Rainbow boa

Rainbow boa
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Boidae
Subfamily:	Boinae
Genus:	Epicrates
Species:	E. cenchria
Binomial name
Epicrates cenchria (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
Boa cenchria Linnaeus, 1754 [Boa] Cenchria Linnaeus, 1758 Coluber tamachia Scopoli, 1788 Boa Cenchris — Gmelin, 1788 Boa aboma Daudin, 1803 Boa ternatea Daudin, 1803 Boa annulifer Daudin, 1803 [Epicrates] cenchria — Wagler, 1830 Cliftia fusca Gray, 1849 Epicarsius cupreus J.G. Fischer, 1856 Epicarsius cupreus — Brown, 1893 Epicrates cenchris — Boulenger, 1893 Epicrates cenchria — Griffin, 1916 Epicrates cenchria var. fusca — Griffin, 1916 Epicrates cenchria cenchria — Amaral, 1930 Epicrates cenchria cenchria — Stull, 1938

Epicrates cenchria is a boa species endemic to Central and South America. Common names include the rainbow boa, and slender boa. A terrestrial species, it is known for its attractive iridescent sheen caused by structural coloration. Nine subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.

Geographic range

E. cenchria is found in lower Central America (Costa Rica and Panama), and farther south into South America it occurs east of the Andes roughly reaching northern Argentina (in the provinces: Chaco, Córdoba, Corrientes, Formosa, Salta, Santiago del Estero and Tucumán).

Captivity

Despite requiring very specific humidity and heat, this species is commonly found in the pet trade. During the 1980s and early 1990s, substantial numbers were exported from Suriname. Today, however, far fewer are exported, and most offered for sale are captive bred. Due to their need for high humidity in a captive environment, they should be considered of intermediate difficulty for snake owners, but as long as that is provided they can thrive in captivity. Younger specimens will often bite because of natural defensive instincts, but tend to calm down as they become used to handling.

Subspecies

Subspecies	Taxon author	Common name	Geographic range
E. c. alvarezi	Abalos, Baez & Nader, 1964	Argentine rainbow boa
E. c. assisi	Machado, 1945	Caatinga rainbow boa
E. c. barbouri	Stull, 1938	Marajo Island rainbow boa
E. c. cenchria	(Linnaeus, 1758)	Brazilian rainbow boa
E. c. crassus	(Cope, 1862)	Paraguayan rainbow boa
E. c. gaigeae	Stull, 1938	Peruvian rainbow boa
E. c. hygrophilus	Amaral, 1935	Espirito Santo rainbow boa
E. c. maurus	Gray, 1849	Colombian rainbow boa
E. c. polylepis	Amaral, 1935	Central highland rainbow boa

Gallery

• 

  Peruvian subspecies

• Epicrates.cenchria.cenchria.1.JPG

See also

• List of boine species and subspecies
• Boinae by common name
• Boinae by taxonomic synonyms

External links

• Epicrates cenchria at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 10 July 2008.
•  

• McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Washington, District of Colombia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
• Brazilian Rainbow Boa at Smithsonian National Zoological Park. Accessed 12 November 2008.