Candoia paulsoni

Candoia paulsoni
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
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
	Enygrus carinatus paulsoni; Stull, 1956;

Last updated November 25, 2025

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. Young snakes feed on skinks, while larger individuals eat larger lizards and small mammals. This snake has been found deep within limestone caves where it may have been eating small bats and/or juvenile frogs (Cornufer).^[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 2 3 4 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.
1 2 3 4 5 "Candoia paulsoni (STULL, 1956)". Reptile Database. Peter Uetz and Jakob Hallermann. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
↑ 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.
1 2 3 4 5 6 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).