Chilabothrus fordii

Chilabothrus fordii, also known commonly as Ford's boa and the Haitian ground boa, is a species of snake in the family Boidae. There are three recognized subspecies.

Geographic range
C. fordii is endemic to the island of Hispaniola (in both Haiti and the Dominican Republic), including the surrounding islets of Île à Cabrit, Île de la Gonâve, Isla Catalina, and Isla Saona.

Habitat
The preferred natural habitat of C. fordii is forest, at altitudes from sea level to 713 m, but it has also been found in agricultural areas.

Etymology
The specific name, fordii, is in honor of South African-born George Henry Ford, artist at the British Museum (Natural History), "whose merits in herpetology are well known by his truly artistical [sic] drawings".

Description
C. fordii is a small snake. Adults may attain a total length of 74 cm, which includes a tail 12.5 cm long.

Dorsally, it has a ground color that is pale olive, yellowish, or reddish, overlaid by a series of transverse dark brown blotches, which are oval or kidney-shaped, with blackish borders. Some of these blotches may merge to form a wide wavy stripe in some places. Ventrally, it is yellowish, with small brown spots.

The smooth dorsal scales are arranged in 33-43 rows. The ventrals number 250-265; the anal plate is entire; and the subcaudals, which number 70-80, are also entire.

On the dorsal surface of the head, the large frontal contacts the supraoculars; the remainder is covered by small irregular plates. There are 13 or 14 upper labials, without labial pits.

Diet
C. fordii preys upon lizards and rodents.

Reproduction
C. fordii is viviparous.

Subspecies
Three subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominate subspecies.


 * Chilabothrus fordii fordii (Günther, 1861)
 * Chilabothrus fordii agametus Sheplan & Schwartz, 1974
 * Chilabothrus fordii manototus Schwartz, 1979

Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Chilabothrus.