Integrated Taxonomic Information System - Report

Go to Print Version

Boa constrictor  Linnaeus, 1758
Taxonomic Serial No.: 209569

(Download Help) Boa constrictor TSN 209569

 Taxonomy and Nomenclature
       
  Kingdom: Animalia  
  Taxonomic Rank: Species  
  Synonym(s): Boa constrictor melanogaster Langhammer, 1983
 
  Common Name(s): Boa Constrictor [English]
 
    Boa constrictor [Spanish]
 
       
  Taxonomic Status:    
  Current Standing: valid  
       
  Data Quality Indicators:    
  Record Credibility Rating: verified - standards met  
       

 Taxonomic Hierarchy
       
 KingdomAnimalia  – Animal, animaux, animals  
    SubkingdomBilateria  – triploblasts  
       InfrakingdomDeuterostomia   
          PhylumChordata  – cordés, cordado, chordates  
             SubphylumVertebrata  – vertebrado, vertébrés, vertebrates  
                InfraphylumGnathostomata   
                   SuperclassTetrapoda   
                      ClassReptilia Laurenti, 1768 – répteis, reptiles, Reptiles  
                         OrderSquamata Oppel, 1811 – Amphisbaenians, Lizards, Snakes, amphisbènes, lézards, serpents  
                            SuborderSerpentes Linnaeus, 1758 – Snakes, cobra, serpente, serpents  
                               InfraorderAlethinophidia Nopcsa, 1923  
                                  FamilyBoidae Gray, 1825 – Boas, Boids  
                                     GenusBoa Linnaeus, 1758 – Boas  
                                        SpeciesBoa constrictor Linnaeus, 1758 – Boa Constrictor, Boa constrictor  
    Direct Children:  
                                           Subspecies Boa constrictor amarali (Stull, 1932)  
                                           Subspecies Boa constrictor constrictor Linnaeus, 1758  
                                           Subspecies Boa constrictor imperator Daudin, 1803  
                                           Subspecies Boa constrictor longicauda Price and Russo, 1991  
                                           Subspecies Boa constrictor mexicana Jan, 1863  
                                           Subspecies Boa constrictor nebulosa (Lazell, 1964)  
                                           Subspecies Boa constrictor occidentalis Philippi, 1873  
                                           Subspecies Boa constrictor orophias Linnaeus, 1758  
                                           Subspecies Boa constrictor ortonii Cope, 1878  
                                           Subspecies Boa constrictor sabogae (Barbour, 1906)  
       

 References
       
  Expert(s):    
  Expert: Peter Uetz  
  Notes: Associate Professor, CSBC   
  Reference for: Boa constrictor    
       
  Other Source(s):    
  Source: Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad, database (version undefined)  
  Acquired: 2000   
  Notes: CONABIO: (http://www.conabio.gob.mx/)   
  Reference for: Boa constrictor   
       
  Source: NODC Taxonomic Code, database (version 8.0)  
  Acquired: 1996   
  Notes:    
  Reference for: Boa constrictor   
       
  Source: Reptile Database, website (version 09/01/2013)  
  Acquired: 2013   
  Notes: Uetz, P. & Jirí Hosek (eds.), The Reptile Database, (http://www.reptile-database.org)   
  Reference for: Boa constrictor   
       
  Publication(s):    
  Author(s)/Editor(s): Flores-Villela, Oscar / McCoy, C. J., ed.  
  Publication Date: 1993   
  Article/Chapter Title: Herpetofauna Mexicana: Lista anotada de las especies de anfibios y reptiles de México, cambios taxonómicos recientes, y nuevas especies   
  Journal/Book Name, Vol. No.: Carnegie Museum of Natural History Special Publication, no. 17   
  Page(s): iv + 73   
  Publisher: Carnegie Museum of Natural History   
  Publication Place: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA   
  ISBN/ISSN: 0-911239-42-1   
  Notes:    
  Reference for: Boa constrictor   
       
  Author(s)/Editor(s): McDiarmid, Roy W., Jonathan A. Campbell, and T'Shaka A. Touré  
  Publication Date: 1999   
  Article/Chapter Title:    
  Journal/Book Name, Vol. No.: Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1   
  Page(s): xi + 511   
  Publisher: The Herpetologists' League   
  Publication Place: Washington, D.C., USA   
  ISBN/ISSN: 1-893777-01-4, 1-893777-00-6  
  Notes:    
  Reference for: Boa constrictor   
       
  Author(s)/Editor(s): Pyron, R. Alexander, R. Graham Reynolds, and Frank T. Burbrink  
  Publication Date: 2014   
  Article/Chapter Title: A Taxonomic Revision of Boas (Serpentes: Boidae)   
  Journal/Book Name, Vol. No.: Zootaxa, vol. 3846, no. 2   
  Page(s): 249-260   
  Publisher:    
  Publication Place:    
  ISBN/ISSN: 1175-5334   
  Notes: DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3846.2.5; available online at http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/list/2014/3846%282%29.html   
  Reference for: Boa constrictor   
       
  Author(s)/Editor(s): Reynolds, R. Graham, Matthew L. Niemiller, and Liam J. Revell  
  Publication Date: 2014   
  Article/Chapter Title: Toward a Tree-of-Life for the boas and pythons: Multilocus species-level phylogeny with unprecedented taxon sampling   
  Journal/Book Name, Vol. No.: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, vol. 71   
  Page(s): 201-213   
  Publisher:    
  Publication Place:    
  ISBN/ISSN: 1055-7903   
  Notes: DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2013.11.011; available online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2013.11.011   
  Reference for: Boa constrictor   
       

 Geographic Information
       
  Geographic Division: Caribbean  
    Middle America  
    South America  
    North America  
       
  Jurisdiction/Origin: Mexico, Native  
    Continental US, Introduced  
 

 

   

 Comments
       
  Comment: As of late 2014, it appears that some subspecies and synonyms under Boa constrictor Linnaeus 1758 may need to be split out and allocated to one or more separate species. For example, there are indications that Boa constrictor imperator Daudin 1803 may represent a separate species, possibly to contain all the Central American representatives; however, until more complete sampling and analysis (and examination of type specimens) have been completed, it remains unclear which subspecies and synonyms would belong under the proposed species Boa imperator (or other species?), and which would remain under Boa constrictor. Pending further published work on these issues, ITIS is following the Reptile Database in retaining these all under Boa constrictor. See also Reynolds et al. (2014) and Pyron et al. (2014)  
 

 

   

 
 Subordinate Taxa  Rank  Verified Standards Met  Verified Min Standards Met  Unverified Percent Standards Met
 
LOADING...
 

A gray graphic bar
Search on:  Any Name or TSN  Common Name  Scientific Name  TSN
     


Disclaimer: ITIS taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available, and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties. However, it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes. While every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up-to-date information available, ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the United States is a party, wildlife statutes, regulations, and any applicable notices that have been published in the Federal Register. For further information on U.S. legal requirements with respect to protected taxa, please contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

A gray bar