Boa c. amarali

 

 Boa constrictor amarali information| short-tailed boa information | Amarals boas information | Amarals boa | Amarali Boa information | short-tail boa | short tail boa |

copyright information

 


Follow the links for detailed reports about Boa c. amarali



Common name: ‘Amaral’s boa; short-tailed boa’

Distribution area: southeast Bolivia, southern and southwest Brazil

Estimated average length of mature females: Approximately 1.70 to 1.90 m (5.6 to 6.2 ft) in Brazil; 1.90 – 2.20 m (6.2 to 7.2 ft) in Bolivia

Taxonomic status: Subspecies recognized by the CITES convention

 

Dorsal scale rows

Ventral shields

Caudal shields

Number of saddle patches

 

71 – 79 (LANGHAMMER, 1983)

 

 

226 – 237 (LANGHAMMER, 1983)

 

 

43 – 52 (LANGHAMMER, 1983)

 

 

20 + 

 

The scientific name of these animals was chosen to honor the Brazilian tropical physician and zoologist Dr. Afrânio Do Amaral. As the common name already suggests, the main characteristic of Boa c. amarali is an extremely short tail which sets it apart from any other subspecies of Boa constrictor.

Like Boa c. constrictor, short-tailed boas frequently have bat-shaped saddle patches (‘widows’ peaks’). In many specimens, this ornamentation is developed even more precisely than in red-tailed boas.

The opinion previously held by various authors - who considered Boa c. amarali as a mere synonym of Boa c. constrictor - has become a thing of the past by now. No serious author is likely to contest the subspecific status of Boa c. amarali these days. However, it cannot be denied that Amaral’s boas, especially those from Bolivia and from the Pantanal, show a very close resemblance to Boa c. constrictor.  More on this topic you can find on the "Bolivia" page (follow the link above).

 

 

Two variations of Boa c. amarali are known: The South Brazilian Boa c. amarali with integrative bright- to dark-gray or –brown shade and the Bolivian Boa c. amarali, whose coloration is similar to those of the redtailed boas Both variations posses an extremely short tail (hence the denotation) and numerous black dorsal and lateral spots. The "widows peaks" are exremely long and distinctive.

In Germany only the South Brazilian amaralis are actually wellknown, and even those are not frequently found here. Specimens from Boliva have been bred only two times in Germany so far (we were the ones who bred them, by the way :o). Only a few of them are kept in captivity in Europe.

 

     Our new bloodline of the
Bolivian Short-tail Boas

 (Boa c. amarali)

(male cb in our facility)

Tailshot of this boa

The short amarali - tail of this adult male is
clearly visible

The tail length is one of the means to tell a purebred Bolivian Boa c. amarali from the US
Boa c. constrictor/Boa c. amarali crossbreeds

 

 


 

(Boa c. amarali - Bolivia)