''Candoia'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of non-venomous

boa Kwon Bo-ah (; born November 5, 1986), known professionally as BoA, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer and actress. One of the most successful and influential Korean entertainers, she has been dubbed the " Queen of K- ...

s found mostly in

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a language of Papua New Guinea, which is spoken in surrounding areas of Port Moresby (Capital of Papua New Guinea). It is a simplified version of ...

Melanesia Melanesia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It extends from Indonesia's New Guinea in the west to Fiji in the east, and includes the Arafura Sea. The region includes the four independent countries of Fiji, Va ...

, the Solomon Islands and the

Maluku Islands The Maluku Islands (; Indonesian: ''Kepulauan Maluku'') or the Moluccas () are an archipelago in the east of Indonesia. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone. Geographically they are located eas ...

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

. Common names include bevel-nosed boas and keel-scaled boas.

Description

The species of the genus ''Candoia'' typically have a rounded and heavy body, with a flattened triangular-shaped head and an upturned nose. Colors and patterns vary greatly, but most are various shades of brown to black. Species can vary in adult size from to in total length (including the tail). Males are typically smaller than females and can be distinguished by their prominent cloacal spurs.

Distribution and habitat

The species of the genus ''Candoia'' are found from

Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands (Manono Island, Manono an ...

and Tokelau west through

and the

and the Solomon Islands in Indonesia.

Behavior

All species of ''Candoia'' are primarily nocturnal.

Feeding

The primary diet of ''Candoia'' species consists of frogs, tadpoles, fish, skinks and other lizards, rodents and birds. Neonates are more inclined to feed on tadpoles, fish and lizard species with adult specimens of C. Aspera, C. Paulsoni and C. Tasmai transitioning to larger prey which includes rodents and birds. C. Carinata and C.B. Australis remain focused on lizard, skink and bird prey.

Reproduction

In the species of the genus ''Candoia'', breeding occurs early in the year, typically after rains. Several males will approach and pursue a single female, and mild combat can be observed between the males where they will buck each other off of the desired female. Females seem to only

ovulate Ovulation is the release of eggs from the ovaries. In women, this event occurs when the ovarian follicles rupture and release the secondary oocyte ovarian cells. After ovulation, during the luteal phase, the egg will be available to be fertilized ...

once every two or three years and give birth to litters averaging 10 or so neonates. The Solomon Island ground boa ('' C. paulsoni'') is an exception, as it is known to have particularly large litters, with the average being 30-40 but as many as 110 on record in captive reproduction.

Captivity

The species of the genus ''Candoia'' are frequently imported for the exotic pet trade, but are now being bred in captivity with some regularity by private individuals. Their small size and ease of care make them interesting captives, but wild-caught specimens are not known to acclimate well. The stress of captivity manifests itself in the form of lack of interest in food. Their natural diet often presents a problem for hobbyists mainly familiar with using rodents as food.

Species

Five species are recognized: *) Not including the

nominate subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

.
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Type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen ...

Classification

The genus ''Candoia'' is traditionally placed in the subfamily Boinae; however, a 2013 study comparing DNA sequences of 12 genes of over 4,000 species supported ''Candoia'' as more distantly related, with remaining members of the Boinae being more closely related to the boid subfamily

Erycinae The Erycinae, known as the Old World sand boas, are a subfamily of nonvenomous snakes in the family Boidae. Species of the subfamily Erycinae are found in Europe, Asia Minor, Africa, Arabia, central and southwestern Asia, India, Sri Lanka, and ...

; thus ''Candoia'' was placed in the newly named subfamily Candoiinae.

References

External links

"The Candoia Page"
a
Kingsnake.com
Accessed 5 July 2008.