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Corallus annulatus (COPE, 1875)

IUCN Red List - Corallus annulatus - Least Concern, LC
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Higher TaxaBoidae (Boinae), Henophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Ringed Tree Boa
G: Geringelte Baumboa 
SynonymXiphosoma annulatum COPE 1876
Corallus annulatus — BOULENGER 1893: 102
Boa annulata colombiana RENDAHL & VESTERGREN 1941: 2
Boa annulata annulata RENDAHL & VESTERGREN 1940
Boa annulata — TAYLOR 1951: 28
Corallus annulata annulata — PETERS 1957
Corallus annulata colombiana — PETERS 1957: 1
Corallus annulatus colombianus — STIMSON 1969
Corallus annulatus annulatus — STIMSON 1969
Corallus annulatus — STIMSON 1969
Corallus annulatus — MCDIARMID, CAMPBELL & TOURÉ 1999: 189
Corallus annulatus — SAVAGE 2002
Corallus annulatus — HENDERSON et al. 2001
Corallus annulatus — WALLACH et al. 2014: 182
Corallus annulatus — REYNOLDS & HENDERSON 2018: 16
Corallus annulatus — SUNYER & MARTÍNEZ-FONSECA 2023 
DistributionNicaragua, E Guatemala [Smith & Acevedo 1997], Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia (incl. Valle del Cauca), Honduras (WILSON & MCCRANIE 2002)

Type locality: Costa Rica

colombianus (invalid): Colombia; Type locality: Cabeceras, Choco, Colombia.  
Reproductionovoviviparous 
TypesHolotype: USNM 32480, juvenile
Holotype: RMS = NRM [colombianus] 
DiagnosisDiagnosis: Corallus annulatus is distinguishable from members of the C. hortulanus complex (C. cookii, C. grenadensis, C. hortulanus, C. ruschenbergerii) by the combination of presence or absence of nasal contact (usually contact in C. hortulanus complex, usually not in C. annulatus) and number of sub-caudals (94–137 in C. hortulanus complex, 79–88 in C. annulatus). It is distinguishable from C. cropanii on the basis of maximum number of dorsal scale rows (<35 in C. cropanii, 50–57 in C. annulatus), and from C. caninus by the maximum number of dorsal scale rows (63–77 in C. caninus), and ventrals (251–268 in C. annulatus, 186–209 in C. caninus). It differs from C. blombergi in dorsal ground color (usually beige to red-brown in C. annulatus, usually milk chocolate brown to rich dark brown in C. blombergi); dorsal blotches 6–12 (usually 9–10) scales wide at midbody in C. annulatus [6–9 (usually 7–8) in C. blombergi]; central area of dorsal blotches more or less same shade as dorsal ground color in C. annulatus (distinctly paler than dorsal ground color in C. blombergi); infraloreals + loreals usually 8–9 in C. annulatus (usually 6 in C. blombergi); anterior edge of splenial hooked in C. annulatus (gradually tapering anteroventrally in C. blombergi); and coronoid in contact with the angular in C. annulatus (separated in C. blombergi) [HENDERSON et al. 2001].


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CommentSubspecies: PETERS 1957 doubts the validity of Corallus annulatus colombianus (RENDAHL & VESTERGREN 1941) [fide STIMSON 1969]. Corallus annulatus blombergi (RENDAHL & VESTERGREN 1941) is now treated as valid species. Note that this species is quite variable with grayis, brownisch, and redish forms (WIRZ 2004).

Distribution: Probably in Belize as the species was found 20 km near the border (Henderson et al. 2010). Not in Ecuador (fide TORRES-CARVAJAL, pers. comm., 13 Feb 2012). See also MCDIARMID et al. 1999.

Habitat: fully arboreal (Harrington et al. 2018). 
EtymologyNamed after the diminutive form (“annul-”) of Latin “anus” = ring. 
References
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  • Henderson, Robert W., Mats Höggren, William W. Lamar and Louis W. Porras 2001. Distribution and variation in the treeboa Corallus annulatus (Serpentes: Boidae). Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment. 36(1):39-47 - get paper here
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  • Lewis, T.R., Nash, D.J. & Grant, P.B.C. 2009. Predation by Corallus annulatus (Boidae) on Rhynchonycteris naso (Emballonuridae) in a lowland tropical wet forest, Costa Rica. Cuadernos de Herpetologia 23 (2): 93-96 - get paper here
  • Maffei, Fábio; Gerson Rodrigues do Nascimento and Domingos Garrone Neto. 2009. Predation on the lizard Ameiva ameiva (Sauria: Teiidae) by a coral snake Micrurus frontalis (Serpentes: Elapidae) in Brazil. Herpetology Notes 2: 235-237. - get paper here
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