The type locality given is "l'Amerique meridionale, principalement au Mexique" (Central America, principally Mexico). These locales have yet to be reclassified as official sub-species.īoa imperator can be found in some regions of Mexico, Central America and northwestern Colombia, as well as several islands along the coasts of these areas. are currently classified as different 'locales' of Boa imperator. Ĭertain Boa populations, such as Hog Island, Corn Island, Tarahumara, Ecuador, etc. Widespread acceptance is still pending, but several publications have acknowledged the new name since this finding. imperator as a separate genetic lineage with 5-7% divergence from B. Identification īoa imperator is commonly confused with other Boa species, such as Boa constrictor.īoa imperator was formerly classified as a subspecies of Boa constrictor until DNA sequencing identified B. These populations represent the smallest members of the species.īoa imperator has 55-79 dorsal scales, 225-253 ventral scales, 47-69 subcaudal scales, 18-22 supralabial scales and 1-2 anal scales. Mainland specimens from Colombia can be among the larger boas, but this subspecies also includes a number of dwarf insular populations, such as those from various Caribbean islands and the Sonoran Desert of Mexico. These boas have a reputation for being "nippy", with some individuals being quick to bite in self-defense. Nicaraguan individuals typically have a compact saddle pattern on their backs that is often circular in shape. constrictor is not mature until she reaches 1.6 m and 4.5 kg. The size of a mature female Nicaraguan boa is 1.1 m and 1.9 kg, while the larger female B. While not as small as the dwarf insular island populations, adults are still smaller than the larger B. The color of the tail may vary from salmon-pink to orange.Īnother well known population of Boa imperator is the population from Nicaragua. These are naturally hypomelanistic, which means that they have reduced melanin, thus are more lightly colored, although they retain the distinctive darker tail that is characteristic of most members of this species. One population is found on the Cayos Cochinos (Hog Islands) off the northern shore of Honduras. Notably, the species is one of only two in snakes to have a confirmed XY sex chromosome system.
They are, however, usually just as colorful as their counterparts and, like the larger boas, can be bred into a variety of different colors, given the right conditions to breed. Īlthough Boa imperator exhibits almost identical patterns to Boa constrictor, this species often has a darker tail, usually dark brown or very dark red. Lifespan in the wild is around 20–30 years, but 40 can be exceeded in captivity. They usually weigh around 6 kg (13 lb), although females are significantly larger than males.
As one of the smaller Boa species, they average between 1.3 and 2.5 m in length when fully grown, but have been known to reach 3.7 m. As a result, the appearance of this snake varies greatly depending on the specific locality. Boa imperator is wide-ranging, with animals living in both Central America and northern parts of South America.
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