The Nosy Komba ground boa (Sanzinia volontany) is a boa species endemic to the island of Madagascar. It is brownish in colour and is found on the western side of the island. It was once considered conspecific with the Madagascar tree boa. Like all other boas, it is not venomous.
Nosy Komba ground boa | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Boidae |
Genus: | Sanzinia |
Species: | S. volontany
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Binomial name | |
Sanzinia volontany Vences & Glaw, 2004
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Synonyms | |
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Distribution and habitat
editEndemic to Madagascar. The type locality given is "Madagascar".
Feeding
editArboreal and generally nocturnal, it feeds on mammals and birds. Its thermoreceptive pits help it to locate its prey. It will also leave the trees to actively hunt for small mammals on the ground.[1] It favors trees and shrubs near streams, rivers, ponds and swamps.[2]
References
edit- ^ McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
- ^ Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN 0-8069-6460-X.
External links
edit- Sanzinia volontany at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 10 July 2008.