Sexual maturation in free-ranging Chilabothrus angulifer (Serpentes: Boidae)

The Cuban Boa (C. angulifer) is the only boid snake in Cuba. It is the largest member of the genus, as well as the largest snake in the West Indies (> 400 cm in snout-vent length); as such, it is an iconic species of the Cuban herpetofauna. Although the snake’s natural history is poorly known, se...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inPhyllomedusa Vol. 15; no. 2; p. 163
Main Authors Rodríguez-Cabrera, Tomás M., López, Javier Torres, Marrero, Ruben, Savall, Ernesto Morell, Ochotorena, Ana Sanz
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Universidade de São Paulo 01.12.2016
Subjects
Cuba
Cuban Boa
endemic snake
minimum breeding size
reproductive biology
West Indies
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Summary:The Cuban Boa (C. angulifer) is the only boid snake in Cuba. It is the largest member of the genus, as well as the largest snake in the West Indies (> 400 cm in snout-vent length); as such, it is an iconic species of the Cuban herpetofauna. Although the snake’s natural history is poorly known, several studies describe aspects of its reproductive biology in captivity. Herein we document the sizes and ages at which both sexes reach sexual maturity in nature, and show that the Cuban Boa reaches adulthood at a much smaller size than previously reported for captive snakes. Based on the limited information on the growth rate of C. angulifer in nature, males must reach breeding size after 3 years and females after 5 years
ISSN:1519-1397
2316-9079
DOI:10.11606/issn.2316-9079.v15i2p163-174