The rainbow boa ( Epicrates cenchria) is a Boinae species Endemism to Central America and South America. A semi-arboreal species (not only do they climb in the wild but also proven in captivity), it is known for its attractive iridescence/holographic sheen caused by structural coloration. Five subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.
Distribution and habitat
The rainbow boa is found in lower Central America (Costa Rica and Panama), and farther south into South America. It occurs east of the
Andes, roughly reaching northern Argentina (in the provinces
Chaco Province, Córdoba, Corrientes,
Formosa Province,
Salta Province, Santiago del Estero and Tucumán).
The rainbow boa's habitat generally consists of humid woodlands and rainforests, but it can also be found in open savannas.
Description
The rainbow boa is typically orange, brown, or reddish brown, with a paler belly and black markings: three parallel stripes on the head, rings down the back, and lateral blotches with a crescent over them, although there is a great deal of natural variation that may be heightened by artificial breeding. It is 4 to 6 feet in length
and sexually dimorphic, as females are slightly longer and have wider abdomens. Males are stronger when compared with females of the same length and more resistant to handling.
Behavior
Rainbow boas are nocturnal and most active in the middle of the night.
This species is semi-arboreal, spending time both on the ground and in trees. They are also known to spend time in bodies of water, and are considered capable swimmers.
Mating habits
The rainbow boa reaches sexual maturity at 1.2 meters for males and 1.4 meters for females, or when they're approximately 2.5 to 4 years old.
Females need to be the correct size otherwise they could have complications during and after birth. Males can mate with multiple females which can be beneficial for reptile breeding.
Eating habits during breeding season
Males generally go without feeding during the mating season and females tend to eat smaller portions during the breeding season. In order to decrease the probability of birthing issues, females should be fed smaller rats/mice in order to save space for proper ova development.
It is not unusual for both sexes to go without eating during the mating season.
Captivity
The most common type of rainbow boa found in the pet trade is the Brazilian rainbow boa,
E. c. cenchria. During the 1980s and early 1990s, substantial numbers were exported from Suriname. Today, however, far fewer are exported, and most offered for sale are captive bred.
[ Brazilian Rainbow Boa at Smithsonian National Zoological Park. Accessed 12 November 2008.] With good care, a captive Brazilian rainbow boa can be expected to live for up to 30 years, but most live up to 20.
Subspecies
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| Epicrates cenchria barbouri | Stull, 1938 | Marajo Island rainbow boa | |
| Epicrates cenchria cenchria | (Carl Linnaeus, 1758) | Brazilian rainbow boa | the Amazon Basin and in coastal Guiana, French Guiana, Suriname and southern Venezuela |
| Epicrates cenchria gaigeae | Stull, 1938 | Peruvian rainbow boa | |
| Epicrates cenchria hygrophilus | Amaral, 1935 | Espirito Santo rainbow boa | |
| Epicrates cenchria polylepis | Amaral, 1935 | Central Highlands rainbow boa | |
|
Etymology
The subspecific names
barbouri and
gaigeae are in honor of American herpetologists
Thomas Barbour and Helen Beulah Thompson Gaige, respectively.
[; ; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . ( Epicrates cenchria alvarezi, p. 6; ]
E. c. barbouri, p. 16; E. c. gaigeae, p. 96).
Gallery
File:Rainbow boa peruvian.jpg|Peruvian subspecies ( E. c. gaigeae)
File:Rainbow Boa (Epicrates centria).jpg|Brazilian rainbow boa at the Vancouver Aquarium
Further reading
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Boulenger GA (1893). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume I., Containing the Families ... Boidæ ... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). xiii + 448 pp. + Plates I-XXVIII. ( Epicrates cenchris, pp. 94–96).
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Freiberg M (1982). Snakes of South America. Hong Kong: T.F.H. Publications. 189 pp. . ( Epicrates cenchria, pp. 87–88, 125-127 + photographs on pp. 18–19, 22-23, 45).
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Carl Linnaeus (1758). Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, dierentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio Decima, Reformata. Stockholm: L. Salvius. 824 pp. ( Boa cenchria, new species, p. 215). (in Latin).
External links
