Biology:Candoia

Short description: Genus of snakes

Candoia
Pacific ground boa (Candoia carinata)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Boidae
Subfamily:	Candoiinae
Genus:	Candoia Gray, 1842
Synonyms
Cenchris Gray, 1831 Cenchrus Swainson, 1839 Candoia Gray, 1842 Tropidoboa Hombron & Jacquinot in Jacquinot & Guichenot, 1842 Enygrus A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1844 Erebophis Günther, 1877 Candoia — Forcart, 1951

Candoia is a genus of non-venomous boas found mostly in New Guinea, Melanesia and the Maluku Islands in Indonesia. Common names include bevel-nosed boas and keel-scaled boas.

Description

The species of the genus Candoia typically have a rounded and heavy body, with a flattened triangular-shaped head and an upturned nose. Colors and patterns vary greatly, but most are various shades of brown to black. Species can vary in adult size from 60 cm (24 in) to 1.8 m (5.9 ft) in total length (including the tail). Males are typically smaller than females and can be distinguished by their prominent cloacal spurs.

Distribution and habitat

The species of the genus Candoia are found from Samoa and Tokelau west through Melanesia to New Guinea and the Maluku Islands in indonesia.

Behavior

All species of Candoia are primarily nocturnal.

Feeding

The primary diet of Candoia species consists of frogs and lizards.

Reproduction

In the species of the genus Candoia, breeding occurs early in the year, typically after rains. Several males will approach and pursue a single female, though, there is no combat between the males. Females seem to only ovulate once every two or three years and give birth to litters averaging 10 or so neonates. The Solomon Island ground boa (C. paulsoni) is an exception, as it is known to have particularly large litters, occasionally producing 30 or 40 small neonates.

Captivity

The species of the genus Candoia are frequently imported for the exotic pet trade, but are now being bred in captivity with some regularity by private individuals. Their small size and ease of care make them interesting captives, but wild-caught specimens are not known to acclimate well. The stress of captivity manifests itself in the form of lack of interest in food. Their natural diet often presents a problem for hobbyists mainly familiar with using rodents as food.

Species

Five species are recognized:

Species	Taxon author	Subspecies*	Common name	Geographic range
C. aspera	(Günther, 1877)	0	Papuan ground boa, New Guinea ground boa, viper boa	New Guinea (Irian Jaya and Papua New Guinea below 1,300 m), including the nearby islands of Waigeu, Batanta, Misool and Salawati, the islands of Biak and Yapen in Geelvink Bay, Seleo, Valise, Karkar, Umboi, Manus, Los Negros, Lou, Baluan, the Rambatyo Islands in the Manus Group (the Admiralty Islands), New Britain, Duke of York, New Ireland and New Hanover in the Bismarck Archipelago.
C. bibroni	(A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1844)	1	Bibron's bevel-nosed boa, Bibron's keel-scaled boa, Pacific tree boa, Fiji boa	Melanesia and Polynesia, including the eastern Solomon Islands (Olu Malau, the Reef Islands, Rennell Island, San Critobal, Santa Ana Island, the Santa Cruz Islands, Bio, Bellona Island, Three Sisters, Ugi Island and the Vanikolo Islands), the Banks Islands (Vanua Lava Island), the New Hebrides, all three of the Loyalty Islands, the Fiji Islands (Rotuma, the Yasawa Group and the Lau Group), Western Samoa (Savai'i and Upolu) and American Samoa (Taʻū).
C. carinata	(Schneider, 1801)	1	Pacific ground boa, Pacific keel-scaled boa, Indonesian tree boa	Indonesia, including the northern peninsula of Sulawesi, the Sangihe and Telaud Islands, the northern Maluku Islands (Seram, Ambon, Haruku, Saparua, the Banda Islands, Goram and the Tanimbar Islands), Misool, Batanta, Salawatti, Anaguar (Saipan) and the Palau Group (at least on Koror Island). New Guinea: the islands of Geelvink Bay and those along the northern coast, including Liki, Djamna, Karkar and the Umboi Islands. Manus and nearby islands. The Bismarck Archipelago, including the islands of Mussau and Tench. The islands of Milne Bay Province, at least on Samarai, Kiriwina, Kitava, Goodenough, Fergusson, Dobu, Normanby, Slade, Misima, Woodlark, Sudest and Rossel. The islands of Buka, Bougainville Island and those nearby. The Solomon Islands, including Santa Cruz, Rennell and Bellona.
C. paulsoni	(Stull, 1956)	4	Solomon Islands ground boa	Indonesia: Halmahera, the Talaud Islands. New Guinea. The Bismarck Archipelago. The Solomon Islands.
C. superciliosa	(Günther, 1863)	1	Palau bevel-nosed boa, Belau bevel-nosed boa	Palau

• ) Not including the nominate subspecies.
  ^T') Type species.

Classification

The genus Candoia is traditionally placed in the subfamily Boinae; however, a 2013 study comparing DNA sequences of 12 genes of over 4,000 species supported Candoia as more distantly related, with remaining members of the Boinae being more closely related to the boid subfamily Erycinae; thus Candoia was placed in the newly named subfamily Candoiinae.

External links

• "The Candoia Page" at Kingsnake.com. Accessed 5 July 2008.

Further reading

• Gray JE (1842). "Synopsis of the species of prehensile-tailed Snakes, or Family BOIDÆ". Zoological Miscellany 2: 41-46. (Candoia, new genus, p. 43).
• Smith HM, Chiszar D, Tepedelen K, van Breukelen F (2001). "A revision of the bevel-nosed boas (Candoia carinata complex) (Reptilia: Serpentes)". Hamadryad 26 (2): 283-315.

Wikidata ☰ Q739116 entry