Boidae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Reptilia
Order:Squamata
Sub-order:Serpentes
Family:Boidae
Genera
11 recognised, see text
Boas are a type of snake that are members of the Boidae family. Boas are basal snakes that are "primitive" in evolutionary terms (i.e. less derived). They are constrictors and give birth to live young.

Boas have two subfamilies: Boinae or true boas and Erycinae or sand boas. Pythons are sometimes classified as a subfamily of Boidae, but are frequently listed under their own family, Pythonidae.

Table of contents
1 Boinae
2 Erycinae
3 External link

Boinae

True boas are medium-sized to large snakes. It used to be said that boas were New World Snakes and pythons were Old World Snakes, but, with boas found on Madagascar and the Solomon Islands, this is not quite true. Instead, it is possible that boas have survived in evolutionarily isolated areas. South America, until a few million years ago, had a distinct fauna that included marsupial mammals; with the land bridge to North America, boas have migrated north as placental mammals and colubrids (for example) have migrated south.

  • Acrantophis (Dumeril's Boa and Madagascar Ground Boa; sometimes equated with Boa)
  • Boa (Boa Constrictors)
  • Candoia (Pacific Boas)
  • Corallus (Tree Boas)
  • Epicrates (Rainbow Boas and Island Boas)
  • Eunectes (Anacondas)
  • Sanzinia (Madagascar Tree Boa; sometimes equated with Boa)

Erycinae

Compared to true boas, erycines are quite small, with most members of this subfamily remaining well under a metre in length. Fossil erycines have been found in rock strata over 50 million years old, and were once widespread in North America. Now, only two species remain in North America, as well as the sand boas in Africa, Asia and southeastern Europe.

At least three erycine species lay eggs: the Calabar Burrowing "Python", Calabaria reinhardtii (once classified as a python for this reason); the Arabian Sand Boa, Eryx jayakari; and the West African Sand Boa, Eryx muelleri.

  • Calabaria reinhardtii (Calabar Burrowing "Python", Africa; sometimes equated with Charina)
  • Charina bottae (Rubber Boa, west coast of North America)
  • Eryx (Sand Boas, Africa, western Asia and southeastern Europe)
  • Lichanura trivirgata (Rosy Boa, southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico; sometimes equated with Charina)

External link

  • BoA is a singer from Korea.
  • bôa is a rock band formed in London in 1993. Their song "Duvet" is the theme to the popular anime Serial Experiments Lain
  • Two-Ton Boa is a Rock/Blues band from the Pacific Northwest region of the US.
  • A Boa is also a type of decorative clothing accessory, as exemplified by the Feather Boa.