Round Island Boa
| Round Island Boa | ||||||||||||
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Round Island Boa ( Casarea dussumieri ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Casarea | ||||||||||||
| JE Gray , 1842 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
| Casarea dussumieri | ||||||||||||
| ( Schlegel , 1837) | ||||||||||||
The round-Iceland Boa ( Casarea dussumieri ), also called Kielschuppenboa called, is the only species of the genus Casarea within the family of bolyeriidae . It is endemic to the small island of Round Island near Mauritius . It must not be confused with the supposedly extinct Mauritius boa ( Bolyeria multocarinata ) from the monotypical snake genus Bolyeria , which also only occurred on Round Island. The Round Island Boa is critically endangered and is one of the rarest snakes in the world.
description
The Round Island Boa is a non-toxic, slender snake that can reach a length of 150 cm. The top is dark brown. The underside is lighter and has dark spots. The scale dress consists of keel-shaped scales.
distribution and habitat
The habitat of the Round Island Boa is limited to the small island of Round Island near Mauritius. She used to live in the tropical hardwood forests and in the palm savannah. Today it only occurs in a small savanna area with sparse palm stocks.
Way of life
The Round Island Boa is predominantly nocturnal and feeds on endemic skinks and geckos. Young animals and males sometimes live in trees. Little is known about their breeding biology. The breeding season is believed to begin in April, although young snakes are seen year round. The clutch consists of twelve soft-shelled eggs and is probably located in hollow palm trunks or under leaves. After a relatively long incubation period of 90 days, the young snakes hatch, which weigh about 5 grams at birth and have a light orange color of the scales.
Danger
90% of the original hardwood forest on Round Island was cleared and had to give way to arable land. Around 1840 rabbits and goats were introduced to Round Island, which severely destroyed the vegetation and thus contributed to soil erosion . Several plant species that provided protection and habitat for endemic animal species such as skinks or snakes are therefore extinct or extremely rare. Only a sparse remnant remains of the island's former botanical wealth, which is also endangered by tropical storms. The goats and rabbits were removed from the island in the 1980s on the initiative of the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation . There are perhaps around 500 adult snakes living on Round Island today (with an estimated total population of around 1,000 specimens).
Web links
- Casarea dussumieri in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2013. Posted by: Madagascar Reptile & Amphibian Specialist Group, 1996. Accessed October 16, 2013.
- Casarea dussumieri in The Reptile Database
- ARKive - Photos and information on Casarea dussumieri