Chilabothrus strigilatus

Chilabothrus strigilatus
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Boidae
Genus:	Chilabothrus
Species:	C. strigilatus
Binomial name
Chilabothrus strigilatus (Cope, 1862)
Synonyms [2]
Homolachilus strigilatus Cope, 1862 Epicrates versicolor Steindachner, 1863 Epicrates strigilatus — Barbour, 1904 Chilabothrus strigilatus — Reynolds et al., 2013

Chilabothrus strigilatus, also known commonly as the Bahamian boa, is a species of snake in the family Boidae. The species is endemic to the Bahamas. There are five recognized subspecies. ^[2]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of C. strigilatus are forest and shrubland, but it has also been found in gardens. ^[1]

Diet

Large adults of C. strigilatus prey upon both warm-blooded (birds, rodents) and cold-blooded (frogs, lizards) animals. Smaller adults and young prey predominately on lizards of the genus Anolis. ^[1]

Reproduction

C. strigilatus is viviparous and reproduces every other year. ^[1]

Subspecies

Five subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominate subspecies: ^[2]

• Chilabothrus strigilatus strigilatus(Cope, 1862) – Bahamian boa – New Providence Island, including Rose Island, Eleuthera Island, Long Island and the Exuma Cays near Andros Island, the Bahamas
• Chilabothrus strigilatus ailurus Sheplan & Schwartz, 1974 – Cat Island boa – Cat Island and Alligator Cay, the Bahamas
• Chliabothrus strigilatus fosteri Barbour, 1941 – Bimini boa – Bimini Island, the Bahamas
• Chilabothrus strigilatus fowleriSheplan & Schwartz, 1974 – Andros boa – Andros Island and Berry Island, the Bahamas
• Chilabothrus strigilatus mccranieiSheplan & Schwartz, 1974 – Ragged Island boa – Ragged Island, the Bahamas

Etymology

The subspecific name, fowleri, is in honor of herpetologist Danny C. Fowler. ^[3]

The subspecific name, mccraniei, is in honor of American herpetologist James R. McCranie. ^[4]

References

1. Reynolds, R.G.; Buckner, S. (2019). "Chilabothrus strigilatus ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019 e.T74872197A74874898. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T74872197A74874898.en . Retrieved 21 April 2023.
2. Chilabothrus strigilatus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database . Accessed 16 December 2014.
3. 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. (Epicrates striatus fowleri, p. 93).
4. Sheplan BR, Schwartz A (1974). p. 129.

Further reading

• Barbour T (1941). "A New Boa from the Bahamas". Proceedings of the New England Zoological Club18: 61–65. (Epicrates strigilatus fosteri, new subspecies).
• Cope ED (1862). "Synopsis of the Species of Holcosus and Ameiva, with Diagnoses of new West Indian and South American Colubridæ". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia14: 60–82. (Homolachilus strigilatus, new species, p. 71).
• Schwartz A, Henderson RW (1991). Amphibians and Reptiles of the West Indies: Descriptions, Distributions, and Natural History. Gainesville: University of Florida Press. 720 pp. ISBN   978-0813010496.
• Schwartz A, Thomas R (1975). A Check-list of West Indian Amphibians and Reptiles. Carnegie Museum of Natural History Special Publication No. 1. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Carnegie Museum of Natural History. 216 pp. (Epicrates striatus ailurus, E. s. fosteri, E. s. fowleri, E. s. mccraniei, E. s. strigilatus, pp. 185–186).
• Sheplan BR, Schwartz A (1974). "Hispaniolan boas of the genus Epicrates (Serpentes, Boidae) and their Antillean relationships". Annals of Carnegie Museum45: 57–143. (Epicrates striatus ailurus, new subspecies, pp. 81–83; E. s. mccraniei, new subspecies, pp. 83–85; E. s. fowleri, new subspecies, pp. 87–90).