Round Island Burrowing Boa

Bolyeria
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Bolyeriidae
Genus: Bolyeria
Gray, 1842
Species: B. multocarinata
Binomial name
Bolyeria multocarinata
(F. Boie, 1827)
Synonyms
  • Bolyeria - Gray, 1842
  • Uroleptes - Fitzinger, 1843
  • Platygaster - A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1844
  • Bolieria - Boulenger, 1893[1]
  • Eryx Multocarinata F. Boie, 1827
  • Tortrix Pseudo-Eryx Schlegel, 1837 (typographical error)
  • Bolyeria Pseudo-Eryx Gray, 1842
  • Platygaster multicarinatus A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1844
  • Bolyeria multicarinata Gray, 1849
  • Bolyeria multicarinata Boulenger, 1893
  • Bolyeria multocarinata Stimson, 1969[1]

The Round Island Burrowing Boa (Bolyeria multocarinata)[2] is an extinct species of snake in the Bolyeriidae family, in the monotypic genus Bolyeria, which was endemic to Mauritius.[3] The species was last seen on Round Island in 1975. No subspecies are currently recognized.[4]

Contents

Description

It reached about 1 m in length and was brownish in colour. It had a pointed snout with a cylindrical body and head. It was already rare by 1949 and was last seen in 1975. Reasons for its extinction are habitat loss caused by soil erosion due to overgrazing by goats and rabbits.[5]

Geographic range

The boa had an extremely small range of only 1.5 square kilometres (0.58 sq mi). Its habitats were hardwood forests and palm savanna. In the past it was found in Mauritius on Gunner's Quoin, Flat Island, Round Island and Ile de la Passe.[1] It survived the longest on Round Island, where it was last recorded.[1][5] The type locality given is "Port Jackson" (in error).[1]

Conservation status

This species is classified as Extinct (EX) on the IUCN Red List of threatened species (v2.3, 1994).[2] This means that there is no reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. Year assessed: 1996.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  2. ^ a b Bolyeria multocarinata at IUCN Red List. Accessed 18 August 2007.
  3. ^ "Bolyeria". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=202191. Retrieved 18 August 2007. 
  4. ^ "Bolyeria multocarinata". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=202192. Retrieved 18 August 2007. 
  5. ^ a b Day, D. 1981. The Doomsday Book of Animals. Ebury Press, London. ISBN 0-670-27987-0
  6. ^ 1994 Categories & Criteria (version 2.3)IUCN Red List. Accessed 18 August 2007.

External links