Chilabothrus schwartzi

Scientific Name

Chilabothrus schwartzi  
Crooked & Acklins Island Boa, C. schwartzi.
Described and named by Donald W. Buden in honor of Albert Schwartz (1923-1992).  Buden was affiliated with the Museum of Zoology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana at the time of the description, but later moved to the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, College of Micronesia-FSM, where he continued his work on island herpetofauna in the Asia-Pacific/Oceania region. Albert Schwartz was a biologist and entomologist who specialized in the herpetofauna of the West Indies.
Redescribed and elevated to species status by Dr. Graham R. Reynolds, currently Assistant Professor, UNC and  Asheville; Associate, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University.

Holotype

Louisiana State University Museum of Natural History (LSUMZ): 27500 (ASFS V27428 originally).  Collected from Delectable Bay, Acklins Is. by D. Buden on 27 April, 1972.  Paratypes: ASFS V27420 vicinity Cabbage Hill, Crooked Is. by D. Buden on 15 April, 1972.  ASFS V23916-17 vicinity Delectable Bay, Acklins Is. by D. Buden on 12 March, 1973.

Type Locality

Type locality: Delectable Bay, Acklin’s Island, Bahama Islands.

Subspecies

None.

Synonyms

Common Name

Crooked-Acklins Boa , Southern Bahamas Boa.

Description and taxonomic notes

The boa had been originally described as a subspecies of Chilabothrus chrysogaster. A reevaluation of the original material and new material collected by Reynolds et al. determined by molecular analysis that C. schwartzi is a sister species to C. argentum and is not closely related to C. chrysogaster thus justifying its elevation into the rank of a full species . The sample size Reynolds used was relatively small, a total of only four boas could be found. Together with the specimens from museum collections, they had a sample size of eight boas to base their analysis upon. The largest specimen examined by Reynolds and co-workers had a length of 785 mm SVL and 178 mm TL. The four boas collected by Reynolds et al. had lengths between 523 mm SVL and 120 mm TL and 774 mm SVL and 168 mm TL weighing between 30.5 g and 95 g.

C. schwartzi meristics. *
* Source ,

Distribution

Crooked Island and Acklins Island.

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Habitats

The boa can be found in xeric, wooded, and habitat, however, Buden found all specimens in heavily altered environments (settlements, garden plots) . Locals mentioned the boas were often seen sunning themselves on stone walls after rains .

The evidence from the collection trip by Reynolds et. al suggests that this boa is arboreal, or at least shows seasonal arboreality. However, due to the small sample size it is unknown if other habitat types are preferred or if seasonal changes in habitat preferences occur.

Longevity

Nothing is known about longevity of this boa. We assume, based on expereience with other west indian boids, that C. schwartzi is likely to be as long lived as C. chrysogaster.

Reproduction

Nothing is known about reproduction of this species. It is likely to undergo ontogenetic color change, since several of the specimens collected by Reynolds et al. show a copper-reddish coloration.

Behavior

Unknown

Diet

Very little is known about the diet.  It can be assumed based on similar sized taxa that birds, bats and reptiles as well as small rodents comprise the diet of this boa. However, the only evidence comes from the redescription where Reynolds and co workers found an anole (likely Anolis sagrei) in the stomach of one of the boas they collected.

Captive management and population in captivity

We are unaware of any living individuals of Chilabothrus schwartzi in public institutions or private collections.

Conservation status, threats and population size in nature

CITES:  Appendix II
Bahamas joined CITES on 20 July, 1979; entry into force on 18 September, 1979.

IUCN Red List:  None

Catalogue of Life:  (click here)

The National Center for Biotechnology Information:  (click here)

CITES import/export data:  (click here)

Reynolds and co-workers note that human encounters on the islands with these boas are a rare event, indicated by the results of their search, in total they found only four boas and 0.07 boas/hour searched .

They expect that the species is under immediate threat due to a very small population size and confinement to certain habitat types in particular intact forest. They point out that although the Crooked and Acklins islands are large in area, the amount of available habitat might be relatively small. Even though no estimates of the actual population size, population trends or a quantitative analysis of suitable habitats could be made, we believe the immediate threat of extinction might be an inconvenient truth for this boa. We consider it necessary that  that further research is performed on the population size as well as on the best measures employed to protect this boa in situ.

Some of the more general environmental threats for the Bahamas are coral reef decay and  solid waste disposal . While we don’t know to which degree either of these will influence the survival of the Southern Bahamas Boa (but we are sure they might), we do consider man made climate change another deleterious element in the extinction puzzle.

Therefore we would very much like to see captive breeding programs on the island and  other ex situ locations to ensure the species’ survival. These breeding programs have proven invaluable for other species and we concur with Peter Tolson’s statement made more than 30 years ago: “I firmly believe that we are finally at the point where we can look forward to augmenting boa populations, rather than helplessly watch them decline.” .

Crooked-Acklins Islands Bank

On display in these Zoos

We are unaware of any Chilabothrus schwartzi on display in zoo collections.

Astonishing Acklins

Photographic evidence for this Boa is rare, below are some links to pictures from the internet:

Chilabothrus schwartzi Museum specimen
Chilabothrus schwartzi Picture from the redescription publication
Chilabothrus schwartzi Pictures from the redescription publication

Anecdotal reference to Crooked Island by Hitchcock, 1891:
“At Crooked Island we saw the French wells, which are cut in the solid rock scarcely above the sea level, and some half buried cannon both of which are supposed to date back to the time of the buccaneers.”  .

 

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Citations