Jamaican Boa
| Jamaican Boa Epicrates subflavus |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Boidae |
| Subfamily: | Boinae |
| Genus: | Epicrates |
| Species: | E. subflavus |
| Binomial name | |
| Epicrates subflavus Stejneger, 1901 |
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| Synonyms | |
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The Jamaican Boa,[2], or yellow snake[3] (Epicrates subflavus) is non-venomous boa species found in Jamaica. No subspecies are currently recognized.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Description
Adults grow to an average of about 2 m (6 feet 6 inches) in length. or higher.
[edit] Geographic range
Found in Jamaica, including Goat Island. The type locality given is Jamaica.[1]
[edit] Habitat
Moist limestone forests.
[edit] Conservation status
This species is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with the following criteria: A2ce (v2.3, 1994).[4] A species is listed as such when the best available evidence indicates that a population decline of 20% is expected within the next ten years or three generations, whichever is the longer, due to a decline in the quality and area of occupancy. It is therefore considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. Year assessed: 1996.[5]
Their natural habitat is being destroyed, which is forcing them into inhabited areas, where they are captured and killed. Some measures have been taken to afford these animals some protection:
- Listed as a Protected species under the Wild Life protection Act (1945).
- Listed under Appendix 1 of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
- Hunting in Forest reserves is also prohibited under the Forest Act (1996).
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
- ^ a b "Epicrates subflavus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=202184. Retrieved 7 July 2008.
- ^ Jamaican Boa at www.nrca.org. Accessed 3 March 2009.
- ^ Epicrates subflavus at the IUCN Red List. Accessed 7 July 2008.
- ^ 1994 Categories & Criteria (version 2.3) at the IUCN Red List. Accessed 7 July 2008.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jamaican Boa |
- Epicrates subflavus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 7 July 2008.
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