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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Retilia

Order: Squamata

Suborder: Serpentes

Family: Boidae

Genus: Boa

Species: B. constrictor

Subspecies: B.c. longicauda

Price and Russo, 1991

The Peruvian long-tailed boa (Boa constrictor longicauda), also called the Tumbes Boa, is a subspecies of Boa constrictor found only in the Tumbes area of Peru. They are identified most easily by their dark adult coloration which is strikingly different from their light, dull coloration at birth. Unlike most other boas, Peruvian long-tailed boas rarely reach a length over 6 feet.

Description

The Peruvian long-tailed boa, or Tumbes boa, is a subspecies of Boa constrictor usually measuring 6ft in length but can, at times, reach 8ft in length for large females. Their size classifies them as one of the smaller subspecies of Boa constrictor which commonly measure 6 to 10 ft in length. They are distinct from other species of Boa constrictors by their location, size, coloration, scales, and, most notably, the ratio of tail to total body length which also correlates to differences in hemipenes. B.c.longicauda have a unique number of scales compared to other boa species. They have less scale rows than B.c.constrictor on the mid-body and B.c.melanogaster on the mid-dorsal area as well as more subcaudal scales than both B.c.amarli and B.c.occidentalis and a lower ventral scale count than B.c.ortonii. Peruvian long-tailed boas have the longest tail of all B.constrictor species roughly 10-15% of the total body length, with females on the lower end and males on the higher end of the scale. The longer tail of the male Peruvian long-tailed boa houses a hemipenis that is also longer than other boa species.

Coloration

They are sometimes referred to as the "black boas" of Peru for their dark adult markings that can cover a large percent of their body. As adults, they have a golden-yellow or golden-brown background color with large black dorsal patterns and silver sides. Their heads often differ from their bodies with gray to charcoal color. Running down the length of the head is a black spear-shaped marking that may extend out between the eyes to make the shape of a cross that reminds some of warpaint. Their head markings are more defined and clear than other species of boa. Beneath the eyes is a large dark blotch coming from the nostrils and extending through the eye. The stomach is generally cream and may be spotted. The tail is typically yellow-golden color between the black markings which differs greatly from the tail of B.constrictor which is bright red. As neonates, they are a dull grey with brown markings that gradually darken, along with the addition of dark freckling, until adult coloration is reached by sexual maturity, much like the change of a butterfly. Within the pet trade, the recessive trait for anerytheristic boas has been discovered with removes the brown and yellow coloration and results in a silver to white background with dark black markings. Another trait found within the pet trade are the pattern-less or striped long-tailed boa which have no dorsal patterns, but retain the head spears and have a stripe running along the outside edges of their backs. These boas also tend to keep the silver eye color typically associated with babies.

Distribution

B.c.longicauda are found in the northwestern Tumbes Province of Peru in a tropical forest area sheltered by mountain ranges of 3000 meters which are suspected to prevent other boa subspecies from interbreeding with a possible exception of boas from Ecuador with access to the Pacific Ocean. Due to political strife in the area, new research and importation have not been possible since the early 1990s, therefore conservation status is unknown.

Conservation

Like other boa constrictor species, Peruvian long-tailed boas fall under CITES Appendix II.

Etymology

The term "longicauda" is Latin for "long-tailed". The name is in reference to the ratio of the tail to the overall length of the snake which is longer than other boa species.