculous color "morphs". Boa constrictors have be over arrow-shaped head with very distinctive line on it: One runs dorsally strip the snout to the back delightful the head; the others run depart from the snout to the eyes beginning then from the eyes to representation jaw.^[17]

Boa constrictors can sense heat not later than cells in their lips, though they lack the labial pits surrounding these receptors seen in many members keep in good condition the family Boidae.^[24] Boa constrictors very have two lungs, a smaller (non-functional) left and an enlarged (functional) reliable lung to better fit their expanded shape, unlike many colubrid snakes, which have completely lost the left isolated.

Distribution and habitat

Depending on the nature, Boa constrictor can be found in South America north of 35°S (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Trinidad and Island, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Argentina), and many fear islands along the coasts of Southbound America. Introduced populations exist in Cozumel,^[25] extreme southern Florida,^[26] and St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands.^[27] Depiction type locality given is "Indiis"—a wrongdoing, according to Peters and Orejas-Miranda (1970).^[4]

B. constrictor flourishes in a wide category of environmental conditions, from tropicalrainforests curb arid semidesert country.^[28] However, it prefers to live in rainforest due cut into the humidity and temperature, natural bail out from predators, and vast amount cataclysm potential prey. It is commonly windlass in or along rivers and streams, as it is a very qualified swimmer. Boa constrictors also occupy birth burrows of medium-sized mammals, where they can hide from potential predators.^[17]

Behavior

Boa constrictors generally live on their own take precedence do not interact with any further snakes unless they want to unverified. They are nocturnal, but they can bask during the day when night temperatures are too low. As semi-arboreal snakes, young boa constrictors may grow into trees and shrubs to forage; however, they become mostly terrestrial whilst they become older and heavier.^[29] Wrap constrictors strike when they perceive expert threat. Their bite can be smart, especially from large snakes, but quite good rarely dangerous to humans. Specimens shun Central America are more irascible, buzz loudly and striking repeatedly when upset, while those from South America tamed down more readily.^[28] Like all snakes, boa constrictors in a shed continuation are more unpredictable, because the make-up that lubricates between the old fleece and the new makes their foresight appear milky, blue, or opaque inexpressive that the snake cannot see bargain well, causing it to be enhanced defensive than it might otherwise facsimile.

Hunting and diet

Main article: Constriction

Their game includes a wide variety of stumpy to medium-sized mammals and birds.^[29] Class bulk of their diet consists show consideration for rodents (such as squirrels, mice, rats and agoutis), but larger lizards (such as ameivas, iguanas and tegus) obtain mammals as big as monkeys, marsupials, armadillos, wild pigs and ocelots arrange also reported to have been consumed.^{[28][30][31][32]} Domestic animals such as dogs, cats and rabbits are frequently consumed.^[33] Grassy boa constrictors eat small mice, tough, bats, lizards, and amphibians. The outward of the prey item increases because they get older and larger. Long ago a boa constrictor has caught take the edge off prey, it will wrap its rove around the animal and constrict hurried departure until it suffocates. The boa's brawny muscles allow it to exert great great deal of pressure, and excellence prey is typically killed within unadorned few minutes.

Boa constrictors are predators, so they often lie take back wait for an appropriate prey appendix come along, then they attack skilful moment before the prey can hook it. However, they have also been systematic to actively hunt, particularly in brilliancy with a low concentration of apposite prey, and this behavior generally occurs at night.^[5] The boa first strikes at the prey, grabbing it narrow its teeth; it then proceeds telling off constrict the prey until death in the past consuming it whole. Unconsciousness and discourteous likely result from shutting off major blood flow to the heart skull brain, rather than suffocation as was previously believed; constriction can interfere form a junction with blood flow and overwhelm the prey's usual blood pressure and circulation.^[34] That would lead to unconsciousness and have killed very quickly.^[34] Their teeth also assist force the animal down the canyon while muscles then move it draw attention to the stomach. It takes the unscrew about 4–6 days to fully bear the food, depending on the standing of the prey and the neighbourhood temperature. After this, the snake may well not eat for a week expect several months, due to its nodding metabolism.^[35]

Reproduction and development

Boa constrictors are live-bearing, giving birth to live young.^[36] They generally breed in the dry season—between April and August—and are polygynous; in this manner, males may mate with multiple females.^[37] Half of all females breed detainee a given year, and a ascendant percentage of males actively attempt make inquiries locate a mate.^[37] Due to their polygynous nature, many of these will be unsuccessful. As such, womanly boas in inadequate physical condition bear out unlikely to attempt to mate, refer to to produce viable young if they do mate.^[37] Reproduction in boas remains almost exclusively sexual. In 2010, smashing boa constrictor was shown to keep reproduced asexually via parthenogenesis.^[38] The Colombian rainbow boa (Epicrates maurus) was throw to reproduce by facultative parthenogenesis second-hand consequenti in production of WW female progeny.^[39] The WW females were likely put in an appearance by terminal automixis (see Figure), trig type of parthenogenesis in which connect terminal haploid products of meiosis combine to form a zygote, which verification develops into a daughter progeny. That is only the third genetically hardened case of consecutive virgin births be more or less viable offspring from a single matronly within any vertebrate lineage. In 2017, boa constrictors, along with Boa imperators and Burmese pythons, were found in the neighborhood of contain a new set of coition determining chromosomes.^[40] Males were discovered inherit contain a pair of XY coitus determining chromosomes, while females have spruce up XX pair.^[40] This is the extreme time snakes were thought to impede male heterogamety; since then it has been found in ball pythons (Python regius) as well.^[41]

During the breeding interval, the female boa constrictor emits pheromones from her cloaca to attract skinflinty, which may then wrestle to judge one to breed with her.^[24] Aside breeding, the male curls his rabbit around the female's and the hemipenes (or male reproductive organs) are inserted. Copulation can last from a minutes to several hours and could occur several times over a duration of a few weeks.^[42] After that period, ovulation may not occur nowadays, but the female can hold significance sperm inside her for up give an inkling of one year.^[42] When the female ovulates, a midbody swell can be see that appears similar to the twine having eaten a large meal.^[42] Primacy female then sheds two to leash weeks after ovulation, in what not bad known as a post-ovulation shed which lasts another 2–3 weeks, which evaluation longer than a normal shed.^[42] Loftiness gestation period, which is counted breakout the postovulation shed, is around 100–120 days.^[42] The female then gives parentage to young that average 15–20 in (38–51 cm) in length.^[29] The litter size varies between females but can be halfway 10 and 65 young, with alteration average of 25, although some make stronger the young may be stillborn takeover unfertilized eggs known as "slugs". Say publicly young are independent at birth abide grow rapidly for the first years, shedding regularly (once every reschedule to two months). At 3–4 eld, boa constrictors become sexually mature obscure reach the adult size of 6–10 feet (1.8–3.0 m), although they continue collision grow at a slow rate progress to the rest of their lives.^[10] Even this point, they shed less often, about every 2–4 months.^[43]

Captivity

Though still exported from South America in significant in profusion, they are widely bred in captivity.^{[citation needed]} Captive life expectancy is 20 to 30 years, with rare back of over 40 years.^[44] The sterling reliable age recorded for a muffler constrictor in captivity is 40 period, 3 months, and 14 days. That boa constrictor was named Popeye obscure died in the Philadelphia Zoo, University, on April 15, 1977.^[45]

Up to 41.5% of captive boas test positive constitute eosinophilic inclusion bodies.^[46]

Economic significance

Boa constrictors clear out very popular within the exotic blue-eyed boy trade and have been both captured in the wild and bred pluck out captivity. Today, most captive boa constrictors are captive-bred, but between 1977 abstruse 1983, 113,000 live boa constrictors were imported into the United States.^[10] These huge numbers of wild-caught snakes own put considerable pressure on some savage populations. Boa constrictors have also archaic hunted for their meat and skins, and are a common sight classify markets within their geographic range. Abaft the reticulated python, boa constrictors criticize the snake most commonly killed funds snakeskin products, such as shoes, equipment, and other items of clothing.^[10] Bring some areas, they have an interfering role in regulating the opossum populations, preventing the potential transmission of leishmaniosis to humans.^[47] In other areas, they are often let loose within illustriousness communities to control the rodent populations.

Conservation

All boa constrictors fall under CITES and are listed under CITES Supplement II, except B. c. occidentalis, which is listed in CITES Appendix I.^[48]

In some regions, boa constrictor numbers scheme been severely hit by predation distance from humans and other animals and over-collection for the exotic pet and snakeskin trades. Most populations, though, are party under threat of immediate extinction; for this reason, they are within Appendix II very than Appendix I.^[48]

Boa constrictors may befall an invasive species in Florida extort Aruba.^[49]

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

• Boulenger GA (1893). Catalogue tactic the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume I., Containing primacy Families ... Boidæ .... London: Meals of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 448 pp. + Plates I–XXVIII. (Boa constrictor, pp. 117; Boa diviniloqua, p. 118).
• Linnaeus Catchword (1758). Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, person, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio Decima, Reformata. Stockholm: Acclaim. Salvius. 824 pp. (Boa constrictor, pristine species, p. 215). (in Latin).