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Boidae, Boa constrictor imperator
A Boa crossing my Street to a Farm, 3 meters long but very skinny and the head was very small, notice how camouflaged it is in the dirt...? The last one I saw was the same size but with a huge head and and very thick body at least 4 times thick...
Gallery Forest. 900 Meters-3000 feet above sea level, next to Tanaca National Park, a Pasture , and in a Garden with Endemic trees, plants and flowers of Costa Rica.
Thank you so much Tukup...I always research all the ID suggestions...That is why I asked about the Red Tail.... : )
Thank you so much for the ID
I blew up the picture of your snake and am second-guessing myself now. I was thinking "Ecuador" and not "Costa Rica." Looking at the Link I've now put in the corrected ID suggestion, I would say it is an Boa c. imperator, as the red-tail isn't found in Costa Rica. Sorry for the confusion and thanks for making me double check my suggestion. If I were you I'd write me a "nasty" comment telling me to be more accurate next time :-) Thanks Gilma.
Even as I'm looking at the differences, I found a site that gives a good description of the subspecies. It is making me question my call on your snake. I was thinking "Ecuador" not "Costa Rica." According to this site, the Red-tail isn't found in Costa Rica. I tried checking before and didn't find this information. Blowing up your picture and looking at the following site, I think the Boa constrictor imperator is probably the one you show. Sorry for the confusion and thanks for making me double check my suggestion. I would suggest changing the subspecies and sending me a "nasty" comment for my inaccuracy :-)
https://www.reptifiles.com/red-tailed-bo...
The Boa Constrictor's colors are generally light brown or tan with dark brown splotches. The darkness of the brown/tan varies as does the size of the splotches. In the Boa constrictor constrictor (Red-tail), the brown splotches on the tail become a bright chestnut or "reddish-brown color" while in the Boa constrictor imperator, they are the same dark brown the length of the snake and lack any reddish hue. One has been called "Red-tail" to differentiate it from the other. In the Ecuadorian Amazon we have the Red-tail, on the Ecuadorian coast they have the Imperator. Many pictures on the internet are mis-labeled. Here's a link that may show the "reddish" color better.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c...
Tukup...Why are they called "Red Tailed" I did not see any red or different color on the tail?
Thank you so much Tukup. Not a pet, I have been told by my neighbors we have plenty of them...It makes sense I think it is a younger snake.
Nice catch Gilma. Would this be a wild one or an escaped "pet?" The small head would indicate a young snake. Many time "skinny" snakes have large heads indicating an older snake in poor health. Thanks for sharing.
Spotted on Mar 15, 2019
Submitted on Mar 18, 2019
+2
