Ron's Critter of the Day

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Boidae
Subfamily: Boinae

Genus/species: Epicrates cenchria

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: The Brazilian rainbow boa is one of about 12 named subspecies of rainbow boa. Color is brown or reddish brown with three parallel black stripes on the top of the head and large black rings down the back that give the appearance of dorsal blotches. There is a great deal of variation in color and marking among individuals of this species. Length is four to six feet (1.2 to 1.8 m).

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Found in the Amazon Basin, and in coastal Guiana, French Guyana, and Suriname and southern Venezuela most often in humid forests.

DIET IN THE WILD: Rodents, birds, and possibly some forms of aquatic life and lizards.

REPRODUCTION: Babies are born live in litters of two to 35 (viviparous). They are usually 15 to 20 inches (38 to 51 cm) long.

LIFESPAN: To 20 years in capativity.

REMARKS: E. cenchria is named because of the iridescent sheen imparted by microscopic ridges on their scales, which act like prisms to refract light into rainbows.

References

 National Zoo http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/Facts/FactSheets/Brazilianrainbowboa.cfm

The Reptile Database  http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Epicrates&species=cenchria

Ron’s WordPress shortlink  http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-1nJ

Ron’s flickr  https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/15580871426/