Exiliboa placata

The Oaxaca - Zwergboa ( Exiliboa placata ) is a non-poisonous snake of the family of Boaz, more precisely, the subfamily of the dwarf boas. It occurs only in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. The genus is monotypic Exiliboa.

The epithet " placata " comes from the Latin verb " placare " and describes the quiet, gentle nature of the snake.

Features

The Oaxaca - Zwergboa grow up to 50 centimeters long and is uniformly black. Just to the anal she has a white spot. The head is not separated from the body.

The scales are not keeled. On the waist of the Oaxaca - Zwergboa has 21 dorsal scale rows and thus less like any other Boas Mexico. The tail, which accounts for about 10 percent of the body length, ends blunt. The first copy of Exiliboa placata described had 166 ventral scales and 24 tail scales. The maxilla bears 17-19 teeth.

The nose scales ( Scutum nasal ) are not shared. In contrast to the dwarf boas of the genus Ungaliophis and Erdboas the genus Tropidophis it has a large, single Interna Sale between the nose shed. This is adjacent to a pair of prefrontal, which are in turn in front of the frontal. The boas of the genus Ungaliophis other hand, have a single prefrontal in Tropidophis limits the two Interna Sale not to the prefrontal. Of the seven upper lip scales limits the fourth and fifth directly to the eye. Lower lip scales are also available seven.

Way of life

Little is known about the life of Oaxaca Zwergboa. She lives mainly in the cloud forests underground and feeds on small frogs, salamanders and amphibians eggs.

A litter includes 8-16 pups.

Dissemination

The species is found only in the northwest of the Mexican state of Oaxaca. She lives in the Sierra Juárez and Sierra Mije at altitudes 800-2000 m.

Threats and conservation

Due to its small distribution area Oaxaca Zwergboa is so out endangered in the IUCN Red List as " Vulnerable ". Especially deforestation for agriculture and forestry reduces the required habitat.