Epicrates (genus)

Epicrates is a genus of non-venomous boas found in South America and Central America. Five species are currently recognized, including the rainbow boa.[2]

Epicrates
Brazilian rainbow boa, E. c. cenchria
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Boidae
Subfamily: Boinae
Genus: Epicrates
Wagler, 1830
Synonyms
  • Epicrates Wagler, 1830
  • Chilabothrus
    A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1844
  • Cliftia Gray, 1849
  • Epicarsius J.G. Fischer, 1856
  • Homalochilus J.G. Fischer, 1856
  • Piesigaster Seoane, 1881
  • Epicrates Boulenger, 1893
  • Boella
    H.M. Smith & Chiszar, 1992[1]

Distribution and habitat

Found in lower Central America through South America as far south as Argentina.[1]

Species
Species[2] Taxon author[2] Subsp.*[2] Common name Geographic range[1]
E. alvarezi Abalos, Baez & Nader, 1964 Argentinian rainbow boa northern Argentina, southeastern Bolivia, western Paraguay
E. assisi Machado, 1945 Brazil
E. cenchriaT
 (Linnaeus, 1758) Rainbow boa[2] French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, and Argentina
E. crassus (Cope, 1862) Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina, and Brazil
E. maurusT
 Gray, 1849 Brown rainbow boa Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, northern Brazil, Trinidad, Tobago, Isla Margarita.

*) Not including the nominate subspecies.
T) Type species.[1]

References
  1. 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).
  2. "Epicrates". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 6 July 2008.
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