Category Archives: Natural History

Study on the Cuban boa reveals deep genetic diversity

Chilabothrus, Conservation, Natural History, , , ,

Some time ago, Ivan Rehák from the Zoo Prague informed us about a new genetic study on the Cuban boa Chilabothrus angulifer that he co-authored . We are very thankful for this and appreciate the study. We are deeply sorry for not covering it earlier.

The team of researchers addressed the question whether the Cuban boa is in fact a species complex. They analyzed the mitochondrial haplotype structure of the European ex situ population of Cuban boas. The results revealed a high degree of diversity. 96 specimens were sequenced and 25 distinct haplotypes detected.

The results further indicated a deep divergence among three principal haplogroups, with bayesian estimates of the divergence time equal to 3.57 and 2.26 Mya respectively.

Rehák and colleagues consider this divergence as an argument for diverse evolutionary lines whose distance corresponds to or is greater than among some other – taxonomically recognized – species of the genus.

Whether these lines represent whole species or subspecies needs to be tested by further in depth studies with genetic material collected from different locations in cuba.

To read the study please click here

 

Citations

Rehák, I., Šťáhlavská, I., Somerová, B. O., Šimková, O., & Frynta, D. (2021). A deep divergence and high diversity of mitochondrial haplotypes in an island snake: the case of Chilabothrus angulifer (Serpentes: Boidae). Acta Soc. Zool. Bohem., 85, 1–22.

The Puerto Rican Boa, Chilabothrus inornatus downgraded from CITES App I to App II

Chilabothrus, Conservation, Natural History

On 12 January, 2023 the CITES Secretariat posted a Notification to the Parties announcing  amendments to CITES Appendices I and II.  That announcement (No. 2023/005) can be found  here.

In a NOTICE TO THE WILDLIFE IMPORT/EXPORT COMMUNITY from the USFWS, Conference of the Parties (CoP19) Amendments to Appendices I and II are effective 90 days after the last day of the CoP.  This rule change will take effect 23 February, 2023.  The USFWS Notice can be found in its entirety here.

Species Transferred from Appendix I to Appendix II:
—  Chilabothrus inornatus (Puerto Rican boa) (NOTE: Listed as Endangered under the ESA)

Given how vague the USFWS Bulletin was, we asked the USFWS the following questions on 16 January, 2023:
1- After the 90 day wait period (23 Feb, 2023) does the Puerto Rican boa (Chilabothrus inornatus) remain on the ESA?
2-Does it remain on the ESA as Endangered?
3-Can it be imported and exported outside of the CONUS (Continental US)?
4-Can it now be transported across state lines without permit (other than breeding loans/gifting)?
5-Can out-of-state sales take place?

On 27 January, 2023 we received the following response:

“The CITES reclassification does not affect the ESA listing in any way. U.S. trade with the species would still need to meet the ESA Import/ Export Requirements. The CITES listing only affects international trade so there are no changes to its interstate movement or sale at this time.”

In July, 2022 the USFWS, via the Federal Register, solicited comments regarding their plan to remove the Puerto Rican Boa from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife.  That decision has not been published as of 9 July, 2023.

A new Tropidophis is described from the Dominican Republic

Conservation, Natural History, Recommended reading, Tropidophis

The new Tropidophis is to be named Tropidophis leonae sp. nov., the Jaragua Golden Trope, after Dominican biologist Yolanda M. Leon, a conservation advocate who logistically supported the project. The work was accomplished by Miguel A. Landestoy T. in a single author paper – Bravo! . The author is also the discoverer of Chilabothrus ampelophis (see: ).
This new species is smaller and laterally compressed when compared to the only other Trope on the large island, Tropidophis haetianus.  It has a higher ventral count, differs in head width, neck width, color and pattern.
The Trope was found preying on tadpoles and small toadlets in several inches of water in a limestone hole.  It is found only from the karst foothills near Pedernales Province.  This brings the number of Tropidophis to 35, with six of them living on the mainland.  There is so much work to be done with this genus.  Who will take up the monumental challenge?
The new paper can be found here.

Tropidophis leonae, sp. nov., 2023.

Citations

Landestoy T., M. A. (2023). A remarkable new snake of the genus Tropidophis (Squamata: Tropidophiidae) from southern Hispaniola. Novitates Caribaea, 21, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.33800/nc.vi21.323
Landestoy T., M. A., Reynolds, R. G., & Henderson, R. W. (2021). A SMALL NEW ARBOREAL SPECIES OF WEST INDIAN BOA (BOIDAE; CHILABOTHRUS) FROM SOUTHERN HISPANIOLA. Breviora, 571(1). https://doi.org/10.3099/0006-9698-571.1.1

A new species of dwarf boa, Tropidophis cacuangoae sp. nov., from the Upper Amazon Basin

Conservation, Natural History, Recommended reading, Tropidophis

This new Tropidophis species was found while examining a series of snakes from the Andes of Ecuador.  The new species is tentatively placed as a sister-clade to Tropdophis taczanowskyi.  More research is needed as the sequences for the mainland species are  absent in the database.  “Cacuangoae” is Latinized in honor of human rights Ecuadoran activist Dolores Cacuango.
This new Trope brings the number of valid species to 34, with six of those found on the mainland.  On the mainland, the Tropes are evenly divided with three on the Atlantic highland forest range of eastern Brazil and three on the West side of the continent in montane tropical forests of Ecuador and Peru; yet east of the Andes.  It is interesting all are  found at higher and cooler elevations.
This paper highlights the need for more work on the Genus-there is little to no sequencing available for the genus in its entirety.  That work would clarify some species validity issues, allow candidate species to be described, invalidate others and, most likely, raise a whole new littany of questions about the genus .

Male holotype Tropidophis cacuangoae sp. nov.

Read the new paper published in the European Journal of Taxonomy 854: 1-107 (2022) here.

Citations

Ortega-Andrade, H. M., Bentley, A., Koch, C., Yánez-Muñoz, M. H., & Entiauspe-Neto, O. M. (2022). A time relic: a new species of dwarf boa, Tropidophis Bibron, 1840 (Serpentes: Amerophidia), from the Upper Amazon Basin. European Journal of Taxonomy, 854, 1–107. https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2022.854.2021

 

Pre-order available for “Boas of the West Indies: Evolution, Natural History, and Conservation”

Boa, Chilabothrus, Conservation, Corallus, Natural History, Recommended reading, Tropidophis

By R. Graham Reynolds, Robert W. Henderson, Luis M. Diaz, Tomas M. Rodriguez-Cabrera and Alberto R. Puente-Rolon.  Forward by Jonathan B. Losos.  Hardcover $59.95
ISBN13: 9781501765452
ISBN10: 1501765450
Publication date: 03/15/2023
Pages: 288
Illustrations: 122 color photos, 21 maps, 3 charts, 2 graphs
Dimensions: 8 x 10 x 0 in
Pre-order here:
https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501765452/boas-of-the-west-indies/#bookTabs=4

Corallus ruschenbergerii: documenting its life cycle in captivity

Captive breeding, Conservation, Corallus, Natural History

Of the 9 species in the genus Corallus, C. ruschenbergerii (Cope, 1875) is one of three species least understood.  Two litters of insular C. ruschenbergerii were born on 14 November and 15 November, 2021.  Litter sizes were 12 live/one stillborn and 13 live  respectively.  Neither litter contained any unfertilized ovum.
Average neonate weight for the first litter is 16.20 grams.  All neonates were patterned in various shades of orange.  All neonates underwent their first shed from days 9 through 13 after birth.

All neonates are patterned and various shades of orange.

Average neonate weight for the 2nd litter is 17.19 grams. All neonates underwent their first shed from days 9 through 13 after birth.  All neonates were patterned. Interestingly, two different color forms were present in this litter:  nine newborns displayed various shades of orange and 4 were gray.  This is the first time color heterogeneity is reported in an insular C. ruschenbergerii  litter.

A mixture of color and pattern from one litter.

Compare these two litters with one litter born last year that consisted of all patternless neonates with the same shade of orange.

Pattern-less insular C. ruschenbergerii from a 2020 litter of ten neonates.

For more information and photos, visit the chapter on C. ruschenbergerii here.

Reptiles and Amphibians, Vol 28, No. 3, December 2021 issue

Natural History, Recommended reading, Tropidophis

This particular issue has four articles on the Genus Tropidophis.  They are:

Giant dwarfs: Very large giant tropes Tropidophis melanurus (Squamata: Tropidophiidae), and new maximum size records for the species.
https://journals.ku.edu/reptilesandamphibians/article/view/15965

New prey records for two snakes of the genus Tropidophis (Tropidophiidae) from urban habitats in La Habana, Cuba.
https://journals.ku.edu/reptilesandamphibians/article/view/15858

Predation on murid rodents by the Giant Trope, Tropidophis melanurus (Squamata: Tropidophiidae), with comments on predation of mammals by snakes of the genus Tropidophis
https://journals.ku.edu/reptilesandamphibians/article/view/15876

Westernmost record of the Spotted Red Trope, Tropidophis maculatus (Squamata: Tropidophiidae), with comments on the Tropidophis species assemblage from the Guanahacabibes Peninsula.
https://journals.ku.edu/reptilesandamphibians/article/view/15857

Individual PDF’s can be downloaded from each link.

Chilabothrus neonate season continues with Bahamas Boas

Captive breeding, Chilabothrus, Conservation, Natural History, , , , , , ,

The Bahamas Boa Chilabothrus s. strigilatus is a species that relatively few private persons keep and, to our knowledge, no zoo worldwide has these fascinating boas on display.  We are more than pleased to announce that a litter of C. strigilatus was  born on October 1st in Germany.

Chilabothrus strigilatus babies with snake mother

Birth began in the morning hours from 8.30am.  The moon phase was in between half and new moon.  The pressure system was high and the morning was sunny, however, in the evening a low pressure system came in and it started to rain.

The post ovulation shed of the female boa occurred on June 13th, thus 110 days passed between post ovulation shed and birth.  Noticeably, the yolk was entirely used up in all babies and only the allantois was present as extraembryonic tissue.

Chilabothrus strigilatus babies the first sight

The litter contained 27 perfectly healthy babies. weighing between 12 and 16 grams.  Average weight was 14.07 grams.  The length of the babies is around 43 cm.  The litter did not contain any unfertilized eggs, deformed or stillborn babies.

Chilabothrus strigilatus babies with mother

The relative clutch mass (RCM) indicates the amount of mass spent on the babies by their mother.  The babies had a combined birth weight of 380 grams and the mother weighed post parturition 1087g.  The RCM is calculated as: baby mass / (baby mass + mother mass post parturition).  The mother spent 25.9% of her mass in babies, not accounting for fluids and extraembryonic tissue which could not be accurately weighed.

Chilabothrus strigilatus babies
Chilabothrus strigilatus baby on hand

More information on the species can be found here.

Corallus grenadensis; documenting its life cycle in captivity

Captive breeding, Conservation, Corallus, Natural History

A small litter of seven live, 1 stillborn and six unfertilized ovum was laid on 28 August.  They will now be separated, individually set up and assist fed small anoles for the first 3 or 4 meals until they take anoles on their own.  They undergo the same ontogenetic color change as other boas in the genus-they will look entirely different as adults.  In the EU Johan Versluis had a litter of four live, two stillborn and several unfertilized ovum, born on 22 September.  The babies weighed 4.85g to 6.03g, with an average weight of

Two C. grenadensis born Aug 28, with anolis sagrei as first foods.
7 C. grenadensis born Aug 28, shed from Sep 10-12.
Two C. grenadensis, freshly shed on 10 Sep.

See the Chapter on Corallus grenadensis for more in depth information on the genus and species in particular.