Candoia carinata

Pazifikboa ( Candoia carinata paul soni )

The Pacific boa ( Candoia carinata ) is a species of the family of Boaz, which occurs on a number of Pacific islands into two subspecies. The specific epithet carinata (Latin for " keeled " ) refers to the clearly keeled hull shed.

Features

Pacific boas are relatively small giant snakes that reach a body length of 60 to 75 cm and only in exceptional cases more than one meter. The Nominatunterart C. carinata carinata has an elongated, clearly separated from the neck head and a slender body with well-trained prehensile tail. C. carinata paul soni is stocky built with short, wuchtigem head and short tail. The basic color is very variable, ranging from various gray and brown tones through reddish and orange colorations to china colors. Darker, irregular patches form a complete or incomplete zigzag pattern on the back side. The belly is yellowish with darker spots.

The males have prolonged after- spurs, which may be completely absent in the females.

Occurrence and habitat

C. carinata carinata occurs on Palau, the Riau Islands, Sulawesi, the Moluccas, New Guinea and the surrounding islands, the Bismarck Archipelago and Tokelau. C. carinata paul soni found on some islands of Indonesia, the Solomon Islands, the Santa Cruz Islands, Sulawesi, Halmahera and Southeast Papua New Guinea.

The species inhabited different habitats, from rain forests to caves and cultivated land at altitudes up to about 1500 meters and occurs partially synanthropic into human settlements.

Way of life

Pazifikboas are largely nocturnal. C. carinata carinata is primarily arboreal, while C. carinata paul soni is adapted to a terrestrial lifestyle. As prey animals are preferred lizards and frogs, rarely also caught small mammals.

The males perform during the pairing Comment fights. The litter size is C. carinata carinata, usually with six or fewer boys, while C. carinata brings paul soni litters of 40 to 60 or more pups.

Swell

• Ludwig Trutnau: Non-toxic snakes, Part 1 4th edition. Eugen Ulmer GmbH & Co., Stuttgart 2002, ISBN 3-8001-3223-0.