Acrantophis

Southern Madagaskarboa ( Acrantophis dumerili )

The Madagaskarboas ( Acrantophis ) are a genus of snakes within the subfamily of boa snakes. It includes two species: the Northern and Southern the Madagaskarboa which are native only to Madagascar and its surrounding islands.

Description

The basic coloration of the two species varies from gray - brown to red-brown to beige colors. The drawing of the animals is fairly evenly. It consists of black or dark brown diamonds that can sometimes form an indistinct zigzag pattern. Located laterally oval black, white -edged spots. The belly is cream to white. With increasing age the vigor of the colors can be for something, and the pattern is blurred sometimes. The body is very compact and strong in both species. The Northern Madagaskarboa is in comparison to the Southern Madagaskarboa somewhat larger and stockier. This remains significantly smaller with an average total length of 160-190 centimeters, compared to about 250 to 270 Zentimern the Northern - Madagaskarboa. The head is clearly separated from the body. The pupils are slit vertically as with all boas. The tail of the two species is short and to the side of the cloaca are the anal spurs.

Dissemination

Distribution area

The two species live beside the island of Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands not far distant, but also on the island of Réunion already occurrence of the two species have been recorded. How far they have spread to the outlying islands, is still completely unknown, this must be investigated only with accurate studies Feldherpetologen.

Habitat

The habitat of the Southern Madagaskarboa are partially dry and hot areas in the south and south-west of Madagascar. There, however, you meet them then to always near water bodies and rivers. The much larger distribution area extends over the southern rainforests of the island. The Northern Madagaskarboa preferred habitat, the arid areas in northern and central Madagascar.

Way of life

The way of life of the two species is very similar. Both are crepuscular and nocturnal ambush predator. This means that the animals are not active on the hunt, but well camouflaged only stretch the head out of a hiding place. So they wait patiently for a prey animal moves in its bite - reach. This will quickly packed up and nipped in the typical stranglehold. On the day the animals hide mostly in dense foliage, tree trunks or they crawl into remote caves and wait for the dawn. The pups are still very good climbers, but this ability arises with increasing age further and further. Then they climb only very rarely on trees or shrubs, which is certainly due to the not -defying size, and hence the high weight of the animals. You spend ages actually the entire time of their lives on the ground.

System

The genus Acranthopis first described in 1860 belongs to the family of boas ( Boidae ). It is found there in the subfamily of the boa snakes ( Boinae ). The genus comprises two species of which are known as yet no subspecies:

• Acrantophis dumerili - Southern Madagaskarboa
• Acrantophis madagascariensis - Northern Madagaskarboa

→ See also: Nomenclature of snakes

Protection status

Because the natural habitat of the animals is strongly disturbed on the island and is destroyed in an ever increasing extent, this species was strictly protected. Probably now live in the terrarium of enthusiastic snake breeders more copies than in the wild. Therefore, both were included in the Annex A of the Washington Convention, and also enjoy as Appendix A type of European Wildlife Trade Regulation the highest protection status.

This means that they must not be kept without authorization of the competent authority in Germany. When transporting the animals and the approval of the competent national authority must be present, in addition exists for wild specimens a separate Flaunt and marketing ban. When you import or export specific provisions apply. There must be an approval of the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation. In addition, the Federal Species Protection Ordinance stipulates that reptile species listed in Annex A of the European species protection regulation must be labeled for the purpose of recognition of the animal.