Are you an EPFL student looking for a semester project?
Work with us on data science and visualisation projects, and deploy your project as an app on top of Graph Search.
Concept
Boa constrictor
Summary
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. This article focuses on the species Boa constrictor as a whole, and on the nominate subspecies B. c. constrictor.
Though all boids are constrictors, only this species is properly referred to as the "boa constrictor" — an instance of an animal having the same English common name and scientific binomial. Only one other vertebrate animal shares this trait, the theropod dinosaur Tyrannosaurus rex.
All subspecies are referred to as "boa constrictors", and are part of a diverse group of New World boas referred to as "red-tailed" boas, comprising the species Boa constrictor and Boa imperator. Within the exotic pet trade, it is also known as a "BCC", an abbreviation of its scientific name, to distinguish it from other boa species, such as Boa imperator or "BCI."
Other common names include chij-chan (Mayan), jiboia (Latin American), and macajuel (Trinidadian).
Several subspecies of Boa constrictor have been described in the past, but many of these are poorly differentiated, and further research may redefine many of them. Some appear to be based more on location rather than on biological differences. Boa imperator, Boa nebulosa, Boa orophias and Boa sigma have all been elevated to full species status.
Several other subspecies have been described at different times, but currently, these are no longer considered to be valid subspecies by many herpetologists and taxonomists. They include:
B. c. amarali Stull, 1932
B. c. melanogaster Langhammer, 1983: a nomen dubium
The boa constrictor is a large snake, although it is only modestly sized in comparison to other large snakes, such as the reticulated python, Burmese python, or the occasionally sympatric green anaconda, and can reach lengths from depending on the locality and the availability of suitable prey.
Official source
About this result
This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.