Candoia paulsoni

Candoia paulsoni
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Boidae
Genus:	Candoia
Species:	C. paulsoni
Binomial name
Candoia paulsoni (Stull, 1956)
Synonyms [2]
Enygrus carinatus paulsoni Stull, 1956

Candoia paulsoni, also known commonly as Paulson's bevel-nosed boa, the Solomon Islands ground boa, and the Solomons ground boa, is a species of snake in the subfamily Candoiinae of the family Boidae. The species is native to the Maluku Islands and Melanesia. Six subspecies are recognized. ^[2]

Subspecies

Six subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies. ^[2]

• C. p. paulsoni(Stull, 1956) – the Solomon Islands
• C. p. vindumi H.M. Smith & Chiszar, 2001 – Bougainville Island
• C. p. tasmaiH.M. Smith & Tepedelen, 2001 – Halmahera and the Talaud Islands, as well as Sulawesi ^[3]
• C. p. mcdowelliH.M. Smith & Chiszar, 2001 – eastern Papua New Guinea
• C. p. sadlieriH.M. Smith & Chiszar, 2001 – Woodlark Island
• C. p. rosadoiH.M. Smith & Chiszar, 2001 – Misima Island

Geographic distribution

Candoia paulsoni is found in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. ^[1] The type locality is Ugi Island in the Solomon Islands. ^[2]

Behavior

Candoia paulsoni is both terrestrial and arboreal, and it is mainly nocturnal. ^[1]

Reproduction

Candoia paulsoni is viviparous. ^[2] Litter size can be as many as 20 young. ^[1]

Etymology

The specific name paulsoni is in honor of Swedish herpetologist John Paulson. ^{[4] : 202}

The subspecific name, mcdowelli, is in honor of American herpetologist Samuel Booker McDowell, Jr. ^{[4] : 173}

The subspecific name, rosadoi, is in honor of herpetologist José P. O. Rosado of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. ^{[4] : 226}

The subspecific name, sadlieri, is in honor of Australian herpetologist Ross Allen Sadlier. ^{[4] : 231}

The subspecific name, tasmai, is in honor of Indonesian reptile breeder Budiyanto Tasma. ^{[4] : 261}

The subspecific name, vindumi, is in honor of American herpetologist Jens Verner Vindum. ^{[4] : 275}

References

1. Allison A, Hamilton A, Tallowin O, Parker F, O'Shea M, Stubbs A (2021). "Candoia paulsoni ". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/196560/2459801 Downloaded on 22 July 2021.
2. "Candoia paulsoni (STULL, 1956)". Reptile Database. Peter Uetz and Jakob Hallermann. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
3. de Lang, Ruud; Vogel, Gernot (2006). "The Snakes of Sulawesi". In: Vences, Miguel; Köhler, Jörn; Ziegler, Thomas; Böhme, Wolfgang (editors) (2006). Herpetologia Bonnensis II. Proceedings of the 13th Congress of the Societas Europaea Herpetologica. ISBN   978-3-927535-19-0. pp. 35–38.
4. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN   978-1-4214-0135-5 (Candoia paulsoni, p. 202; C. p. mcdowelli, p. 173; C. p. rosadoi, p. 226; C. p. sadlieri, p. 231; C. p. tasmai, p. 261; C. p. vindumi, p. 275).

Further reading

• Smith, H.M.; Chiszar, D.; Tepedelen, K.; van Breukelen, F. (2001). "A revision of the bevel-nosed boas (Candoia carinata complex) (Reptilia: Serpentes)". Hamadryad. 26 (2): 283–315. (five new subspecies: Candoia paulsoni mcdowelli, C. p. rosadoi, C. p. sadlieri, C. p. tasmai, C. p. vindumi).
• Stull, O.G. (1956). "Description of a New Subspecies of the Boid Snake, Enygrus carinatus ". Copeia. 1956 (3): 185–186. (Enygrus carinatus paulsoni, new subspecies).