B ook R eview

Biology of the Boas and Pythons. 2007. Edited by Robert constrictor, Boa constrictor occidentalis, are examined by W. Henderson and Robert Powell. Eagle Publishing, LC, Chiraviglio and Bertona. This excellent study has impor­ Eagle Mountain, Utah. 438 pp. Hardback. $100.00 tant implications for the conservation of this species in the wild. This absolutely fantastic book evolved from the Biology Two chapters concentrate on species of Python in Africa of Boas, Pythons, and Related Taxa symposium held at and elucidate the natural history of these heavily exploited the 2005 joint meetings sponsored by the Society for the and little known taxa. Luiselli and coworkers provide a Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. The goal of this sympo­ comprehensive ecological study on the ball or royal python, sium was to try and assemble, for the first time, serious Python regius, and the syntopic Central African rock researchers working on some aspect of boa or python python, Python sebae, in the Niger Delta of Nigeria. This biology. study is one of the most complete works on the wild Biology o f the Boas and Pythons is a beautifully produced populations of these species. Alexander provides a detailed Downloaded from http://meridian.allenpress.com/jhms/article-pdf/18/2/67/2208709/1529-9651_18_2_67.pdf by guest on 23 September 2021 collection of papers containing 29 chapters authored by 79 analysis of a field study looking at the distribution of the contributors. Richard Shine provides the forward and southern rock python, Python natalensis, in relation to its accurately notes that when the word “snake” is mentioned thermal requirements. Tolson and coworkers present a many or I would say most people think of a large boa or comprehensive look at habitat use and natural history of python, yet herpetologists have somewhat ignored these the poorly known Mona island boa, Epicrates monensis “spectacular” animals that is until this book. monensis, which is endemic to the limestone island of M ona The book is organized into five main sections. An near Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. This species seems to introductory section is followed by sections dealing with exploit all habitats on the island, with the larger specimens “Ecology, Natural History, and Evolution,” “Behavior,” only found among limestone boulders or high in the canopy. “Physiology, Neurology, and Reproductive Biology,” and This chapter represents important information that may finally “Conservation.” Thirty-four taxa of boas and serve to influence conservation and management decisions pythons are represented, with many chapters dealing of the remaining critical habitat for these snakes. A chapter largely or solely with members of the genera Python (three by Rivas et al. examines the natural history of the green chapters), Boa (six), and Eunectes (five). anaconda, Eunectes murinus, in the Venezuelan Llanos. The introductory chapter written by the two editors is a This very important contribution raises some thoughtful wonderful review of the literature on the basal macrosto- questions about funding for scientific studies. The authors matans up until the 2005 symposium. This review covers suggest that natural history studies should be looked at as m ost o f the early and m ore recent publications on pythonid “good science,” especially when concerning conservation and boid biology, including sections on phylogeny, ecology or sustainable management but that funding agencies often and behavior, morphology, reproductive biology, and do not support work that is not easily formulated and conservation. Two very useful tables and one appendix quickly testable. They also point out that funding support summarize the taxa of basal macrostomatans and the may depend on such things as the “charisma” of the species conservation status of many species. The literature cited being studied. The foraging ecology and diet of a sit-and- section is very complete, containing 196 entries, including wait species, Morelia viridis, is presented by Wilson using five entries from 2006. time-lapse videography of radiotelemetered snakes. Wilson The second section of the book has 10 chapters that deal determined that this species demonstrates an ontogenetic with ecology, natural history, and evolution. The first of change in diet from invertebrates and skinks to nocturnal these chapters, by Nicolas Vidal and coauthors, concerns mammals as they increase in size. In addition this dietary higher level alethinophidian relationships and suggests change coincides with a temporal change in hunting from splitting this clade into two new entities: the Amerophidia diurnal to nocturnal and an ontogenetic color change from of presumed South American origin, which includes the yellow to green. Last, habitat use of two python species, families Aniliidae and Tropidophidae; and Afrophidia, of Morelia kinghorni and Morelia spilota, was studied by presumed African origin, which contains the remaining Freeman and Bruce in North Queensland, Australia, using alethinophidians. Two chapters look at the ecomorphology roadkill data. Using this method, the authors demonstrated of boine (boas and pythons) snakes. Pizzatto and coauthors that Morelia kinghorni is restricted to intact rain forest compare morphological features (body size and shape) and habitats and are absent from cleared rain forest areas, macrohabitat use (arboreal to terrestrial to aquatic) of whereas Morelia spilota is commonly found in cleared mostly South American boine snakes to the two most areas, including agricultural and urban sites. complete boine phylogenies (Kluge and Burbrink), and Five chapters on behavior make up the third section of they hypothesize that the ancestral boine was a stout, short­ the book. First, Cundall and coworkers look at the feeding tailed snake of moderate head length. The ecomorphology biomechanics in 15 species of boids using high-speed of the boas from the islands off Belize are looked at by videography. In this model study, three patterns of strike Boback and Carpenter who found that these Belizean boas kinematics were described, and these patterns seem to be are not only smaller than their mainland counterparts associated with phylogenetic patterns at the subfamilial but also have longer heads and larger eyes; traits that are level. Another study (Moon and Mehta) demonstrated that apparently inherited in this population. The factors that the pressure exerted during constriction was strongly asso­ influence the ecological distribution of the Argentine boa ciated with snake diameter and the number of coils used. In

Volume 18, No. 2,2008 Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery 67 addition, the pressure exerted during constriction, by some Cardozo and coworkers use landscape imaging and genetic species, is enough to crush the spinal column or stop the markers to map the effects of habitat loss and its subse­ heart of prey species; so death by constriction is not only quent fragmentation on gene flow, and Holtzman et al. through suffocation. In another chapter, Young show that study the movement patterns and microhabitat selection of the yellow anaconda, Eunectes notaeus, can use aquatic displaced individuals (shown to move more frequently and acoustic signals to locate surface swimming prey, and over greater distances than resident boas) in Nicaragua. Carmichael et al. look at the geographic variation in Reed and coworkers assess the microhabitat, distribution, pheromone-trailing behavior among island populations of and conservation of the “Hog Island boa” a dwarf race Liasis mackloti. The authors concluded that this behavior from Cayos Cochinos, Honduras. The authors found that parallels and supports the morphologic and genetic initial population size estimates are alarmingly low. These relationships in this group and suggests the recognition of boas have been heavily exploited for the pet trade since at three clades. Finally, Burger and Ford describe the unique least 1979; yet, this is the first in depth study of this species reproductive biology of the poorly known Ungaliophis in its natural range. Powell et al. examine habitat use of continentalis in which males of this species use two distinct Corallus cookie and Corallus grenadensis in the Caribbean types of courtship behavior (passive and assertive, tail and show that treeboas are more common in orchards and biting) to achieve copulation. other disturbed habitats with edge effects compared with Downloaded from http://meridian.allenpress.com/jhms/article-pdf/18/2/67/2208709/1529-9651_18_2_67.pdf by guest on 23 September 2021 The next section, titled “Physiology, Neurology, higher elevation “pristine” habitats with less edge effect. and Reproductive Biology,” starts off with Dorcas and Waller and coworkers study the effects of exploitation Peterson’s finding that the thermoregulatory behavior and for the skin trade on Eunectes notaeus in northeastern the thermal physiology in Charina bottae does not fit the Argentina. The authors concluded that due to the popula­ coadaptive relationship theory well. Secor and Ott have tion plasticity, difficult terrain of the habitat and local two chapters on feeding physiology in this section. In one hunting methods, this species may be capable of sustained chapter, the correlation between feeding habits, in boas and exploitation for the leather trade. In another study involv­ pythons, and digestive performance is discussed, whereas ing Eunectes notaeus, M endez et al. found that northern in the second chapter, the specific dynamic action (the Argentina population were genetically isolated from one amount of energy involved in the processing of a meal) was another and should be managed as distinct units. Finally, looked at in four species of python. The authors demon­ Snow and coworkers dramatically show that the strated that the specific dynamic action varied according to widespread popularity of boids in the pet trade has had differences in meal size, meal type, body temperature, body potentially negative impacts other than the possible over­ size, and possibly with foraging behavior. Two chapters in exploitation of wild populations. This chapter looks at the this section deal with the infrared imaging systems in boids. distribution and ecological impact (existing and potential) Grace and Matsushita examine the overlap between vision of introduced populations of Boa and Python in southern and infrared imaging in boas and pythons and found that Florida. Although Boa populations are small and seem­ prey targeting can be accomplished using infrared imaging ingly restricted in distribution, the Burmese python is alone but functions in conjunction with the visual system reproducing throughout the Everglades National Park. when visible light is available. Unstudied, but other possi­ This book is surely one of the most important contribu­ ble uses of infrared imaging systems are predator avoid­ tions to the increasing knowledge of the biology of this ance, defense, and location of refugia. Goris et al. provide diverse, beautiful, and fascinating group of snakes. This a summary of infrared imaging in snakes, indicating that volume provides well-researched data on wild populations the facial pits “appear to represent an ideal form of infrared of species that are among the most heavily exploited snakes; eye.” In the last chapter Rivas et al. provide information yet, they are among the most poorly known in their native from a long-term field study with Eunectes murinus on the habitats. Like the previous volume (biology of vipers) by sexual size dimorphism and the mating system in this Selva Publishing, Biology of the Boas and Pythons should species. This study showed that this species has one of the be on the bookshelf of every herpetologist and herpetocul- greatest sexual size differences known, with females up turist. In addition, this volume is full-color throughout, to 4.5 times the size of males and that a prolonged and the layout and production are quite impressive. I can’t breeding-ball polyandry is the principal mating system wait for the next volume. used. The final section, “Conservation,” is composed of seven Reviewed by Brad Lock, DVM, DACZM diverse chapters. Two studies have important implications Assistant Curator of Herpetology for the conservation of Boa constrictor in the wild. Zoo Atlanta

Volume 18, No. 2,2008 68 Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery