Nosy Komba ground boa

Nosy Komba ground boa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Boidae
Genus:	Sanzinia
Species:	S. volontany
Binomial name
Sanzinia volontany Vences & Glaw, 2004
Synonyms
Sanzinia madagascariensis volontany

The Nosy Komba ground boa (Sanzinia volontany) is a boa species endemic to the island of Madagascar. It is brownish in colour and is found on the western side of the island. It was once considered conspecific with the Madagascar tree boa. Like all other boas, it is not venomous.

Distribution and habitat

Endemic to Madagascar. The type locality given is "Madagascar".

Feeding

Arboreal and generally nocturnal, it feeds on mammals and birds. Its thermoreceptive pits help it to locate its prey. It will also leave the trees to actively hunt for small mammals on the ground. ^[1] It favors trees and shrubs near streams, rivers, ponds and swamps. ^[2]

References

1. McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN   1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN   1-893777-01-4 (volume).
2. Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN   0-8069-6460-X.

External links

• Sanzinia volontany at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database . Accessed 10 July 2008.