PACIFIC OR NEW GUINEA TREE BOA (Candoia carinata carinata)
PACIFIC OR SOLOMON ISLANDS GROUND BOA (Candoia carinata paulsoni)
PACIFIC OR SOLOMON ISLANDS TREE BOA (Candoia bibroni australis)
FIJI BOA (Candoia bibroni bibroni)
NEW GUINEA GROUND BOA OR VIPER BOA (Candoia aspera)
The Indonesian island of Halmahera is home to a newly found species of ground boa. White solomon ground boas may also deserve full species status.
PACIFIC OR NEW GUINEA TREE BOA - (CANDOIA CARINATA CARINATA)
This small slender snake is found in Papua New Guinea and Irian Jaya, in addition to several offshore islands nearby and also in Indonesia. Highly variable in color and pattern, this snake can be striped, blotched, banded or solid. However, most have a flowery blotched pattern and range in color from gray, beige, black, tan, cream, yellow, or even orange and red. Carinata are found in many habitats, but are most often seen in shrubs near human dwellings and plantations. Adults can reach an average of 18" - 24" in length.
PACIFIC OR SOLOMON ISLANDS GROUND BOA (CANDOIA CARINATA PAULSONI)
This medium-sized snake is found throughout the Solomon Islands archipelago and also south to New Guinea as well as several other islands including some in Indonesia. Highly variable in pattern and color, these animals can be gray, gold, tan, yellow, orange, red, lavender, silver or white. It is the white animals which originate from Santa Isabel Island in the Solomons. All Paulsoni have a characteristic "zigzag" stripe down the entire length of the body. Paulsoni occupy a variety of habitats from dryer savannas to wetlands. These animals can change colors in addition to becoming darker and lighter. Atmospheric conditions, such as temperature, time of day and humidity, are the main causes for this phenomenon. Average length of an adult male is 2 - 3 feet and 4 - 5 feet for females.
HALMAHERA GROUND BOA - (CANDOIA SSP)
This short, slender snake is found only on the island of Halmahera, which is located Northwest of Irian Jaya. It was first found in 1996, and may be one of many Candoia yet to be discovered. Remember, there are thousands of uninhabited islands in Indonesia which may contain new snake species. Halmahera boas resemble a cross between a viper boa and a Solomon ground boa. They are very distinctive in appearance. Males tend to be gray and brownish black, while females are reddish or light gold. They have typical blotching and banding. I have several ground boas that seem to have different shaped heads than most. Some also have different markings and patterns. I am certain that insular populations of ground boas vary greatly in appearance and taxonomy. Very little is known about these animals in the wild. As with Paulsoni, they probably occur in several habitats. Adults average 24" - 32" in length.
SOLOMON ISLANDS TREE BOA - (CANDOIA BIBRONI AUSTRALIS)
These long, slender snakes are found throughout the Solomon archipelago.
A separate subspecies (C. BIBRONI BIBRONI) is found on Fiji and Samoa
and is mostly terrestrial. Extremely variable in appearance, Australis
can be solid orange, yellow, black or chocolate brown. Some specimens
are blotched with greens, grays, pinks and reds. Australis can also
change colors similar to Paulsoni. Some of these changes are dramatic.
These animals have strong prehensile tails and are semi-arboreal. They
are found primarily in forests along rivers. Adults average 2' - 3' for
males and 4' - 5' for females.
NEW GUINEA GROUND BOA or VIPER BOA (CANDOIA ASPERA)
This short, stocky snake is found throughout Papua New Guinea, Irian Jaya and some offshore Indonesian islands. Their colors range from jet black to brown, gold, gray, yellow and orange. Some specimens are almost uni-colored where most have the typical Candoia blotching and banding. Viper boas resemble and mimic death adders throughout New Guinea. They occur in wet forested areas, usually in leaf litter where they ambush their prey. Some specimens are calm, whereas others are vicious and deliver nasty bites. Adults average 20" - 28".