Boa constrictor occidentalis , commonly called boa vizcacheras or

lampalagua is a great ofidio distributed in semiarid forested areas of

central and southern South America . Of the subspecies of Boa constrictor
it is the southernmost and so is among the Boids the world.

Common names
One of the most popular names is the boa vizcacheras , which is due to
the habit of seeking refuge in the caves deserted plains vizcacha (
Lagostomus maximus ). Names: ampalagua ,lampalagua , ampalaba ,
and llampalahua come from the Aymara language . Other less common
names are:family , Viborn land , and culebrn land . The name by
which he is known in the international pet trade is to: Argentine boa .

Distribution
It is distributed from the Paraguayan Chaco to northern and central
Argentina , from the foothills of the Jungle yunga to the arid regions of
Chaco. In the latter country it has catches in the provinces of: Formosa ,
Chaco , Santa Fe , Santiago del Estero , Salta , Jujuy , Tucuman ,
Catamarca , La Rioja , San Juan ,Mendoza , San Luis , Cordoba and La
Pampa . The populations of the southern areas of distribution are extinct. 1
The southern limit for the year 2010 it stood at latitude 33 20'S in San Luis
in the towns of Chosmes and Jarilla, in an area between 16 and 17 C
annual average temperature, and between 9 and 10 C average winter.

Their presence in Buenos Aires and La Pampa

While Jos Mara Gallardo , according to references of people, ran past
their likely presence in the southwest of Buenos Aires , 2 entering the

ecosystem along the caldenal , could never gather any concrete information
beyond mentions very old. 3
There are several records of the subspecies in La Pampa, although it would
already be extinct or very close to be. 4 5 6
The character of the Pampas vizcacha be a kind ecological engineering
would be key to this snake lograse technically unfit to live in colder or more
humid environments. The partnership with this large rodent (9 kg) not only
provided him with its caves shelter against adverse weather and predators,
also food readily available and by altering soil cover generating peladares
and clearing large areas of land, 7 creating optimal conditions for the Boido
manages to survive.
pampeanos records
Lihuel Calel. Jos Mara Gallardo found a copy leather on the ranch of a

villager, who said he hunted in the area. 8

Eduardo Castex .
Winifreda . This and the previous would be based on the origins of the

hides of the Museum of Natural History of La Pampa, which, having

been bought in 1968 would be somewhat questionable.
Adela (70 km north). A large boa hunted by Luis Roberto Helt in 1988 in

property field Cazenave (coordinates 3849'16 "S 6424'49" W;

Section IV, Section "D" Lote 18, Caleu Caleu Department ). Leather,
265 cm, was incorporated into the herpetological collection of the
Museum of Natural History of La Pampa.
Luan Toro (10 km north, coordinates 3611'21 "S 6510'44" W; Section

VIII, Section "A", Lot 15, Department Loventu ).

Lihuel Calel (10 km south - west of the mountains, coordinates 3810'27

"S 6561'03" W; Section X, Section "A", Lot 21, Department Lihuel

Calel ). In the summer of 2007, a boa of about 270 cm crosses a dirt

road, and hidden in a cave.

Limay Mahuida (22 km southwest). A boa hunted in 1985 or 1986 (for the

villager Cacho Albornoz) in the "La Cautiva" (coordinates 3731'76 "S

6682'20" W; Section XIX, Section "D" Lot 3, Department Limay
Mahuida ). His leather, just over 2 m was observed by Miguel Romero
(ranger Lihuel Calel National Park ).
Pedro Luro Provincial Park . 9 October
Victorica . 11

Their presence in Bolivia

While no continuity of habitat to the southeast of Bolivia , and has been
listed in the country, December 13 14 not yet have documented Bolivian
records.

Habitat
It is a characteristic inhabitant of semiarid quebrachales of fitogeogrfica
Chaco Province in the districts West andBarren . He also lived in its
southernmost distribution, fitogeogrfico Caldn District of fitogeogrfica
Province Espinal although there seems to be extinct. Lives both within the
forests and grasslands and shrublands perisalinos. An environment that
can contain this subspecies must present an array of woody vegetation,
emerging tree specimens, on soils during the winter season remain dry,
well drained, and naked; These conditions favor the presence of deep
burrows that are kept dry.
Altitudinally their populations are between 73 and 891 meters. Hydrically
the subspecies does not support climates where the annual water balance
is positive. In its habitat heat pole presents South America , reaching

withstand temperatures that reach 50 C.

Features
Among the subspecies of Boa constrictor that is medium to large in size.
The sexual dimorphism is pronounced because females are significantly
larger than males. The length of these can exceed 400 cm, and exceed 18
kg, but are more common specimens of between 300 and 350 cm. Males is
rare that exceed 240 cm, and can exceed 8 kg. It's a boa heavy body, solid,
muscular and strong and sturdy appearance. Its tail, something prensil, is
short, less in the male because it housed their copulatory organs. They
have less developed pelvic spurs in the female.The eyes are small, with
vertical pupil, because of their nocturnal habits. Its head is triangular,
armed with powerful jaws 4 long curved rows of teeth on the top, and two
rows at the bottom.
The color pattern tends to be grayish-brown to dark brown-gray, dorsally
with large lighter designs ocellar -in the sides can be yellowish, whitish or
rosados-, which in turn have a variable internal pigmentation, and are
surrounded black rings connected together. It has 24 to 29 bands or black
or brown-dark dorsal spots. On the flanks is another row similar to the back
spots accompanied by white spots that make contrast with the dark
background. The belly is whitish-yellowish, dotted with dark brown spots.
Juveniles have a pink overall tone, very clear pattern.
Like the northern subspecies ( B. c. Imperator ), the top of the head has a
sharp longitudinal line which, at eye level, lateral projections of black color
is off.
The ventral scales totaling 243-256; the dorsal scales for a total of 67-88
rows. The supralabials a total of 19 to 23; the scales infralabials a total of

25 to 27. The scales subcaudal a total of 35 to 58. 15

Original description
It was described in the year 1873 by the wise German Rodolfo Amando
Philippi in Chile , where he had settled, employing a copy brought from the
provinceArgentina of Mendoza . By having your geonemia in the western
sector of Argentina he assigned the scientific epithet occidentalis .
Mistakenly was assigned asterra typica : "Mendoza und San Juan,
Argentina" , 15 when in fact the exemplary employee for his description
came only in the province of Mendoza. That copy would have lost.

Taxonomy
For the vast majority of the authors is a subspecific taxon, which is
included, along with several others within the species Boa constrictor .
Chebez has been postulated that, in accordance with its anatomical and
biogeographic characteristics, perhaps warrant be treated as good
species , just as proposed by Rodolfo Amando Philippi to describe in the
year 1873 .

Customs
It is a largely terrestrial species, but often climb trees to find a safe haven.
Unlike other large South American boas, does not live in the water or in its
vicinity, although nothing very well. Thermoregulate temperature usually
with sunbathing. It is rare that manage to live more than 20 years in the wild
habitat, but in captivity their expectation is between 30 to 40 years.

Food
This large boa out of their shelters usually hunt at dusk and throughout the
night. If the day is cool, you can also do so during the day. Capture their
prey with the art of stalking; once holding fast, envelops with his own body,
suffocating, as kills by constriction. Finally the animals are swallowed
whole, always starting with the head. Their diet consists of colored lizards (
Salvator rufescens ) and warm - blooded animals such as birds and small
mammals, especially vizcachas plain ( Lagostomus maximus ),
accompanying the reptile species in its whole distribution. Large specimens
can kill and swallow prey up to the size of a gray fox adult. While it could
eventually capture a very small of those who inhabit the huge crowd of
lumberjacks ranches scattered throughout the Chaco forest child, never
been able to obtain evidence of an attack, beyond any rumor about it . He
also is a dangerous animal, for its sharp bite and muscle strength, while
adults tend to lose the typical aggressiveness of juveniles.

Reproduction
Like other Boinae stop live young after a period of gestation of about 5
months. Generally deliveries take place from March to May, ie, in the
southern autumn. The litter consists of 6 to 43 pups, about 40 to 59 cm in
length. 16 Each calf is born wrapped in a bag-shaped prenatal gelatinous
layer, which helps the mother get rid. Some babies are born joined to a
nearly spherical yolk bag of 5 cm in diameter. The conduit that connects the
yolk has pore 5mm diameter and from 7 to 10 cm long. Duct and bag are
smooth and flesh colored. Others show a bag of 1 cm, or only a small cord,
and dry. The cause of these differences is the development ladder, ie with
different dates of intramaterna fertilization. In the offspring at birth is not the
iris is observed, so possibly only see light and shadows, without any

details. 3 days and they look much better, and attack with precision,
although their small sharp teeth not always able to penetrate human skin.
At 6 days of life they are already between 6 and 11 cm longer. As
protection, they remain intertwined into a ball. If you feel angry, snorting
with open mouth producing a snort. At 15 days and are about 54 cm, and
weighing up to 90 g ;They made their first molt. At 30 days between 55 and
60 cm. At 120 days of life measuring 75 and 93 cm, and weigh between 87
and 97 g. 17

Conservation
It is included in the list of CITES (Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) in Appendix I. In Argentina
is considered to the degree of " Threatened " although in the year 2008 has
been proposed the same is increased to " Endangered ".
In Paraguay , however, a Boa constrictor occidentalis is categorizes as
"Least Concern" (LC), although this taxon was identified as "protected" in
1996 in the 'First list of protected wildlife species on roads or endangered ",
approved by resolution No. 701 DPNVS No. 96/92 Wildlife Act. 18
There are two main causes that generate the regression in terms of both its
population and its geonemia. The first has been very important until the late
1980s , and his capture to use your leather in the leather industry , because
its skin also has attractive designs, scales small, so that makes it more
suitable than curiy (Eunectes notaeus ). The other major threat, which
affected especially from the aforementioned decade on, is the conversion of
its habitat to destine chaqueo crops, especially soybeans .

References

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leave. Argentina threatened wildlife . Volume 1. Environmental problems,

Amphibians and Reptiles.Bs.As .: Editorial Albatros. p. 320.
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Bs. As .: EUDEBA.
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Museum (Natural History). Vol I (London). XIII + 448pp + 28 pl.
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Library, Brochures Series, 13: 31pp.
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10.
Back totop Amieva, EO (1996) Park Luro, its origin, its history, its
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