Boa constrictor

Boa Constrictor redirects here. For other uses, see Boa Constrictor (disambiguation)

Red-tailed Boa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Boidae
Subfamily:	Boinae
Genus:	Boa
Species:	B. constrictor
Binomial name
Boa constrictor Linnaeus, 1758

The Red-tailed Boa (Boa constrictor), Jibóia (Latin American name) or Macajuel (pronounced Mah-cah-well) (Trinidadian name) is a species of boa, and is known distinctively for the red coloration at the end of its tail. The name "Red-tailed Boa" refers to only one subspecies of Boa constrictor, the True Red-tailed boa Boa constrictor constrictor (BCC).

Description & Habitat

Boa constrictors, depending on their sex (females are larger) and subspecies, can reach from 5 to 12 feet as adults. The largest boa constrictor in captivity is a 14.5-foot long female BCC from Suriname that resides at the San Diego Zoo. They have an attractive pattern of brown, reddish-brown to black "saddles" or dorsal blobs of color on a lighter background which can range through white, golden, grey or brownish, pink, with a reddish brown tail. The Colombian Boa, 'Boa constrictor imperator' or BCI, is commonly misnamed the "Red-tailed Boa" and is the most common Boa in captivity.

Boas do well in captivity, become quite docile, and are a common sight in zoos. They can live up to 20 to 30 years old in captivity, with rare accounts of over 40 years old, making them a long-term commitment as a pet. Animal husbandry is the most significant factor in captive lifespan.

Female boas produce live offspring instead of laying eggs. Fertilization by the male is internal. During copulation, males can cling to the female via a small set of "spurs" that are generally hidden below scales on either side of the vent and are actually remnants of the hind legs. The gestation period of boas is 108 days after the post ovulation shed.

There's a wide variety of BCI genetic anomalies (with mutated genes) or "morphs", produced through selective breeding available on pet trade, color morphs, pattern, morphs and both color/pattern morphs. Color morphs include albinos (lack of melanin, the black pigment), hypomelanistic (reduced melanin) and anerythristic (lack of erythrin, the red pigment), by combining these traits we get snows (anerythristic albinos), ghosts (anerythristic hypomenistic bcis), sunglows (hypomelanistic albinos) and moonglows (hypomelanistic, anerythristic albinos). The BCCs (Boa constrictor constrictor) have aforementioned "morphs" , which have a red to bright red tails.

Ecology

The boa constrictors diet ranges from small rodents and lizards to large birds, marmosets, coatimundi, iguana and opposums, as well as bats, catching them as they hang in trees or caves, or snatching them as they fly by. They locate prey via heat sensitive scales on their snout, as well as by scent.

Large boas are occasionally preyed upon by jaguars and caimans, smaller subspecies may be eaten by a variety of animals, including various jungle cats, tayra, birds of prey, and even some species of crab.