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The boa constrictor (scientific name also Boa constrictor), also known as the common boa, is a species of large, non-venomous, heavy-bodied snake that is frequently kept and bred in captivity. The boa constrictor is a member of the family Boidae. The species is native to tropical South America. A staple of private collections and public displays, its color pattern is highly variable yet distinctive. Four subspecies are recognized.
The species and subspecies of B. constrictor are part of a variable, diverse group of New World boids referred to as "red-tailed" boas, comprising the species Boa constrictor and Boa imperator. Within the exotic pet trade, it is known as a "BCC"—an abbreviation of its scientific name—to distinguish it from other boa species, such as Boa imperator (known as "BCI" or "boa constrictor imperator").
Other regional names include the chij-chan (Mayan Languages), jiboia (Portuguese), and macajuel (Trinidadian).Mendes, J. (1986). Cote ce Cote la: Trinidad & Tobago Dictionary. Arima, Trinidad. p. 92.
| B. c. constrictor | Carl Linnaeus, 1758 | red-tailed boa constrictor or red-tailed boa | South America except for the ranges of the other three subspecies | |
| B. c. longicauda | & , 1991 | long-tailed boa constrictor or long-tailed boa | northern Peru | |
| B. c. occidentalis | Philippi, 1873 | Argentine boa constrictor or Argentine boa | Argentina and Paraguay | |
| B. c. ortonii | Cope, 1878 | Orton's boa constrictor or Orton's boa; ; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . ( Boa constrictor amarali, p. 7; B. c. ortonii, p. 196). | northwestern Peru | The subspecific name ortonii is in honor of American naturalist James Orton. |
Several other subspecies have been described at different times, but currently, these are no longer considered to be valid subspecies by many and . They include:
The boa constrictor is a heavy-bodied snake, and large specimens can weigh up to . Females, the larger sex, more commonly weigh . Some specimens of this species can reach or possibly exceed , although this is not usual. Boa Constrictor Fact Sheet – Woodland Park Zoo Seattle WA . Zoo.org. Retrieved on 2012-08-22.
The size and weight of a boa constrictor depends on subspecies, locale, and the availability of suitable prey. B. c. constrictor reaches, and occasionally tops, the averages given above, as it is one of the relatively large subspecies of Boa constrictor.
Other examples of sexual dimorphism in the species include males generally having longer tails to contain the Hemipenis and also longer , which are used to grip and stimulate the female during copulation.O'Shea M (2007). Boas and Pythons of the World. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. . Pelvic spurs are the only external sign of the rudimentary hind legs and pelvis and are seen in all boas and pythons.
Some individuals exhibit pigmentary disorders, such as albinism. Although these individuals are rare in the wild, they are common in captivity, where they are often selectively bred to make a variety of different color "morphs". Boa constrictors have an arrow-shaped head with very distinctive stripes on it: One runs dorsally from the snout to the back of the head; the others run from the snout to the eyes and then from the eyes to the jaw.
Boa constrictors can sense heat via cells in their lips, though they lack the labial pits surrounding these receptors seen in many members of the family Boidae. Boa constrictors also have two lungs, a smaller (non-functional) left and an enlarged (functional) right lung to better fit their elongated shape, unlike many Colubridae snakes, which have completely lost the left lung.
B. constrictor flourishes in a wide variety of environmental conditions, from tropical rainforests to arid semidesert country.Stidworthy J (1974). Snakes of the World. New York: Grosset & Dunlap Inc. . However, it prefers to live in rainforest due to the humidity and temperature, natural cover from , and vast amount of potential prey. It is commonly found in or along rivers and streams, as it is a very capable swimmer. Boa constrictors also occupy the of medium-sized mammals, where they can hide from potential predators.
Boa constrictors are ambush predators, so they often lie in wait for an appropriate prey to come along, then they attack a moment before the prey can escape. However, they have also been known to actively hunt, particularly in regions with a low concentration of suitable prey, and this behavior generally occurs at night. The boa first strikes at the prey, grabbing it with its teeth; it then proceeds to constrict the prey until death before consuming it whole. Unconsciousness and death likely result from shutting off vital Hemodynamics to the heart and brain, causing asphyxiation, rather than suffocation as was previously believed; constriction can interfere with blood flow and overwhelm the prey's usual blood pressure and circulation. This would lead to unconsciousness and death very quickly. Their teeth also help force the animal down the throat while muscles then move it toward the stomach. It takes the snake about 4–6 days to fully digest the food, depending on the size of the prey and the local temperature. After this, the snake may not eat for a week to several months, due to its slow metabolism.
During the breeding season, the female boa constrictor emits pheromones from her cloaca to attract males, which may then wrestle to select one to breed with her. During breeding, the male curls his tail around the female's and the hemipenes (or male reproductive organs) are inserted. Copulation can last from a few minutes to several hours and may occur several times over a period of a few weeks. After this period, ovulation may not occur immediately, but the female can hold the sperm inside her for up to one year. When the female ovulates, a midbody swell can be noticed that appears similar to the snake having eaten a large meal. The female then sheds two to three weeks after ovulation, in what is known as a post-ovulation shed which lasts another 2–3 weeks, which is longer than a normal shed. The gestation period, which is counted from the postovulation shed, is around 100–120 days. The female then gives birth to young that average in length. The litter size varies between females but can be between 10 and 65 young, with an average of 25, although some of the young may be stillborn or unfertilized eggs known as "slugs". The young are independent at birth and grow rapidly for the first few years, shedding regularly (once every one to two months). At 3–4 years, boa constrictors become sexually mature and reach the adult size of , although they continue to grow at a slow rate for the rest of their lives.Smith, Charles R. (1999). Boa constrictor ( Boa constrictor). Siar Anthranir Reptiles At this point, they shed less frequently, about every 2–4 months. (1986). Pythons and Boas. Neptune, New Jersey: T.F.H. Publications. .
Up to 41.5% of captive boas test positive for eosinophilic inclusion bodies.
In some regions, boa constrictor numbers have been severely hit by predation from humans and other animals and over-collection for the exotic pet and snakeskin trades. Most populations, though, are not under threat of immediate extinction; thus, they are within Appendix II rather than Appendix I.
Boa constrictors may be an invasive species in Florida and Aruba.
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Categories: Constrictor, Fauna Of The Amazon, Snakes Of The Caribbean, Snakes Of Central America, Reptiles Of Argentina, Reptiles Of Bolivia, Snakes Of Brazil, Reptiles Of Colombia, Reptiles Of Ecuador, Reptiles Of French Guiana, Reptiles Of Guyana, Reptiles Of Peru, Reptiles Of Suriname, Reptiles Of Trinidad And Tobago, Reptiles Of Uruguay, Reptiles Of Venezuela, Reptiles Described In 1758, Animal Taxa Named By Carl Linnaeus, Articles Containing Video Clips, Reptiles As Pets
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