| Candoia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pacific ground boa ( Candoia carinata ) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Boidae |
| Subfamily: | Candoiinae |
| Genus: | Candoia Gray, 1842 |
| Synonyms [1] | |
Candoia is a genus of non-venomous boas found mostly in New Guinea, Melanesia, the Solomon Islands and the Maluku Islands in Indonesia. Common names include bevel-nosed boas and keel-scaled boas. [2]
The species of the genus Candoia typically have a rounded and heavy body, with a flattened triangular-shaped head and an upturned nose. Colors and patterns vary greatly, but most are various shades of brown to black. Species can vary in adult size from 60 cm (24 in) to 1.8 m (5.9 ft) in total length (including the tail). Males are typically smaller than females and can be distinguished by their prominent cloacal spurs.
The species of the genus Candoia are found from Samoa and Tokelau west through Melanesia to New Guinea and the Maluku Islands and the Solomon Islands in Indonesia. [1]
All species of Candoia are primarily nocturnal.
The primary diet of Candoia species consists of frogs, tadpoles, fish, skinks and other lizards, rodents and birds. Neonates are more inclined to feed on tadpoles, fish and lizard species with adult specimens of C. Aspera, C. Paulsoni and C. Tasmai transitioning to larger prey which includes rodents and birds. C. Carinata and C.B. Australis remain focused on lizard, skink and bird prey.
In the species of the genus Candoia, breeding occurs early in the year, typically after rains. Several males will approach and pursue a single female, and mild combat can be observed between the males where they will buck each other off of the desired female. Females seem to only ovulate once every two or three years and give birth to litters averaging 10 or so neonates. The Solomon Island ground boa ( C. paulsoni ) is an exception, as it is known to have particularly large litters, with the average being 30-40 but as many as 110 on record in captive reproduction.
The species of the genus Candoia are frequently imported for the exotic pet trade, but are now being bred in captivity with some regularity by private individuals. Their small size and ease of care make them interesting captives, but wild-caught specimens are not known to acclimate well. The stress of captivity manifests itself in the form of lack of interest in food. Their natural diet often presents a problem for hobbyists mainly familiar with using rodents as food.
Five species are recognized: [2]
| Species [2] | Taxon author [2] | Subspecies* [2] | Common name [3] | Geographic range [1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
C. aspera  | (Günther, 1877) | 0 | Papuan ground boa, New Guinea ground boa, viper boa | New Guinea (Irian Jaya and Papua New Guinea below 1,300 m), including the nearby islands of Waigeu, Batanta, Misool and Salawati, the islands of Biak and Yapen in Geelvink Bay, Seleo, Valise, Karkar, Umboi, Manus, Los Negros, Lou, Baluan, the Rambatyo Islands in the Manus Group (the Admiralty Islands), New Britain, Duke of York, New Ireland and New Hanover in the Bismarck Archipelago. |
C. bibroni  | (A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1844) | 1 | Bibron's bevel-nosed boa, Bibron's keel-scaled boa, Pacific tree boa, Fiji boa | Melanesia and Polynesia, including the eastern Solomon Islands (Olu Malau, the Reef Islands, Rennell Island, San Critobal, Santa Ana Island, the Santa Cruz Islands, Bio, Bellona Island, Three Sisters, Ugi Island and the Vanikolo Islands), the Banks Islands (Vanua Lava Island), the New Hebrides, all three of the Loyalty Islands, the Fiji Islands (Rotuma, the Yasawa Group and the Lau Group), Western Samoa (Savai'i and Upolu) and American Samoa (Taʻū). |
C. carinata  | (Schneider, 1801) | 1 | Pacific ground boa, Pacific keel-scaled boa, Indonesian tree boa | Indonesia, including the northern peninsula of Sulawesi, the Sangihe and Telaud Islands, the northern Maluku Islands (Seram, Ambon, Haruku, Saparua, the Banda Islands, Goram and the Tanimbar Islands), Misool, Batanta, Salawatti, Anaguar (Saipan) and the Palau Group (at least on Koror Island). New Guinea: the islands of Geelvink Bay and those along the northern coast, including Liki, Djamna, Karkar and the Umboi Islands. Manus and nearby islands. The Bismarck Archipelago, including the islands of Mussau and Tench. The islands of Milne Bay Province, at least on Samarai, Kiriwina, Kitava, Goodenough, Fergusson, Dobu, Normanby, Slade, Misima, Woodlark, Sudest and Rossel. The islands of Buka, Bougainville Island and those nearby. The Solomon Islands, including Santa Cruz, Rennell and Bellona. |
| | (Stull, 1956) | 4 | Solomon Islands ground boa | C. Paulsoni is mainly found and contained to The Solomon Islands. |
| C. superciliosa | (Günther, 1863) | 1 | Palau bevel-nosed boa, Belau bevel-nosed boa [2] | Palau [4] |
The genus Candoia is traditionally placed in the subfamily Boinae; however, a 2013 study comparing DNA sequences of 12 genes of over 4,000 species supported Candoia as more distantly related, with remaining members of the Boinae being more closely related to the boid subfamily Erycinae; thus Candoia was placed in the newly named subfamily Candoiinae. [5]
The Boidae, commonly known as boas or boids, are a family of nonvenomous snakes primarily found in the Americas, as well as Africa, Europe, Asia, and some Pacific islands. Boas include some of the world's largest snakes, with the green anaconda of South America being the heaviest and second-longest snake known; in general, adults are medium to large in size, with females usually larger than the males. Six subfamilies comprising 15 genera and 54 species are currently recognized.
The Green tree Python, is a species of snake in the family Pythonidae. The species is native to New Guinea, some islands in Indonesia, and the Cape York Peninsula in Australia. First described by Hermann Schlegel in 1872, it was known for many years as Chondropython viridis. As its common name suggests, it is a bright green snake that can reach a total length of 2 m (6.6 ft) and a weight of 1.6 kg (3.5 lb), with females slightly larger and heavier than males. Living generally in trees, the green tree python mainly hunts and eats small reptiles and mammals. It is a popular pet, and numbers in the wild have suffered with large-scale smuggling of wild-caught green tree pythons in Indonesia. Despite this, the green tree python is rated as least concern on the IUCN Red List of endangered species.
Trinidad and Tobago are continental islands with a geologically very recent history of direct land bridge connection to South America. As a result, unlike most of the Caribbean Islands, Trinidad and Tobago supports a primarily South American flora and fauna and has greater diversity of plant and animal species than the Antilles. However, rates of endemism are lower than in the rest of the Caribbean because there has been less time for genetic isolation from mainland populations because of the history of land bridge connections and hence fewer opportunities for speciation, and so a greater proportion of the species in Trinidad and Tobago are also found on the South American mainland. Trinidad is nearer to mainland South America and has been directly connected to the mainland via land bridges more often and for longer periods than Tobago. This, as well as Trinidad's larger size and more varied topography and hydrology compared to that of Tobago allow greater species and ecosystem diversity on the former compared to that on the later of the islands.
The emerald tree boa is a boa species found in the rainforests of South America. Since 2009 the species Corallus batesii has been distinguished from the emerald tree boa. Like all other boas, it is nonvenomous.
The Calabar python is a species of non-venomous snake in the family Boidae. The species is endemic to West and Central Africa. It is the only species in its genus.
The Erycinae, also known as the Old World sand boas, are a subfamily of nonvenomous snakes in the family Boidae. Species of the subfamily Erycinae are found in Europe, Asia Minor, Africa, Arabia, central and southwestern Asia, India, Sri Lanka, and western North America. Four genera comprising 18 species are currently recognized as being valid.
Acrantophis madagascariensis is a species of boid snake in the subfamily Sanziniinae that is endemic to the island of Madagascar. Its common names include the Madagascar ground boa and Malagasy ground boa.
Crotalus enyo, commonly known as the Baja California rattlesnake or Lower California rattlesnake, is a pit viper species native to the coast and islands of northwestern Mexico. Like all other pit vipers, it is venomous. Three subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.
The Boinae are a purported subfamily of boas found in Central and South America, as well as the West Indies. In the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), Boinae is considered an invalid synonym of Boidae.
Woodlark Island, known to its inhabitants simply as Woodlark or Muyua, is the main island of the Woodlark Islands archipelago, located in Milne Bay Province and the Solomon Sea, Papua New Guinea.
The Cuban boa, also known as the Cuban tree boa and by locals as majá de Santa María, is a very large species of snake in the family Boidae. With lengths exceeding 5 m (16 ft) and a relatively heavy build, the Cuban boa is one of the largest snakes in North America. The species is native to Cuba and some nearby islands. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Candoia bibroni australis, commonly known as the Solomon Island tree boa, is a boa subspecies endemic to the Solomon Islands. Like all other boas, it is not venomous.
Enygrus may refer to:
Candoia bibroni, commonly known as Bibron's bevel-nosed boa, Bibron's keel-scaled boa, the Pacific tree boa, or the Fiji boa, is a boa species endemic to Melanesia and Polynesia. Two subspecies are recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here. Like all other boas, it is not venomous.
Candoia carinata, known commonly as the Pacific ground boa, Pacific keel-scaled boa, or Indonesian tree boa, is a species of snake in the family Boidae.
Candoia superciliosa, known commonly as the Palau bevel-nosed boa or Belau bevel-nosed boa, is a species of snake in the Boidae family. As its common name suggests, it is found in Palau.
Corallus batesii, also known commonly as the Amazon Basin emerald tree boa, is a species of snake in the subfamily Boinae of the family Boidae. The species is native to the tropical rainforests of South America. This species was revalidated from the synonymy of Corallus caninus by Henderson and colleagues in 2009.
The Booidea, also known as booid snakes, are a superfamily of snakes that contains boas and other closely related boa-like snakes. As of 2017, Booidea contains 61 species, including the eponymous neotropical Boa constrictor, anacondas, and smaller tree and rainbow boas as well as several genera of booid snakes from various locations around the world: bevel-nosed boas or keel-scaled boas (Candoia) from New Guinea and Melanesia, Old World sand boas (Eryx) from Northeast Africa, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia, rubber boas (Charina) and rosy boas (Lichanura) from North America, neotropical dwarf boas (Ungaliophis) and the Oaxacan dwarf boa (Exiliboa) from Central America, Madagascan boas or Malagasy boas from Madagascar, and the Calabar python (Calabaria) from tropical West-Central Africa.
The western keeled snake is a species of snake in the family Pseudaspididae. It is native to western Namibia, southwestern Angola, and southwestern Zambia, and is the only member of the genus Pythonodipsas.
Candoia paulsoni, also known as the Solomon Islands ground boa, is a species of boa native to the Maluku Islands and Melanesia. Five subspecies are recognized.
