.::::: Snakes of the World - Boidea - Epicrates :::::.
Last update: 7 March, 2004

The genus Epicrates contains 10 species of small to large size constrictors. Most of these species are to be found in the Carribean area of America (9 species) and only one species is distributed on the mainland (although with a wide distribution).
Epicrates cenchria - French Guiana
© Jean-Pierre Vacher
Epicrates angulifer Bibron, 1843

Distribution: Cuba.
Epicrates cenchria (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • cenchria (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • alvarezi Abalos, Baez & Nader, 1964
  • assisi Machado, 1945
  • barbouri Stull, 1938
  • crassus Cope, 1862
  • gaigei Stull, 1938
  • hygrophilus Amaral, 1954
  • maurus Gray, 1849
  • polylepis Amaral, 1935

    • Distribution: Argentina (alvarezi), Bolivia (gaigei), Brazil (assisi, barbouri, hygrophilus, maurus, polylepis), Colombia (cenchria), Costa Rica (maurus), French Guiana (cenchria, maurus), Panama (maurus), Paraguay (crassus), Surinam (maurus) and Venezuela (cenchria, maurus).
    Epicrates cenchria maurus - French Guiana
    © Jean-Pierre Vacher
    Epicrates chrysogaster (Cope, 1871)
  • chrysogaster (Cope, 1871)
  • relicquus Barbour & Shreve, 1935
  • schwartzi Buden, 1975

    • Distribution: Bahamas.

    Epicrates exsul Netting & Goin, 1944

    Distribution: Bahamas.
    Epicrates fordii (Günther, 1861)
  • fordii (Günther, 1861)
  • agametus Sheplan & Schwartz, 1974
  • manototus Schwartz, 1979

    • Distribution: Dominican Republic and Haiti.

    Epicrates gracilis (Fischer, 1888)
  • gracilis (Fischer, 1888)
  • hapalus Sheplan & Schwartz, 1974

    • Distribution: Dominican Republic and Haiti.

    Epicrates inornatus (Reinhardt, 1843)

    Distribution: Puerto Rico.
    Epicrates monensis Zenneck, 1898
  • monensis Zenneck, 1898
  • granti Stull, 1933

    • Distribution: British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands (granti) and Mona Island (monensis).

    Epicrates striatus (Fischer, 1856)
  • striatus (Fischer, 1856)
  • ailurus Sheplan & Schwartz, 1974
  • exagistus Sheplan & Schwartz, 1974
  • fosteri Barbour, 1941
  • fowleri Sheplan & Schwartz, 1974
  • mccraniei Sheplan & Schwartz, 1974
  • strigilatus (Cope, 1862)
  • warreni Sheplan & Schwartz, 1974

    • Distribution: Bahamas (ailurus, fosteri, fowleri, mccraniei, strigilatus) , Dominican Republic (striatus) and Haiti (exagistus, striatus, warreni).
    Epicrates subflavus Stejneger, 1901

    Distribution: Jamaica.
    Literature
    Briguera, V.C., M. Chiaraviglio & M. Gutierrez. 1994. Comunicación química en la boa arcoiris Epicrates cenchria alvarezi (Serpentes, Boidae). Cuadern. Herpetol., 8: 173-176.
    Briguera, V.C., M. Chiaraviglio & M. Gutierrez. 1997. Experiencias de seguimiento por los machos de boa arcoiris Epicrates cenchria alvarezi (Serpentes, Boidae) mediado por mensajes químicos. Cuadern. Herpetol., 11: 7-12.

    Brunner, J.C. 1978. Captive Breeding of Colombian Rainbow Boas, Epicrates cenchria crassus. Bull. Phila. Herp. soc., 13: 33-34.
    Bulian, J. 1989. Epicrates fordii - en kvælerslange til det lille terrarium. NHF, 32(6): 216-222.
    Bulian, J. 1995. Probleme und Erfolge bei der Haltung und Zucht von Epicrates chrysogaster chrysogaster Cope, 1871. Sauria, 17(4): 3-10.
    Casado B., R. & E. Marca. 1996. Geographic Distribution. Epicrates cenchria maurus. Herpetol. Rev., 27(4): 212.
    Chandler, C.R. & P.J. Tolson. 1990. Habitat Use by a Boid Snake, Epicrates monensis, and its Anoline Prey, Anolis cristatellus. J. Herpetol., 24(2): 151-157.
    Fritz, U. 1993. Regenbogen-Boas - Ehe auf Distanz. DATZ, 46(6): 350.
    Gray, J.E. 1842. Synopsis of the species of prehensile-tailed Snakes, or Family Boidæ. Zool. Misc., London, 2: 41-46.
    Groves, J.D. 1981. "Efterfødsels-adfærd" hos regnbueboaer (Epicrates). NHF, 24(5): 158-162.
    Henderson, R.W. & A. Arias B. 2001. Epicrates angulifer. Cat. Amer. Amphib. Rept., 734: 1-4.
    Johansson, P.-A. 1977. Regnbueboaens systematik. NHF, 20(7): 175-177.
    La Marca, E. & P.J. Soriano. 1995. Geographic Distribution. Epicrates cenchria cenchria. Herpetol. Rev., 26(2): 109.
    Epicrates cenchria cenchria
    © Jan Grathwohl
    Lemke, T.O. 1978. Predation upon Bats by Epicrates cenchris cenchris in Colombia. Herpetol. Rev., 9(2): 47.
    Mitchell, N.C. 2000. Geographic Distribution. Epicrates chrysogaster chrysogaster. Herpetol. Rev., 31(4): 255.
    Murphy, J.B., D.G. Barker & B.W. Tryon. 1978. Miscellaneous Notes on the Reproductive Biology of Reptiles. 2. Eleven Species of the Family Boidae, Genera Candoia, Corallus, Epicrates and Python. J. Herpetol., 12(3): 385-390.
    Nellis, D.W., R.L. Norton & W.P. MacLean. 1983. On the Biogeography of the Virgin Islands Boa, Epicrates monensis granti. J. Herpetol., 17(4): 413-417.
    Prior, K.A. & R.C. Gibson. 1997. Observations on the Foraging Behavior of the Jamaican Boa, Epicrates subflavus. Herpetol. Rev., 28(2): 72-73.
    Reinhardt, I.T. 1843. Beskrivelse af nogle nye slangearter. K. danske Vidensk. Selsk. Skr., 10: 233-279.
    Rodríguez-Durán, A. 1996. Foraging Ecology of the Puerto Rican Boa (Epicrates inornatus): Bat Predation, Carrion Feeding, and Piracy. J. Herpetol., 30(4): 533-536.
    Rodríguez-Robles, J.A. & H.W. Greene. 1996. Ecological Patterns in Greater Antillean Macrostomatan Snake Assemblages, with Comments on Body-Size Evolution in Epicrates (Boidae). Pp. 339-357. In: Powell, R. & R.W. Henderson (eds.). Contributions to West Indian Herpetology. A Tribute to Albert Schwartz. Soc. Stud. Amph. Rept., Contrib. Herp., 12: 457.
    Schuett, G.W. & S.P. Schuett. 1995. Epicrates cenchria cenchria. Male Combat. Herpetol. Rev., 26(2): 101.
    Sheplan, B.R. & A. Schwartz. 1974. Hispaniolan Boas of the Genus Epicrates (Serpentes, Boidae) and their Antillean Relationships. Ann. Carnegie Mus., 45(5): 57-143.

    Stemmler, O. 1971. Gefangenschaftsnachzucht von Epicrates cenchris maurus X Epicrates cenchris cenchris (Reptilia, Boidae). Terrarien, 18: 415-420.
    Straub, J.O. 1993. Geburt der 500. Braunen Regenbogenboa im Basler Zoo. DATZ, 46(10): 622.
    Tolson, P.J. 1996. Conservation of Epicrates monensis on the Satellite Islands of Puerto Rico. Pp. 407-416. In: Powell, R. & R.W. Henderson (eds.). Contributions to West Indian Herpetology. A Tribute to Albert Schwartz. Soc. Stud. Amph. Rept., Contrib. Herp., 12: 457.

    Tolson, P.R. 1980. Comparative Reproductive Behavior in Four Species of Snakes of the Boid Genus Epicrates. in: Hahn, R. (ed.). 4th Annual Reptile Symposium on Captive Propagation and Husbandry. Thurmont.

    Tolson, P.R. 1983. Captive Propagation and Husbandry of the Cuban Boa Epicrates angulifer. in: Marcellini, D.L. (ed.). 6th Annual Reptile Symposium on Captive Propagation and Husbandry. Zool. Cons., Inc., Thurmont.
    Voss, R. 1996. Gode råd om køb og hold af regnbueboaer, Epicrates cenchria cenchria og Epicrates cenchria maurus. NHF, 39(3): 50-52.
    Voss, R. 1996. De insulære Epicrates-arter - oversete men spændende boaer. NHF, 39(6): 148-150.
    Waller, T. & E. Buongermini P. 1998. Geographic Distribution. Epicrates cenchria alvarezi. Herpetol. Rev., 29(4): 249.

    Walsh, T. 1994. Husbandry of long-term captive populations of boid snakes (Epicrates, Corallus and Chondropython). Pp. 359-362. In: Murphy, J.B., K. Adler & J.T. Collins (eds.). Captive Management and Conservation of Amphibians and Reptiles. Soc. Stud Amphib. Rept., Contrib. Herpetol, Vol. 11.

    Walsh, T. & R. Davis. 1983. Husbandry and Breeding of the Brazilian Rainbow Epicrates cenchria cenchria at the National Zoological Park. Pp. 108-112. in: 7th Reptile Symposium on Captive Propagation and Husbandry. Zool. Consort., Inc., Thurmont.