Gongylophis colubrinus

Gongylophis colubrinus, the Egyptian or Kenyan sand boa,[2] is a species of snake in the family Boidae. The species is endemic to Northern and Eastern Africa. There are two subspecies which are recognized as being valid.[3]

Gongylophis colubrinus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Boidae
Genus:	Gongylophis
Species:	G. colubrinus
Binomial name
Gongylophis colubrinus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms[1]
[Anguis] colubrina Linnaeus, 1758 Eryx colubrinus — Daudin, 1803 Eryx thebaicus Reuss, 1834 Eryx scutata Gray, 1842 E[ryx]. jaculus var. sennaariensis Jan, 1863 Eryx jaculus var. sennaariensis — Jan & Sordelli, 1864 Eryx thebaicus — Boulenger, 1893 E[ryx]. t[hebaicus]. thebaicus — Stull, 1932 Eryx thebaicus loveridgei Stull, 1932 Eryx colubrina — Flower, 1933 Eryx rufescens Ahl, 1933 Eryx colubrinus colubrinus — Stull, 1935 Eryx colubrinus loveridgei — Stull, 1935 Gongylophis (Neogonglyophis) colubrinus — Tokar, 1989

Description

Adult female specimens of G. colubrinus are rarely more than 91 cm (3 feet) in total length (including tail).[2] The Kenyan sand boa is heavily built with a small head, small eyes, and a short tail. The color pattern may consist of a yellow or orange coloration overlaid with dark brown splotches. The belly is white or cream colored. It is readily available in the pet trade due to its small size, docility and ease of care. In recent years there have been a number of new morphs made available by both commercial and hobby breeders. Some of the more popular morphs available include anerythristic Kenyan sand boas (black and white lacking orange/red simple recessive trait), albino Kenyan sand boas (lacking black pigment simple recessive), snow KSBs (double recessive combination of an anery and albino), stripes (normal colored, anerythristic, albino and snow), hypo/ghost, anerythristic KSBs, paradox albinos (simple recessive), paradox snows (double recessive trait), splash (recessive), paint (recessive) and stripe combinations with any of the listed recessive traits. In addition many line bred traits have been accentuated on the above morphs, such as Nuclears (extreme red), High Whites, Reduced Patterns as examples.

Common names

Common names for G. colubrinus include East African sand boa, Egyptian sand boa, Kenyan sand boa, and sand boa.

Geographic range

Gongylophis colubrinus is found in northern Africa from Egypt as far west as Niger (Aïr), including Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, and northern Tanzania. A single specimen has been reported from Yemen. The type locality given is "Ægypto".[1]

Habitat

Gongylophis colubrinus occurs in semi-desert and scrub savannahs and rock outcroppings. It prefers sandy, friable soil.[2]

Behavior

During the hotter times of the year, G. colubrinus seeks refuge beneath stones and in the burrows of small mammals.[2]

Behavior and diet

Gongylophis colubrinus spends most of its time in shallow burrows with only its head exposed. It feeds on small mammals that are quickly seized when passing within striking range and killed by constriction.[2]

Reproduction

Gongylophis colubrinus is ovoviviparous.[4] In captivity, it breeds readily November through April in the United States, delivering live birth averaging 10-20 babies born spring through late summer.[5] The young at birth typically are 20–25 cm (8-10 inches) in length.[2]

Taxonomy

A synonym for this species, Gongylophis colubrinus, is Anguis colubrina, given by Linnaeus.[6]

Stimson (1969) recognized two subspecies: Eryx colubrinus colubrinus Linnaeus, and E. c. loveridgei Stull,[7] but mentioned that a number of other authors, including Ahl (1933), Loveridge (1936), Scortecci (1939), and Parker (1949), questioned whether E. c. loveridgei was valid and considered the species to be monotypic with geographic variation.[1]

When recognized, Eryx colubrinus loveridgei is said to occur in the southern part of the range[2] and is described as being more orange in color.

An additional subspecies, Eryx colubrinus rufescens, is smaller and more rounded than E. c. loveridgei, with rougher scales

Etymology

The subspecific name, loveridgei, is in honor of British herpetologist Arthur Loveridge.[8]

References

1. McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré TA (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). (Gongylophis colubrinus, p. 210).
2. Mehrtens JM (1987). Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN 0-8069-6460-X.
3. "Gongylophis colubrinus ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 23 November 2007.
4. http://shop.reptilecollective.com/blogs/news/15508596-kenyan-sand-boas
5. Huntley, Mark (2012). SandBoaMorph.com’s East African Sand Boa Care Guide. CreateSpace Publishing. 36 pp. ISBN 1481003429. ISBN 978-1481003421
6. Linnaeus C (1758). Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio Decima, Reformata [10th Edition]. Stockholm: Laurentii Salvii. 824 pp. (Anguis colubrina, new species, p. 228). (in Latin).
7. Stull OG (1932). "Five New Subspecies of the Family Boidae". Occ. Pap. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. 8: 25-29 + Plates 1-2. (Eryx thebaicus loveridgei, new subspecies, p. 29 + Plate 2, Figure B).
8. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Eryx colubrinus loveridgei, p. 161).

External links

• Gongylophis colubrinus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 23 November 2007.