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Revision as of 14:21, 30 July 2005

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Boa is a genus of snakes in the family Boidae. The four species in the genus are commonly known as "boa constrictors" after the first species of the genus to be described, the Red-tailed Boa, Boa constrictor. (To add further to the naming confusion, many species of snake in Boidae are known as "boas" and all are constrictors — that is, they kill their prey by constriction.)

Snakes of this genus are very common in Latin America, and perhaps the most sought after as pets. They can grow up to 5 metres and feed on birds and small mammals.

The Red-tailed Boa, Boa constrictor is the most widely known species of this genus. It is also the largest member of its family, with the largest recorded specimen being over 18 feet (5.5 m) long. It has an interesting pattern of brown and black with a red tail (see picture). It does well in captivity and tames easily and is a common sight in zoos and homes.

Species

• Red-tailed Boa, Boa constrictor Linnaeus, 1758
• Boa dumerili (Jan in Jan and Sordelli, 1860)
• Boa madagascariensis (Duméril and Bibron, 1844)
• Boa manditra Kluge, 1991

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