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Abbreviation Legend
- (CE) - Criticially Endangered
- (CI) - Critically Imperiled
- (E) - Endangered
- (I) - Introduced
- (IM) - Imperiled
- (NT) - Near Threatened
- (T) - Threatened
- (V) - Vulnerable
- (**) - Recent Classification Change
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Boas of the United States
The "giants" of the snake world, boids include the well known Boa Constrictor of the American tropics, which reaches the length of about 12 feet, and the Anaconda of South America, which is capable of reaching lengths of over 30 feet. Most boids, like the two we have native to the United States, are significantly smaller. Of the 59 species belonging to 20 genera, the majority are found in tropical and subtopical regions of the world. Boids are the most primitive of snakes. They have stout muscular bodies with short tails. Their back scales are smooth and relatively small and are sometimes irridescent and occur in numerous scale rows. By contrast, the underside scales are large and form transvers plates. Boid eyes have vertical pupils and many species posses temperature sensitive pits in the lip scales. Vestiges of hind limbs are present as spurs, usually visible on either side of the vent.
Boids occupy a variety of habitats. Many of the smaller species are burrowers, favoring loose or sandy soils. Large forms generally are terrestrial or semiaboreal. Boas are live bearers. All boids feed on birds and mammals, which they suffocate in their constricting coils.
There are 6 species representing 4 genus of Boids in the United States, 4 are native and 2 species are Introduced.
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