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Boa enana

Today I bring you another species of rare reptile, we all know that boas are snakes recognized for their gigantic dimensions, in contrast to the snake I will present to you today that is considered a dwarf within this family. I am talking about the rough dwarf boa or boa pygmy. Come with me to learn more about the main characteristics of this snake.

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Its scientific name is Trachyboa boulengeri, its family is Tropidophiidae from where two genera are detached, as is usual in this race of snakes does not have poison that can have effects in paralyzing other animals, to hunt resorts to its strong body that is capable of squeezing and crushing to death an animal and then devote itself to eat with tranquility. Today we will talk about the genus Trachyboa.

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The main feature of this snake is its reduced size in comparison with other species of the same family that can measure up to 5 meters while this species can measure a maximum of 50 centimeters in adulthood, a size that if we compare is insignificant to similar giant relatives. Another important aspect at taxonomic level is that they have only one lung and have non-lobular kidneys.

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Its nostrils are small in comparison with other boas and in its head it has a kind of horn that serve to be more aggressive in its aspect, it has some beautiful scales aquilladas for it the name of rough boa because the sensation when touching it is rough, Despite having a small size has a fairly strong body, in terms of its color is brown, which generates little contrast between the stones and earth that is usually the habitat where it develops, a color little striking if we notice the bright colors of some boas.

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This boa can survive thanks to places with high concentrations of moisture, hunting at night and in the day can take refuge on the ground of tropical rainforests preferring dry leaves where there is moisture, it should be noted that this species is endemic to Ecuador, the other genus can be found in other areas of America such as Colombia and Panama and some Central American countries.

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As for its food we have that this species is mainly carnivorous in the list of victims are other small reptiles such as lizards and some amphibians, sometimes goes weeks without eating due to its low mobility is not a fluid snake that will seek its prey, almost always immobile which indicates its sedentary behavior. They swallow their prey up to their entire body.

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But not everything is eating, this snake does not escape from being good food for other animals in the tropical rainforest of Ecuador, some felines, and carnivorous mammals look kindly to the boa as an appetizer that they can not leave out of their menu, however, the dwarf boa has a few Aces under the sleeve. When it is in the presence of a predator, when it feels threatened, it is able to deceive and mislead its predators by placing a posture post morten, which makes it seem that it is dead, even flattening its body.

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In the rainy months the female boa prepares to give birth, because it is a viviparous species and its offspring will be ready to feed on their own. Although the dwarf boas enjoy a good birth rate, they are currently not in danger of extinction although they are usually hunted to be sold in the illegal market of exotic pets but still has not represented a threat to this beautiful and small species.