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| Lichanura trivirgata Cope, 1861 |
For the band, see Rosy Boa (band). Edward Drinker Cope (July 28 1840&ndashApril 12 1897 was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist
The Rosy Boa (Lichanura trivirgata) is a snake of the Boidae family, one of only two members of that family native to the United States. Boa Kwon (born November 5, 1986) have contributed to her commercial success in South Korea and Japan and her popularity throughout Asia In Biological classification, family ( Latin The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The other is the Rubber Boa (C. The Coastal Rubber Boa is a type of Boa ( Snakes belonging to the family Boidae) bottae). Rosy Boas are native to the American Southwest, and Baja and Sonora Mexico. These small attractive snakes attain a length of just over 3 feet (sometimes 4 feet if they are from the coast of California) and a large adult has a body width about the diameter of a golf ball. Coloration in Rosy Boas is highly variable. The Common named was derived from the Rosy or Salmon coloration that is common on the belly of Rosy Boas originating from Coastal southern California and Baja Mexico. Most Boas do not have this ventral coloration but instead have a series of dark to orange spots on a light colored background.
Almost all Rosy Boas have at least some trace of three longitudinal stripes, one down the center of the back, and two on the lower sides. The appearance of these stripes varies widely from extremely straight and having high contrast with the interspaces to extremely broken with almost no contrast with the interspaces. Stripe colors can be orange, maroon, rust, brown, or black. The interspaces range from shades of light to dark gray, yellow, or tan.
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Geographic range
The Rosy Boa is found in the southwestern United States in the states of California and Arizona, and northwestern Mexico in the states of Baja California and Sonora. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The State of Arizona ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Baja California (pronounced ˈbɑːhɑː kælɨˈfɔrnjə in English is the northernmost state of Mexico. Sonora is one of the 31 federal states of Mexico and is located in the northwest of the country In California, the Rosy Boa ranges throughout the Colorado and Mojave deserts and also occupies the coastal areas of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Diego counties. In Arizona, the Rosy Boa occupies the Mojave desert and the western areas of the Sonoran desert. It is absent from the eastern and northern halfs of the state. In Sonora, the Rosy Boa ranges from the border with the United States south throughoput the sonoran desert to at least as far south as Ortiz. In Baja California, the Rosy Boa is almost ubiquitous ranging throughout the entire peninsula except in areas of extremely dry or rockless desert.
Behavior
Rosy boas spend most of their lives concealed beneath rocks and in crevices to escape the elements and natural predators. Granite outcroppings are the most common geologic association inhabited by the Rosy Boa. Less often they are found in association with volcanic or other rock types. Only in rare places do Rosy Boas inhabit rockless environments. In areas with few rocks Rosy Boas will use rodent burrows for concealment.
Rosy Boa's activity season follows local weather patterns; however, they are generally dormant during the winter, and active during the spring summer and fall. Like all snakes, they are dependent on external temperatures to promote such normal bodily functions as digestion and gestation. Throughout most of their range the winter is too cold for these functions and the Boas go into a dormant state called brumation. Dormancy is a period in an organism's life cycle when growth development and (in animals physical activity is temporarily suspended The spring is breeding season for Rosy Boas, resulting in their highest rate of activity. Most Rosy Boas are encountered in spring as they leave the security of their rock piles and crevices to seek mates. Other reasons Rosy Boas may be active on the surface of the ground is to find prey or new territory.
The surface activity of Rosy Boas can take place during any hour of the day, but during hot weather they are primarily nocturnal. As an Animal behavior, nocturnality describes sleeping during the Daytime and being active at Night - the opposite of the diurnal In the spring, they are often abroad in the afternoon and early evening. In the late spring and summer, this activity period swithces to from dusk to late into the night. Because most populations of Rosy Boas live in exceedingly dry habitats, their activity is often highly moisture dependent. During dry periods they remain deep underground to assist in remaining hydrated. Recent Rainfall often results in a flurry of surface activity.
These snakes forage mainly for small mammals but have occasionally been known to take other prey items such as birds, and lizards. Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. Lizards are a large and widespread group of Reptiles of the order Squamata, with nearly 5000 species and ranging across all continents except Pack Rats, baby Rabbits, Deer mice, and Kangaroo Rats make up a large portion of their diet. A pack rat, also called a trade rat or wood rat, can be any of several Species in the genus Neotoma, but most commonly the Rabbits are small Mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world The genus Peromyscus contains species commonly referred to as deer mice Kangaroo rats, genus Dipodomys, are small Rodents native to North America. Rosy Boas are one of the slowest-moving species of snake in the world. They are unable to pursue prey and must either wait in ambush or stalk their meals. When a meal is within reach, usually a few inches, a Rosy Boa will strike with surprising speed and accuracy. Prey is secured with tiny rows of needle-sharp teeth, then suffocated through constriction.
Rosy Boas are extremely docile when encountered by humans. The species is not prone to bite in defense and when human bites have occurred they have usually been the result of a feeding response with a captive animal. All Rosy Boa bites are harmless. This extreme docility combined with their attractive coloration has made Rosy Boas very popular with herpetoculturists.
Taxonomy
The epithet trivirgata refers to the distinct three stripes that are characteristic of the species. The Rosy Boa is considered to be the only species within the genus Lichanura, but one researcher has placed it in the genus Charina with the Rubber Boa. A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic Newer phylogenetic research supports the original arrangement but herpetologists are still not unified on Rosy Boa taxonomy. The subspecific designations are just as uncertain with many sources not accepting "arizonae" or "saslowi"
Subspecies
- Arizona Rosy Boa, Lichanura trivirgata arizonae (Spiteri, 1991)
- Desert Rosy Boa, Lichanura trivirgata gracia (Klauber, 1931) - Ground color laced with well-defined pink, orange or tan longitudinal stripes. Laurence M Klauber (born 1883 in San Diego California, died 1968 was an American herpetologist, and was considered to be the foremost authority on
- Coastal Rosy Boa, Lichanura trivirgata roseofusca (Cope, 1868) - Ground color laced with blotchy reddish-brown longitudinal stripes. The Rosy Boa ( Lichanura trivirgata) is a snake of the Boidae family, one of only two members of that family native to the United States. Edward Drinker Cope (July 28 1840&ndashApril 12 1897 was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist
- Baja Rosy Boa, Lichanura trivirgata saslowi (Spiteri, 1987)
- Mexican Rosy Boa, Lichanura trivirgata trivirgata (Cope, 1861) - Ground color laced with pale, creamy broad longitudinal stripes. Edward Drinker Cope (July 28 1840&ndashApril 12 1897 was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist
In captivity
Their generally docile temperament, ease of care, and small size makes the Rosy Boa an ideal choice for a pet snake (or first boa). A pet is an Animal kept for companionship and enjoyment or a househeld animal as opposed to Livestock, Laboratory animals Working animals They are frequently captive bred, and readily feed on commercially available mice. Captive breeding is the process of breeding rare or Endangered species in human controlled environments with restricted settings such as wildlife preserves Zoos A mouse (plural mice) is a small Animal that belongs to one Many color variations are available, including albinos as well as the many different subspecies that come in dozens of variations. Albinism (from Latin albus, "white" see extended etymology) is a form of hypopigmentary Congenital disorder, In Zoology, as in other branches of Biology, subspecies is the Taxonomic rank immediately subordinate to a Species. With other species, such as corn snakes and ball pythons, dominating the majority of the market, the popularity of Rosy Boas hasn't been as high as the other more popular species. The Corn Snake ( Elaphe guttata guttata) or Red Rat Snake, is a North American Species of Rat snake that subdue their small prey with Common names royal python ball python Python regius is a non-venomous python Species found in Africa
References
- Charina trivirgata (TSN 563907). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Integrated Taxonomic Information System ( ITIS) is a partnership designed to provide consistent and reliable information on the Taxonomy of biological Species Retrieved on 25 May 2006. Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
- Species Charina trivirgata at The Reptile DatabaseI am Noah
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