{{Short description|Species of snake}} {{Speciesbox | image = EpicratesAngulifer1.jpg | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 16 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author1=Fong, A. |author1-link=Ansel Fong G. |date=2021 |title=''Chilabothrus angulifer '' |volume=2021 |article-number=e.T7815A18979599 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T7815A18979599.en |access-date=16 November 2021}}</ref> | genus = Chilabothrus | species = angulifer | authority = (Cocteau & Bibron, 1840) | synonyms = * ''Epicrates angulifer'' <br/><small>Cocteau & Bibron, 1840</small> * ''Epicrates angulifer'' <br/><small>— Boulenger, 1893</small> *''Chilabothrus angulifer'' <br/>{{small|— Reynolds et al., 2013}} | synonyms_ref = <ref name="McD99">McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré TA (1999). ''Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1.'' Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. {{ISBN|1-893777-00-6}} (series). {{ISBN|1-893777-01-4}} (volume).</ref><ref name=RDB/> }}
The '''Cuban boa''' ('''''Chilabothrus angulifer'''''),<ref name="iucn status 16 November 2021"/><ref name=RDB/> also known as the '''Cuban tree boa'''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/539454-Chilabothrus-angulifer |title=Cuban Tree Boa (''Chilabothrus angulifer'') |work=iNaturalist |access-date=13 September 2022}}</ref> and by locals as '''''Majá de Santa María''''', is a very large species of snake in the family Boidae. With lengths exceeding {{convert|5|m|ft|abbr=on}} and a relatively heavy build, the Cuban boa is one of the largest snakes in North America. The species is native to Cuba and some nearby islands. No subspecies are currently recognized.
==Etymology== The genus name ''Chilabothrus'' is from the Greek ''cheilos'', meaning "lip", ''á'' "without" and ''bothros'' "pits".<ref name="West Indian Boas">{{cite web|url=https://www.westindianboas.org/west-indian-boas/genus-chilabothrus/angulifer/|title=''Chilabothrus angulifer''|website=West Indian Boas|date=13 December 2014 |access-date=20 July 2022}}</ref> The specific name originates from the Latin word ''angirlus'', meaning "angle", probably in reference to the angular shapes of the main elements of the dorsal pattern.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.15781/T2BC3T25B |doi-access=free |year=2017 |last1=Henderson |first1=Robert W. |author1-link=species:Robert William Henderson |last2=Barreto |first2=Angel Arias |title=''Epicrates angulifer '' |journal=Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles |volume=734 |pages=1–4 |doi-broken-date=23 October 2025 }}</ref>
==Geographic range== ''Chilabothrus angulifer'' is found in Cuba and on adjacent islands, including Isla de la Juventud (formerly called the Isle of Pines), the Canarreos Archipelago (the Cayo Cantiles), the Colorados Archipelago off the northern coast of Pinar del Río, the Sabana-Camagüey Archipelago (Cayo Guajaba and Cayo Sant María). The type locality given is "Cuba".<ref name="McD99"/><ref name=RDB/>
==Habitat== The preferred natural habitat of ''Chilabothrus angulifer'' is forest of several varieties (rainforest, cloud forest, evergreen forest, semi-deciduous forest, thorn forest, coastal scrub forest), at altitudes from sea level to {{convert|1,214|m|ft|abbr=on}}. It has also been found in sugar cane plantations.<ref name="iucn status 16 November 2021" />
==Description== [[File:Kubai karcsú boa.jpg|thumb|Cuban boa at Budapest Zoo]] The presence of labial pits, the shortest tail of the entire genus and supralabials separated from the eye result in the Cuban boa being the least derived species of the genus ''Chilabothrus''.<ref name="West Indian Boas"/> It is also the largest member of ''Chilabothrus''. The Cuban boa has a quite massive body, of a size typical for a boa or python of far greater length.<ref name="Tomas M.2"/>
===Size=== ''C. angulifer'' is the largest snake in Cuba and the West Indies, with specimens exceeding {{convert|5|m|ft|abbr=on}} in total length (tail included) and {{convert|30|kg|lb|abbr=on}} in weight.<ref name="Tomas M.">{{cite journal|first1=Tomás M. |last1=Rodríguez-Cabrera |first2=Ernesto |last2=Morell Savall |author2-link=species:Ernesto Morell Savall |first3=Sheila |last3=Rodríguez-Machado|first4=Javier |last4=Torres |year=2020|publisher=IRCF Reptiles & Amphibians Conservation and Natural History|title=Trophic Ecology of the Cuban Boa, ''Chilabothrus angulifer'' (Boidae)|journal=Reptiles & Amphibians |volume=27|issue=2|pages=169–200 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343380788|doi=10.17161/randa.v27i2.14176 |s2cid=237484442 |doi-access=free }}</ref> The largest individual measured {{convert|5.65|m|ft|abbr=on}} long and was estimated at more than {{convert|40|kg|lb|abbr=on}} in mass.<ref name="Tomas M."/> Gundlach (1875, 1880) stated that he had seen individuals of about {{convert|6.4|m|ft|abbr=on}} in total length.<ref name="Tomas M.2">{{cite journal|first1=Tomás M.|last1=Rodríguez-Cabrera|author1-link=species:Tomás Michel Rodríguez-Cabrera |first2=Ruben|last2=Marrero|first3=Javier |last3=Torres|author3-link=species:Javier Torres |year=2008|journal=IRCF Reptiles & Amphibians Conservation and Natural History|title=An Overview of the Past, Present, and Future of the Cuban Boa, ''Chilabothrus angulifer'' (Squamata: Boidae): A Top Terrestrial Predator on an Oceanic Island|volume=23|issue=3|pages=152–168|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340816029|doi=10.17161/randa.v23i3.14123|doi-access=free}}</ref> He also mentioned one large individual kept in captivity by him that had a length of {{convert|4.57|m|ft|abbr=on}} and was collected at the Zapata Swamp, Matanzas Province.<ref name="Tomas M.2"/> Rodríguez (1876) commented that the largest specimens are able grow up to {{convert|5.49|m|ft|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|25|-|28|cm|in|abbr=on}} in diameter.<ref name="Tomas M.2"/> However, on average ''C. angulifer'' reaches {{convert|3.66|m|ft|abbr=on}} in total length.<ref name="Tomas M.2"/>
===Coloring=== Coloration brown with a pattern of staggered dark brown rhombic spots. Dorsal pattern of 42–65 appressed, angulate, dark brown to black markings on a yellowish to yellow-tan ground, but often (western Cuba) without any dark colors in dorsal pattern, and pattern composed of indeterminate number of medium brown to pale tan, much-fused markings; tail patternless above, or with up to 12 darker dorsal markings.<ref name="RDB"/>
===Scalation=== ''C. angulifer'' possesses 53–69 dorsal scale rows at midbody; 272–292 ventral scales in males, 268–290 in females; 45–55 subcaudal scales in males, 46–54 in females; 321–347 ventrals + subcaudals in males, 316–339 in females; supralabial scales separated from eye <!-- head scale formula* 3–3–4 -->.<ref name="West Indian Boas"/> ''C. angulifer'' is different from most other species of the genus in that the eye is usually completely separated from the supralabials by a row of lorilabials, and the subcaudals are few.<ref name="West Indian Boas"/>
==Behavior== Despite its large size, the Cuban boa is semi-arboreal and climbs fairly well.<ref name="West Indian Boas"/> It is usually solitary, sometimes intersecting during the mating season.
===Diet=== thumb|Cuban boa swallowing a bat ''Chilabothrus angulifer'' is a terrestrial apex predator in Cuba along with the Cuban crocodile and carnivorous birds.<ref name="Tomas M."/> Depending on age, size and health, prey can range from anurans, lizards, giant tropes, Cuban sliders, aquatic birds (purple gallinules), free-ranging raptors (red-tailed hawks, turkey vultures), forest birds (Columbiformes, Cuculiformes, Passeriformes), caged birds (Columbiformes, Galliformes, crested caracaras, Passeriformes, Psittaciformes), free-ranging poultry (Muscovy ducks, Galliformes), bats, goats, sheep, pigs, dogs, cats, European rabbits, hutias and rats. As a result of data from the literature and field studies, 351 prey items were recorded in 49 different taxa obtained from 218 snakes. Warm-blooded (mammals and birds) made up 96%, while cold-blooded (reptiles and amphibians) only 4%. Mammals made up 54.7% of the total prey items consumed, followed by birds (41.3%), while amphibians (2%) and reptiles (2%) made up only a small part of the diet.<ref name="Tomas M."/> The prey species most frequently consumed were domestic fowl (''Gallus domesticus'') (24.8%), Desmarest's hutias (''Capromys pilorides'') (14.5%), two bat species (Jamaican fruit-eating bat, ''Artibeus jamaicensis'': 8.8%; Cuban flower bat, ''Phyllonycteris poeyi'': 6.0%), and black rats (''Rattus rattus'') (7.7%).
===Reproduction=== ''Chilabothrus angulifer'' is viviparous.<ref name="iucn status 16 November 2021" /><ref name=RDB/> Females are biennial breeders and take five or more years to mature. Mating season is normally April through June.<ref name="West Indian Boas"/> Males will mate every year and engage in ritualized combat. Size, not age, determines the female's ability to reproduce. Gestation in the wild is typically 150–180 days.<ref name="West Indian Boas"/> Gestation length appears to reflect the temperatures the females are exposed to while gravid. Parturition normally takes place in September and October. Litter sizes range from 2–22 young in the wild. There appears to be a correlation between the size of the female and litter/neonate size: the larger the female, the larger the litters and babies.<ref name="West Indian Boas"/> Neonatal ''C. angulifer'' are among the largest within the family (505–646 mm SVL, 80–237 g). Only neonatal ''Boa constrictor'' and ''Eunectes murinus'' are of comparable sizes.<ref name="Tomas M."/>
===Maturation=== thumb|Young Cuban boa ''Chilabothrus angulifer'' reaches maturation for breeding at three years old for males, and five years old for females. Captive snakes reach breeding maturity at larger sizes than non-captive snakes.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Rodríguez-Cabrera |first1=Tomás M. |last2=Torres López |first2=Javier |last3=Marrero |first3=Ruben |last4=Morell Savall |first4=Ernesto |last5=Sanz Ochotorena |first5=Ana |author5-link=species:Ana Sanz |title=Sexual maturation in free-ranging ''Chilabothrus angulifer'' (Serpentes: Boidae) |date=2016 |journal=Phyllomedusa |volume=15 |issue=2 |pages=163–174 |doi=10.11606/issn.2316-9079.v15i2p163-174 |doi-access=free}}</ref>
===Longevity=== In the wild, Cuban boas can live in excess of 30 years. Although the reproductive potential is still poorly understood, long term studies are quantifying the missing or inconclusive data. In captivity, specimens continuously reproduced at the age of 30 plus years.<ref name="West Indian Boas"/>
==Conservation status== ''Chilabothrus angulifer'' was classified as "Least Concern" (LC) in 2021.<ref name="iucn status 16 November 2021" />
==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name=RDB>{{NRDB species |genus=Chilabothrus |species=angulifer |access-date=1 January 2019}}</ref> }}
==Further reading== {{Commons category|Chilabothrus angulifer}} *Boulenger GA (1893). ''Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume I., Containing the Families ... Boidæ'' ...'''.''' London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 448 pp. + Plates I–XXVIII. (''Epicrates angulifer'', p. 96). *Cocteau J-T, Bibron G (1838). "''Reptiles'' ". pp. 1–143. '''''In'':''' de la Sagra R (1838). ''Historia Physica, Politica y Natural de la Isla de Cuba. Historia Natural. Tomo IV. Reptiles y Peces''. Paris: Arthus Bertrand. 255 pp. (''Epicrates angulifer'', new species, pp. 129–130). (in Latin and Spanish). *Reynolds RG, Niemiller ML, Hedges SB, Dornburg A, Puente-Rolón AR, Revell LJ (2013). "Molecular phylogeny and historical biogeography of West Indian boid snakes (''Chilabothrus'')". ''Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'' '''68''' (3): 461–470. (''Chilabothrus angulifer'', new combination). *Schwartz A, Thomas R (1975). ''A Check-list of West Indian Amphibians and Reptiles''. Carnegie Museum of Natural History Special Publication No. 1. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Carnegie Museum of Natural History. 216 pp. (''Epicrates angulifer'', p. 183).
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angulifer Category:Snakes of the Caribbean Category:Endemic reptiles of Cuba Category:Taxa named by Jean-Théodore Cocteau Category:Taxa named by Gabriel Bibron Category:Reptiles described in 1840 Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Category:Apex predators