The Snake Guru
10-18-2007, 04:13 AM
Boa Constrictor, Constrictor (B.C.C) and Boa Constrictor Imperator (B.C.I)
I know some of this first part is going to have some repetitive facts so please bare with me.
First off after looking through many different sources I’ve come up with a simple list of B.C.Cs and B.C.Is
Boa constrictor, constrictor (B.C.C.):
Peruvian R.T.B (2 distinct locals Iquitos and Pacallpa)
Suriname R.T.B (Also a separate type of Suriname Boa from Pokigron Local very rare)
Guyanan R.T.B
Brazilian R.T.B (Not to be confused with B.c.amarili Brazilian Short tail boa)
Venezuelan R.T.B
Trinidad R.T.B
Colombian R.T.B (Not to be confused with the B.C.I Type)
Boa Constrictor Imperator (B.C.I):
Columbian BCI (Might be possible to divide out by providence)(Largest and most common of the BCIs)
Mexican BCI (Most northern subspecies)
Cancun BCI
Crawl Cay BCI (Also know as Belize Boa)
Sonoran Desert BCI
Honduran BCI
Ecuadorian BCI
El Salvador BCI
Costa Rican BCI
Hog Island BCI
Nicaraguan BCI
Corn Island BCI
Isla de Maize BCI
Caulker Cay BCI
The above are not even close to all the boa constrictors available or known however these as near as I can tell are the only ones who fit within the given categories of BCC or BCI. Other boas are differentiated from this list by carrying their own scientific designation for example Argentine Boa Constrictor has a scientific designation of Boa constrictor occidentalis. So that said moving on to disguisable characteristics.
The only for certain way to tell a BCC from BCI is through scale counts, this is the number one identifying characteristic between the two groups. The scale counts for the groups are as follows:
BCC:
234 to 250 Ventral scales
89 to 95 Mid-body scale rows
43 to 62 Caudal Plates
20 to 25 Supra-labials
16 to 20 Circum-orbitals
2 to 3 Lori-Labial rows
B.C.I
Less then 253 Ventral scales
55 to 79 Mid-body scale rows
Exception to this:
The Columbian BCI can have a slightly higher mid-body scale count of 80 to 84
47 to 70 Caudal Plates
17 to 23 Supra-labials
14 to 20 Circum-orbitals
1 to 2 Lori-Labial rows
Geography:
The second most distinguishable characteristic between BCC and BCI boas is the separation through geographic location. The populations are separated by a natural high altitude barrier the Andes Mountain range.
And lastly overall appearance:
BCC
14 to 22 dorsal markings
Personal observations:
Snakes of the BCC clan tend to that actual red tails that everyone has come to recognize. Their markings are bolder and better defined. Overall patterns range from thin to thick dorsal markings with or without “widows peaks” markings one the tail are often separated by white to yellowish white between the red saddles of the tail, the separation of white/yellowish white is more often then not very clean and lacking speckles until it reaches the flanks. Overall they are more heavy bodied, and reach greater lengths then those from the imperator family.
BCI
22 to 30 dorsal markings
Personal observations:
BCI tend to have more of a “broken” pattern than BCC the lines are not as well defined, coloring ranges more in the grays to over tones of yellow, tan and orange perhaps some pinks in the flanks. “Red tails” have also been noted in the imperator group however they are seen much less often then in BCC. The tail of boas in the imperator family, tend to range more the orange to off orange/red. They can be heavily speckled to point of looking “dirty” or extremely “clean”. Imperators are highly variable depending on local.
Note on Columbian Boas of BCC classification:
There is a Local of Columbian boa with the classification of BCC they are extremely rare in the trade of today, it is extremely unlikely that they would become available and if they did would be extremely expensive. However easily to tell the difference between BCC Columbian Boa and BCI Columbian Boa through the use of scale counts. They are located east of the Andes Mountain range.
My personal view:
My personal take on the subject is that basically we have two groups of boas here, the scale counts of the groups can not be divided by local only by the “types” of boas such as BCC and the BCI so it would stand to reason that if the scale counts for all the boas listed under BCC were approximately the same, that this would indeed be one singular yet highly variable race. As would the boas of the BCI family with possibly the exception of the Colombian BCI due to the fluctuation in scale counts (quite probable due to the separate providence locals).
The issue of “pure blood” boas is also further complicated by distributors, amateur breeders, dealers, and pet shops who in search of the almighty dollar simply look at a boa and by looks alone classify it, tag it, and throw a price tag on it. The issue of pure locality boas really boils down to and issue of trust. Since locality alone can not be determined by scale counts due to the fact that all BCC have roughly the same count which goes for BCI as well.
BCI boas can however be somewhat easier to classify into locals depending on which. For example a Hogg Island Boa is extremely easy to tell from other locals just because it has a very distinctive look and is separate from others in the way that it is naturally hypo-melanistic. Now say you put a couple Nicaraguans and a couple of Hondurans in a basket, I would venture to say that most people couldn’t tell at a glance or even at more of a glance which would be which, especially so if they young or even sub-adults.
Looks can be helpful in determining boa locality, but they also can be a curse. Boas are so variable in appearance that even ones from different localities can look very similar. To add to this point, I had a Suriname Boa who displayed the most beautiful hues of lavender purple. A trait not commonly recognized for that particular locality but more associated with boas from the Guyana (two neighboring countries). It is abnormalities such as this that further make you wonder about the validity of locals and whether or not they exist at all. Here’s another point of view. Take a look at a distribution map of the BCC and/or BCI boas. Now imagine all the territorial lines of man have been erased, what do you see? I know what I saw, a large blob of color that encompassed and overlapped the entire range of BCC and the same large blob for BCI. Some would still argue “what about color differences?” I usually say what about them? It is no different in the snake world then with every other animal species on the planet. The range of each of the types of boas encompass such huge span of land of course there going to color and pattern differences they are adapting to their particular occupied pockets. But this also adds further evidence to the fact that they are indeed one singular highly variable race. So that said my personal view on locals is that they are more of a descriptive reference for color then anything else and a sketchy one at that. The argument could really go either way the whole thing is confusing at best. Just another reason this hobby is fun, I guess to me I was never much bothered by the fact that I may or may not have a pure Suriname, or pure Peruvian, more concerned with making sure I did not get a BCI crossed with a BCC just because these two distinctions are definitely separated by geography and not by man made lines on a map.
~Brad Baysinger 2006
I know some of this first part is going to have some repetitive facts so please bare with me.
First off after looking through many different sources I’ve come up with a simple list of B.C.Cs and B.C.Is
Boa constrictor, constrictor (B.C.C.):
Peruvian R.T.B (2 distinct locals Iquitos and Pacallpa)
Suriname R.T.B (Also a separate type of Suriname Boa from Pokigron Local very rare)
Guyanan R.T.B
Brazilian R.T.B (Not to be confused with B.c.amarili Brazilian Short tail boa)
Venezuelan R.T.B
Trinidad R.T.B
Colombian R.T.B (Not to be confused with the B.C.I Type)
Boa Constrictor Imperator (B.C.I):
Columbian BCI (Might be possible to divide out by providence)(Largest and most common of the BCIs)
Mexican BCI (Most northern subspecies)
Cancun BCI
Crawl Cay BCI (Also know as Belize Boa)
Sonoran Desert BCI
Honduran BCI
Ecuadorian BCI
El Salvador BCI
Costa Rican BCI
Hog Island BCI
Nicaraguan BCI
Corn Island BCI
Isla de Maize BCI
Caulker Cay BCI
The above are not even close to all the boa constrictors available or known however these as near as I can tell are the only ones who fit within the given categories of BCC or BCI. Other boas are differentiated from this list by carrying their own scientific designation for example Argentine Boa Constrictor has a scientific designation of Boa constrictor occidentalis. So that said moving on to disguisable characteristics.
The only for certain way to tell a BCC from BCI is through scale counts, this is the number one identifying characteristic between the two groups. The scale counts for the groups are as follows:
BCC:
234 to 250 Ventral scales
89 to 95 Mid-body scale rows
43 to 62 Caudal Plates
20 to 25 Supra-labials
16 to 20 Circum-orbitals
2 to 3 Lori-Labial rows
B.C.I
Less then 253 Ventral scales
55 to 79 Mid-body scale rows
Exception to this:
The Columbian BCI can have a slightly higher mid-body scale count of 80 to 84
47 to 70 Caudal Plates
17 to 23 Supra-labials
14 to 20 Circum-orbitals
1 to 2 Lori-Labial rows
Geography:
The second most distinguishable characteristic between BCC and BCI boas is the separation through geographic location. The populations are separated by a natural high altitude barrier the Andes Mountain range.
And lastly overall appearance:
BCC
14 to 22 dorsal markings
Personal observations:
Snakes of the BCC clan tend to that actual red tails that everyone has come to recognize. Their markings are bolder and better defined. Overall patterns range from thin to thick dorsal markings with or without “widows peaks” markings one the tail are often separated by white to yellowish white between the red saddles of the tail, the separation of white/yellowish white is more often then not very clean and lacking speckles until it reaches the flanks. Overall they are more heavy bodied, and reach greater lengths then those from the imperator family.
BCI
22 to 30 dorsal markings
Personal observations:
BCI tend to have more of a “broken” pattern than BCC the lines are not as well defined, coloring ranges more in the grays to over tones of yellow, tan and orange perhaps some pinks in the flanks. “Red tails” have also been noted in the imperator group however they are seen much less often then in BCC. The tail of boas in the imperator family, tend to range more the orange to off orange/red. They can be heavily speckled to point of looking “dirty” or extremely “clean”. Imperators are highly variable depending on local.
Note on Columbian Boas of BCC classification:
There is a Local of Columbian boa with the classification of BCC they are extremely rare in the trade of today, it is extremely unlikely that they would become available and if they did would be extremely expensive. However easily to tell the difference between BCC Columbian Boa and BCI Columbian Boa through the use of scale counts. They are located east of the Andes Mountain range.
My personal view:
My personal take on the subject is that basically we have two groups of boas here, the scale counts of the groups can not be divided by local only by the “types” of boas such as BCC and the BCI so it would stand to reason that if the scale counts for all the boas listed under BCC were approximately the same, that this would indeed be one singular yet highly variable race. As would the boas of the BCI family with possibly the exception of the Colombian BCI due to the fluctuation in scale counts (quite probable due to the separate providence locals).
The issue of “pure blood” boas is also further complicated by distributors, amateur breeders, dealers, and pet shops who in search of the almighty dollar simply look at a boa and by looks alone classify it, tag it, and throw a price tag on it. The issue of pure locality boas really boils down to and issue of trust. Since locality alone can not be determined by scale counts due to the fact that all BCC have roughly the same count which goes for BCI as well.
BCI boas can however be somewhat easier to classify into locals depending on which. For example a Hogg Island Boa is extremely easy to tell from other locals just because it has a very distinctive look and is separate from others in the way that it is naturally hypo-melanistic. Now say you put a couple Nicaraguans and a couple of Hondurans in a basket, I would venture to say that most people couldn’t tell at a glance or even at more of a glance which would be which, especially so if they young or even sub-adults.
Looks can be helpful in determining boa locality, but they also can be a curse. Boas are so variable in appearance that even ones from different localities can look very similar. To add to this point, I had a Suriname Boa who displayed the most beautiful hues of lavender purple. A trait not commonly recognized for that particular locality but more associated with boas from the Guyana (two neighboring countries). It is abnormalities such as this that further make you wonder about the validity of locals and whether or not they exist at all. Here’s another point of view. Take a look at a distribution map of the BCC and/or BCI boas. Now imagine all the territorial lines of man have been erased, what do you see? I know what I saw, a large blob of color that encompassed and overlapped the entire range of BCC and the same large blob for BCI. Some would still argue “what about color differences?” I usually say what about them? It is no different in the snake world then with every other animal species on the planet. The range of each of the types of boas encompass such huge span of land of course there going to color and pattern differences they are adapting to their particular occupied pockets. But this also adds further evidence to the fact that they are indeed one singular highly variable race. So that said my personal view on locals is that they are more of a descriptive reference for color then anything else and a sketchy one at that. The argument could really go either way the whole thing is confusing at best. Just another reason this hobby is fun, I guess to me I was never much bothered by the fact that I may or may not have a pure Suriname, or pure Peruvian, more concerned with making sure I did not get a BCI crossed with a BCC just because these two distinctions are definitely separated by geography and not by man made lines on a map.
~Brad Baysinger 2006