Pseudoboa nigra Duméril

De Alencar, Arília Aiarsa Laura R. V. & Martins, Marcio, 2013, Natural History Of Pseudoboine Snakes, Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 53 (19), pp. 261-283 : 273

Pseudoboa nigra Duméril ,

Bibron & Duméril, 1854

Distribution: Pseudoboa nigra is widely distributed in Brazil (occurring in Cerrado, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, Pantanal, Chaco, and Amazonian savanas), with a few records in Bolivia ( Cordeiro & Hoge, 1973; Cunha & Nascimento, 1983; Vitt & Vangilder, 1983; Strüssmann, 1992; Moura-Leite et al., 1996; Argôlo, 2004; Carvalho et al., 2005; França et al., 2006; Ribeiro, 2007; Vaz-Silva et al., 2007; R. Orofino, unpublished data).

Habitat and time of activity: This large-sized snake (maximum SVL = 1261 mm, R. Orofino, unpublished data) can be encountered predominantly in open areas and disturbed habitats, although there are records in forests ( Strüssmann, 1992; Argôlo, 2004; Carvalho et al., 2005; Guedes, 2006; Vaz-Silva et al., 2007; Sousa et al., 2010; M. Sena, unpublished data; C. Strüssmann, unpublished data; P. Valdujo, unpublished data). It is a terrestrial snake (N = 12; Strüssmann, 1992; Carvalho et al., 2005; Guedes, 2006; M. Sena, unpublished data; C. Strüssmann, unpublished data; P. Valdujo, unpublished data), and Carvalho et al. (2005) report one individual on the vegetation. Pseudoboa nigra is predominantly nocturnal (N = 6; Strüssmann, 1992; Guedes, 2006; M. Sena, unpublished data; C. Strüssmann, unpublished data; this study), occasionally found active during the day (N = 1; M. Sena, unpublished data) and during twilight (N = 1; Strüssmann, 1992).

Feeding: Pseudoboa nigra is a lizard specialist (N = 53, four Tropidurus hispidus , one Tropidurus cf. itambere , eight Tropidurus torquatus , eight Tropidurus sp. , 13 Ameiva ameiva , one Cnemidophorus occelifer , one Cnemidophorus sp. , five teiids), but may also feed on small mammals (N = 4, one Cricetidae ) and lizard eggs (N = 2) ( Vanzolini et al., 1980; Ribeiro, 2007; Palmuti et al., 2009; Orofino et al., 2010). Orofino et al. (2010) report one snake and one amphibian as prey during the flooding of a hydroelectric station dam. There is no evidence of ontogenetic change in diet ( Orofino et al., 2010).

Reproduction: Clutch size varies from three to 24 eggs (N = 18, mean = 9.5; Orofino et al., 2010; R. Orofino, unpublished data). The smallest mature female was 561 mm SVL ( R. Orofino, unpublished data) and the smallest mature male was 548 mm SVL ( R. Orofino, unpublished data) .