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{{Short description|Species of snake}}
{{Speciesbox
|name = Calabar python
|image = Calabar Serpent2.jpg
|image_caption = Calabar python at Louisville Zoo, Louisville, Kentucky
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn |author=Luiselli, L. |author2=Penner, J. |author3=Rödel, M.-O. |author4=Gonwouo, N.L. |author5=Kusamba, C. |author6=LeBreton, M. |year=2021 |title=''Calabaria reinhardtii'' |page=e.T13264749A13264760 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T13264749A13264760.en}}</ref>
|display_parents = 2
|genus = Calabaria
|parent_authority = [[John Edward Gray|Gray]], 1858
|species = reinhardtii
|authority = ([[Hermann Schlegel|Schlegel]], 1851)
|synonyms = {{specieslist
|Eryx reinhardtii |Schlegel, 1851
|Calabaria fusca |[[John Edward Gray|Gray]], 1858
|Rhoptrura reinhardtii |[[Wilhelm Peters|W. Peters]], 1861
|Roptrura petiti |[[Henri Émile Sauvage|Sauvage]], 1884
|Calabaria reinhardti |[[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger]], 1893
|Calabaria reinhardtii |[[Andrew Francis Stimson|Stimson]], 1969
|Charina reinhardtii |[[Arnold G. Kluge|Kluge]], 1993
}}
|synonyms_ref = <ref name="McD99">{{cite book |author1-link=Roy Wallace McDiarmid |author1=McDiarmid, R.W. |author2-link=Jonathan A. Campbell |author2=Campbell, J.A. |author3-link=T'Shaka A. Touré |author3=Touré, T.A. |year=1999 |title=Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference Vol. 1 |place=Washington, DC |publisher=Herpetologists' League}} {{ISBN|1-893777-00-6}} (series). {{ISBN|1-893777-01-4}} (volume).</ref>
}}

The '''Calabar python''' ('''''Calabaria reinhardtii''''') is a [[species]] of [[non-venomous]] [[snake]] in the [[Family (biology)|family]] [[Boidae]]. The species is [[Endemism|endemic]] to West and Central [[Africa]].<ref name=RDB/> It is the only species in its genus.<ref>{{NRDB genus |genus=Calabaria |date=8 January |year=2021}}</ref>

==Etymology==
The [[Specific name (zoology)|specific name or epithet]], ''reinhardtii'', is dedicated to [[Denmark|Danish]] [[Herpetology|herpetologist]] [[Johannes Theodor Reinhardt]] (1816–1882).<ref>{{cite book |author1=Beolens, Bo |author2=Watkins, Michael |author3=Grayson, Michael |year=2011 |title=The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles |place=Baltimore |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |isbn=978-1-4214-0135-5 |chapter=''Calabaria reinhardtii'' |page=219}}</ref>

==Taxonomy==
Although [[Hermann Schlegel|Schlegel]] (1848) first assigned this [[taxon]] to the [[genus]] ''[[Eryx (snake)|Eryx]]'', most herpetologists have since regarded it as a [[Pythonidae|python]], which is still reflected in many of its common names. [[Arnold G. Kluge|Kluge]] (1993) referred it to ''Charina'' ([[Erycinae]]) based on a [[Phylogenetics|phylogenetic]] analysis. ''Charina'' was used to group together ''[[Rubber boa|C. bottae]]'' and ''[[Desert rosy boa|C. trivirgata]]'' with ''C. reinhardtii'' to emphasize evidence for an historical connection between the [[New World|New]] and [[Old World]]s, as well as for taxonomic efficiency.<ref name="Klu93"/> All recent analyses, however, place ''Calabaria reinhardtii'' at the base of a large clade within [[Boidae]], which consists of the [[Boinae]], the [[Erycinae]], and an American clade made up of ''[[Charina]]'' (''[[Lichanura]]'' included) and the [[Ungaliophiinae]].<ref name="Vidal2009">{{cite journal |vauthors=Vidal N, Hedges SB |author1-link=Nicolas Vidal |author2-link=Stephen Blair Hedges |title=The molecular evolutionary tree of lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians|journal=Comptes Rendus Biologies|volume=332|issue=2–3|date=February 2009 |pages=129–139|doi=10.1016/j.crvi.2008.07.010|pmid=19281946|url=http://www.hedgeslab.org/pubs/206.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114224152/http://www.hedgeslab.org/pubs/206.pdf |url-status=live|archive-date= 2012-11-14}}</ref><ref name="Vidal2007">{{cite book|vauthors=Vidal N, Delmas AS, Hedges SB|title=Biology of the Boas and Pythons|chapter=The Higher-Level Relationships of Alethinophidian Snakes Inferred From Seven Nuclear and Mitochondrial Genes|year=2007|publisher=Eagle Mountain Publishing|isbn=9780972015431 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0XAsmgEACAAJ}}</ref>

This species was long regarded as a member of the family [[Pythonidae]], a fact still reflected in many of its common names. It was moved to ''[[Charina]]'' by Kluge (1993) based on a [[Phylogenetics|phylogenetic]] analysis; however, analyses based on DNA show that ''Calabaria'' is not closely related to ''Charina'', and instead it appears to represent an ancient branch of the boid snakes with no close living relatives.<ref name="Pyron2013">{{cite journal|vauthors=Pyron RA, Burbrink FT, Wiens JJ |author1-link=Robert Alexander Pyron |author2-link=Frank T. Burbrink |author3-link=John Joseph Wiens |title=A phylogeny and revised classification of Squamata, including 4161 species of lizards and snakes|journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology|volume=13|issue=1|year=2013|page=93|doi=10.1186/1471-2148-13-93 |pmid=23627680|pmc=3682911 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2013BMCEE..13...93P }}</ref>

No [[subspecies]] are currently recognized.<ref name=RDB/>

==Description==
''Calabaria reinhardtii'' grows to no more than {{convert|1|m|in|abbr=on}} in total length (including tail), and the body is fairly uniform in its thickness from head to tail, with a pronounced cylindrical profile.

No palatal teeth are present and, unlike other [[Boidae|boid]]s, the compact skull includes a prefrontal bone. No thermoreceptive labial pits are present.<ref name="P&G77">{{cite book |author1-link=Hampton Wildman Parker |author1=Parker, H.W. |author2-link=Alice Georgie Cruickshank Grandison |author2=Grandison, A.G.C. |year=1977 |title=Snakes — A Natural History |edition=2nd |place=London and Ithaca |publisher=British Museum (Natural History) and Cornell University Press |lccn=76-54625}} {{ISBN|0-8014-1095-9}} (cloth), {{ISBN|0-8014-9164-9}} (paper).</ref> Adapted to burrowing, the body is cylindrical with a blunt head and equally blunt tail.<ref name="Meh87"/> The head is covered with enlarged shields.<ref name="Klu93">{{cite journal |author-link=Arnold G. Kluge |author=Kluge, A.G. |year=1993 |title=''Calabaria'' and the phylogeny of erycine snakes |journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=107 |issue=4 |pages=293–351 |doi=10.1111/j.1096-3642.1993.tb00290.x |hdl=2027.42/73563 |url=http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/30878/1/0000542.pdf |via=University of Michigan Library |access-date=20 July 2008}}</ref> The shape of the tail closely resembles that of the head which may be a defensive adaptation, meant to confuse an attacker. The body is muscular and strong. The eyes are relatively small and usually a dark reddish-brown color. The pupil is round.

The color pattern consists of a dark brown or black ground color speckled with red, yellow and/or grayish spots.<ref name="Meh87"/> The tail may be ringed or have a partial ring of bright white scales. This ring of scales is assumed to exist to confuse attackers and draw attention away from its head.

The smooth [[dorsal scale]]s are arranged in 29 to 32 rows at midbody. The ventrals are 221–239. The anal plate is entire. The subcaudals are 20–28, also entire.<ref>{{cite book |author-link=George Albert Boulenger |author=Boulenger, G.A. |year=1893 |title=Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume I., Containing the Families ... Boidæ ... |place=London |publisher=Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History) (Taylor and Francis, printers) |chapter=''Calabaria reinhardti'' |page=92}}</ref>

==Geographic range==
''Calabaria reinhardtii'' is found in the equatorial rain forest regions of West and Central [[Africa]], from [[Liberia]] and [[Sierra Leone]] to [[Cameroon]] (including [[Bioko|Bioko Island]]), the [[Central African Republic]], [[Gabon]], the [[Republic of the Congo]] and the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]]. In the DRC, it is found almost as far east as [[Lake Kivu]]. According to Stimson (1969), the [[Type locality (biology)|type locality]] is the "[[Gold Coast (region)|Gold Coast]]".<ref name="McD99"/> It also occurs in [[Gabon]] and the [[Cabinda Province|Cabinda enclave]] of [[Angola]].<ref name=RDB/>

==Behavior==
''Calabaria reinhardtii'' is [[fossorial]] but, unlike other burrowing boas such as ''[[Eryx (snake)|Eryx]]'', it tunnels in loose rainforest soil and leaf litter instead of sand. When threatened, the tail is used as a decoy, being elevated and set in motion, while the head is pressed to the ground and covered with a section of the body. If this fails, the snake coils itself into a tight ball with the head in the center, similar to the royal python (''[[Python regius]]'').<ref name="Meh87"/>

It is a very docile snake. When threatened, it has a tendency to coil itself into a tight ball with its head safely tucked in its own coils. Also, it may thump its tail against the ground in a defensive posture as well, but will rarely bite in aggression. The tail of ''Calabaria'' often has a conspicuous white ring, which may serve to attract attention of predators away from the head. When first disturbed, it will often remain very still while slowly moving the tail in an effort to increase the effect of this deception.

In captivity, this species will thrive under the right conditions. Requirements include a thick layer of loose organic material for burrowing and a cage temperature of {{convert|25|–|29|C|F}}.<ref name="Meh87"/>

Although ''C. reinhardtii'' is occasionally available through the exotic animal trade, captive reproduction of this species has only been accomplished by a few individual keepers. Most specimens of this species are caught in their natural habitat and then exported for sale.

It is a docile snake and can be handled easily. In captivity a Calabar python will readily accept small mice and rats for food, as this fulfills its instinct to raid rodent nests. As this species is prone to kill entire nests of young rodents, it is particularly useful in reducing rodent populations.

==Feeding==
''Calabaria reinhardtii'' preys on small rodents and shrews, often invading their burrows in search of them.<ref name="Meh87"/><ref name="P&G77"/> It may wait for the adults to leave the nest, after which it will enter and eat whole litters at a time. [[Constriction]] is usually employed to kill its prey, but it may also use its body to press the young rodents against the walls of their nest. If there is enough room in a burrow, multiple prey may be constricted at a time.

==Reproduction==
''Calabaria reinhardtii'' is [[Oviparity|oviparous]], with sexually mature females laying eggs.<ref name="Meh87"/> The eggs are relatively large, weighing as much as {{convert|50|g|oz|abbr=on}} each. Usually, only one or two eggs are laid, rarely three. Nevertheless, the eggs may represent up to half of the female's body weight. The young hatch after six weeks of incubation, and begin to feed two or three days after hatching, usually after they first shed their skin.

==Common names==
This species is known by the [[common name]]s '''Calabar ground boa''', '''burrowing boa''',<ref name="Meh87">[[John M. Mehrtens|Mehrtens, J.M.]] (1987). ''Living Snakes of the World in Color''. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. {{ISBN|0-8069-6460-X}}.</ref> and '''Calabar boa'''. It is also known as the '''African burrowing python''', '''Calabar python''', '''Calabar ground python''', '''calabaria''', '''two-headed boa''', '''West African burrowing boa''', and '''West African ground boa'''.

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name=RDB>{{NRDB species |genus=Calabaria|species=reinhardtii |accessdate=8 January 2021}}</ref>
}}

==Further reading==
*[[Hermann Schlegel|Schlegel, H.]] (1851). "''Description d'une nouvelle espèce du genre'' Eryx, Eryx Reinhardtii". ''Bijdragen tot de Dierkunde'' '''3''' (1): 1–3. (''Eryx reinhardtii'', new species). (in French).

==External links==
*[http://www.kingsnake.com/sandboa/calabar.html The African Burrowing "Python" (''Calabaria reinhardtii'')] at the [http://www.kingsnake.com/sandboa/ Sand Boa Page]. Accessed 20 July 2008.

{{Taxonbar|from=Q976890}}

[[Category:Erycinae]]
[[Category:Snakes of Africa]]
[[Category:Reptiles of West Africa]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Angola]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Cameroon]]
[[Category:Reptiles of the Central African Republic]]
[[Category:Reptiles of the Democratic Republic of the Congo]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Gabon]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Nigeria]]
[[Category:Reptiles of the Republic of the Congo]]
[[Category:Reptiles described in 1851]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Hermann Schlegel]]

Calabar python - Revision history

imported>UtherSRG: /* top */ rm extraneous parameters