PBDB Taxon

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Morphology	Ecology and taphonomy	External Literature Search	Age range and collections

Boidae (boa)

Reptilia - Boidae

Taxonomy

Boidae was named by Gray (1825). It is extant. It was considered paraphyletic by Vidal and Hedges (2002).

It was assigned to Peropoda by Cope (1871), Cope (1875); to Ophidia by Zittel (1890); to Ophidia by Gadow (1898), Andrews (1906), Perrier (1928); to Boaeformia by Kuhn (1946); to Serpentes by Hay (1930), McGrew et al. (1959); to Booidea by Kuhn (1966); to Alethinophidia by Szyndlar (1987); to Serpentes by Hay (1902), Frank and Ramus (1996); to Henophidia by Vidal and Hedges (2002); to Alethinophidia by Augé and Rage (2006); and to Booidea by Estes and Berberian (1970), Rage (1984), Holman and Case (1988), Carroll (1988), Scanlon and Lee (2000), Albino and Carlini (2008), Rage et al. (2008), Smith (2013).

Subtaxa

Anilioides, Boinae, Cadurcoboa, Candoia, Chilabothrus, Dawsonophis, Erycinae, Eunectes, Hechtophis, Lithophis, Messelophis, Neurodromicus, Paraplatyspondylia, Python, Rageophis (syn. Scytalophis), Rieppelophis, Totlandophis, Tropidophis, Ungaliophiinae

Synonyms

Scytalophis was named by de Rochebrune (1880).

It was considered a nomen dubium by Rage (1984); it was replaced with Rageophis by Wallach (1986).

It was assigned to Aniliidae by de Rochebrune (1880).
Rageophis was named by Wallach (1986).

It was considered a nomen dubium by Rage (1988).

It was assigned to Boidae by Wallach (1986).
Rageophis lafonti was named by Wallach (1986). Its type specimen is MNHN QU 16342 (trunk fragment) and is a 3D body fossil.

It was considered a nomen dubium by Rage (1988).

Synonymy list

Year	Name and author
1825	Boidae Gray
1871	Boidae Cope p. 238
1875	Boidae Cope p. 22
1880	Scytalophis de Rochebrune
1890	Boaeidae Zittel p. 629
1898	Boidae Gadow p. 28
1902	Boidae Hay p. 479
1906	Boidae Andrews p. 306
1928	Boidae Perrier p. 3102
1930	Boidae Hay p. 267
1946	Boidae Kuhn p. 62
1959	Boidae McGrew et al. p. 141
1966	Boidae Kuhn p. 62
1970	Boidae Estes and Berberian p. 6
1984	Boidae Rage p. 14
1986	Rageophis Wallach
1986	Rageophis lafonti Wallach
1987	Boidae Szyndlar p. 56
1988	Boidae Carroll
1988	Boidae Holman and Case p. 329
1996	Boidae Frank and Ramus
2000	Boidae Scanlon and Lee p. 417
2002	Boidae Vidal and Hedges p. 983
2006	Boidae Augé and Rage p. 247
2008	Boidae Albino and Carlini
2008	Boidae Rage et al. p. 394
2013	Boidae Smith p. 161

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Rank	Name	Author
kingdom	Animalia	()
—	Bilateria
—	Eubilateria	Ax 1987
—	Deuterostomia
phylum	Chordata	Haeckel 1874
subphylum	Vertebrata
superclass	Gnathostomata
—	Eugnathostomata
—	Teleostomi	(Bonaparte 1836)
subclass	Sarcopterygii	()
subclass	Dipnotetrapodomorpha	(Nelson 2006)
subclass	Tetrapodomorpha	()
—	Tetrapoda
—	Reptiliomorpha

Rank	Name	Author
—	Anthracosauria
subclass	Amphibiosauria	Kuhn 1967
—	Cotylosauria	()
—	Amniota
—	Sauropsida
class	Reptilia
—	Squamata	()
suborder	Ophidia	(Latreille 1804)
—	Serpentes	(Linnaeus 1758)
infraorder	Alethinophidia
—	Macrostomata
superfamily	Booidea	Gray 1825
family	Boidae	Gray 1825
family	Boidae	Gray 1825

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Fm. Boidae Gray 1825 [boa]

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G. †Anilioides Auffenberg 1963

†Anilioides minuatus Auffenberg 1963

†Anilioides nebraskensis Holman 1976

Subfm. Boinae Gray 1825

G. Acrantophis Jan 1860 [boa]

G. †Bavarioboa Szyndlar and Schleich 1993

†Bavarioboa bachensis Szyndlar and Rage 2003

†Bavarioboa crocheti Szyndlar and Rage 2003

†Bavarioboa hermi Szyndlar and Schleich 1993

†Bavarioboa herrlingensis Szyndlar and Rage 2003

†Bavarioboa minuta Szyndlar and Rage 2003

†Bavarioboa ultima Szyndlar and Rage 2003

†Bavarioboa vaylatsae Szyndlar and Rage 2003

G. Boa Linnaeus 1758

†Boa blanchardensis Bochaton and Bailon 2018

Boa constrictor Linnaeus 1758

Invalid names: Pseudoepicrates stanolseni Vanzolini 1952 [synonym]

Invalid names: Pseudoepicrates Auffenberg 1963 [synonym]

G. †Chubutophis Albino 1993

†Chubutophis grandis Albino 1993

G. Corallus Daudin 1803

†Corallus priscus Rage 2001

G. †Daunophis Swinton 1926

†Daunophis langi Swinton 1926

G. Epicrates Wagler 1830 [rainbow boa]

G. †Hordleophis Holman 1996

†Hordleophis balconae Holman 1996

G. †Palaeopython Rochebrune 1880

†Palaeopython cadurcensis Filhol 1877

†Palaeopython ceciliensis Barnes 1927

†Palaeopython filholi de Rochebrune 1880

†Palaeopython helveticus Georgalis and Scheyer 2019

†Palaeopython neglectus de Rochebrune 1884

Invalid names: Palaeopython sardus Portis 1901 [nomen dubium]

G. †Paleryx Owen 1850

†Paleryx cayluxi De Stefano 1905

†Paleryx depressus Owen 1849

†Paleryx rhombifer Owen 1849

†Paleryx spinifer Barnes 1927

G. †Plesiotortrix Rochebrune 1884

†Plesiotortrix edwardsi de Rochebrune 1884

G. †Rukwanyoka McCartney et al. 2014

†Rukwanyoka holmani McCartney et al. 2014

G. †Sanjuanophis Sullivan and Lucas 1988

†Sanjuanophis froehlichi Sullivan and Lucas 1988

G. †Tallahattaophis Holman and Case 1988

†Tallahattaophis dunni Holman and Case 1988

G. †Titanoboa Head et al. 2009

†Titanoboa cerrejonensis Head et al. 2009

G. †Waincophis Albino 1987

†Waincophis australis Albino 1987

†Waincophis cameratus Rage 2001

†Waincophis pressulus Rage 2001

G. †Cadurcoboa Rage 1978

†Cadurcoboa insolita Rage 1978

G. Candoia Gray 1842

G. Chilabothrus Duméril and Bibron 1844

Chilabothrus exsul Netting and Goin 1944

G. †Dawsonophis Holman 1979

†Dawsonophis wyomingensis Holman 1979

Subfm. Erycinae Bonaparte 1825 [sand boa]

G. †Albaneryx Hoffstetter and Rage 1972

†Albaneryx depereti Hoffstetter and Rage 1972

†Albaneryx volynicus Zerova 1989

G. †Bransateryx Hoffstetter and Rage 1972

†Bransateryx vireti Hoffstetter and Rage 1972

G. †Cadurceryx Hoffstetter and Rage 1972

†Cadurceryx filholi Hoffstetter and Rage 1972

†Cadurceryx pearchi Holman et al. 2006

G. Charina Gray 1849

Charina bottae Blainville 1835 [northern rubber boa]

†Charina prebottae Brattstrom 1958

G. Eryx Daudin 1803 [true sand boa]

†Eryx linxiaensis Shi et al. 2023

†Eryx turcica Olivier 1801

G. †Gaimanophis Albino 1996

†Gaimanophis tenuis Albino 1996

G. †Geringophis Holman 1976

†Geringophis depressus Holman 1976

†Geringophis robustus Holman and Harrison 2001

†Geringophis vetus Holman 1982

†Geringophis yatkolae Holman 1977

†Geringophis yatkolai Holman 1977

G. Gongylophis Wagler 1830

G. †Huberophis Holman 1977

†Huberophis georgiensis Holman 1977

G. Lichanura Cope 1861

Invalid names: Paraepicrates Hecht 1959 [synonym]

G. †Pterygoboa Holman 1976

†Pterygoboa delawarensis Holman 1998

†Pterygoboa miocenica Holman 1976

G. †Tregophis Holman 1975

†Tregophis brevirachis Holman 1975

G. Eunectes Wagler 1830 [anaconda]

†Eunectes stirtoni Hoffstetter and Rage 1977

G. †Hechtophis Rage 2001

†Hechtophis austrinus Rage 2001

G. †Lithophis Marsh 1871

†Lithophis sargenti Marsh 1871

G. †Messelophis Baszio 2004

†Messelophis variatus Baszio 2004

G. †Neurodromicus Cope 1873

†Neurodromicus dorsalis Cope 1873

G. †Paraplatyspondylia Holman et al. 2006

†Paraplatyspondylia batesi Holman and Harrison 1998

G. Python Daudin 1803

†Python cadurcensis Filhol 1877

†Python euboicus Roemer 1870

†Python maurus Rage 1976

Python molurus Linnaeus 1758

Python regius Shaw 1802 [Ball python]

Python sebae Gmelin 1789 [rock python]

G. †Rieppelophis Scanferla et al. 2016 [snake]

†Rieppelophis ermannorum Schaal and Baszio 2004

G. †Totlandophis Holman and Harrison 1998

†Totlandophis americanus Holman and Harrison 2001

†Totlandophis thomasae Holman and Harrison 1998

G. Tropidophis Bibron 1843

Tropidophis caymanensis Battersby 1938

Subfm. Ungaliophiinae McDowell 1987 [dwarf boa]

G. †Calamagras Cope 1873

†Calamagras angulatus Cope 1873

†Calamagras floridanus Auffenberg 1963

†Calamagras gallicus Rage 1977

†Calamagras murivorus Cope 1873

Invalid names: Calamagras truxalis Cope 1873 [synonym]

†Calamagras platyspondyla Holman 1976

†Calamagras primus Hecht 1959

†Calamagras talpivorus Cope 1873

†Calamagras turkestanicus Danilov and Averianov 1999

†Calamagras weigeli Holman 1972

Invalid names: Aphelophis Cope 1873 [synonym]

G. Exiliboa Bogert 1968

Exiliboa placata Bogert 1968

G. †Paraungaliophis Rage 2008

†Paraungaliophis pricei Rage 2008

G. Ungaliophis Müller 1882

Ungaliophis continentalis Müller 1882

Ungaliophis panamensis Schmidt 1933

Invalid names: Rageophis Wallach 1986 [nomen dubium]

Diagnosis

Reference	Diagnosis
E. Perrier 1928	Serpents de très grande taille. Tête allongée, présentant un cou plus ou moins marqué, recouverte tantôt d'écailles, tantôt d'écussons; écailles dorsales petites, hexagonales, écailles ventrales en forme de lames transverses, toujours unisériées sur le corps bisériées ou unisériées sur la queue; queue courte, des rudiments de membres faisant saillie au dehors sous forme d'éperons cornés de part et d'autre de l'anus. Des dents sur les deux mâchoires, sur les ptérygoïdiens et les palatins. Un os coronoïde terminant une saillie fie l'articulaire de la mandibule. Squamosal grand, se projetant en arrière et donnant insertion au carré.

Measurements

No measurements are available

Composition:

phosphaticsubp

Maximum body mass:

300 gsubf

Minimum body mass:

100 gsubf

Grouping:

solitarysuperf

Environment:

freshwater, terrestrialf

Locomotion:

actively mobilep

Diet:

carnivoref

Created:

2005-09-05 19:47:29

Modified:

2005-09-23 14:53:48

Source: subf = subfamily, f = family, superf = superfamily, subp = subphylum, p = phylum

References: Kiessling 2004, Behler and King 1979, Greene 1997, Carroll 1988

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Late/Upper Campanian to the top of the Holocene or 83.60000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 72.2 Ma

Collections (324 total)

Time interval	Ma	Country or state	Original ID and collection number
Oldest occurrences
Middle Campanian - Late/Upper Campanian	83.6 - 72.2	France (Languedoc-Roussillon)	Boidae indet. (74660)
Late/Upper Campanian - Early/Lower Maastrichtian	83.6 - 66.0	Argentina (Mendoza)	Boidae indet. (185024)
Lancian	72.2 - 66.0	USA (Wyoming)	Boidae indet. (14505)
Late/Upper Maastrichtian	72.2 - 66.0	India (Maharashtra)	Boidae indet., Serpentes indet. (58102)
Late/Upper Maastrichtian	72.2 - 66.0	USA (Montana)	Erycinae indet. (13142)
Maastrichtian	72.2 - 66.0	Madagascar (Mahajanga)	Boidae indet. (199757)
Danian	66.0 - 61.66	Bolivia	Boidae indet. (49077)
Danian	66.0 - 61.66	Bolivia (Mizque)	Boidae sp. 1, Boidae sp. 2, Boidae sp. 3 (13501) Boidae unnamed taxon 1, Boidae unnamed taxon 2 (49076)
Selandian	61.66 - 59.24	Germany (Saxony-Anhalt)	Boidae indet. (74643)
Middle Paleocene - Late/Upper Paleocene	61.66 - 56.0	Colombia (Guajira)	Titanoboa cerrejonensis (106271)
Late/Upper Paleocene	59.24 - 56.0	France (Oise)	Boidae indet. (166598)
Thanetian	59.24 - 56.0	Togo (Maritime)	Aphelopsis sp. (167948)
Thanetian	59.24 - 56.0	Morocco (Meknès-Tafilalet)	Boidae indet. (88301)
Late/Upper Paleocene - Early/Lower Eocene	59.24 - 48.07	Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)	Boidae indet., Boinae sp. A , Boinae sp. B , Waincophis sp., Hechtophis sp., Hechtophis austrinus, Corallus sp., Corallus priscus, Waincophis pressulus, Waincophis cameratus, Paraungaliophis pricei (48091)
Early/Lower Eocene	56.0 - 48.07	Portugal (Região Centro)	Boidae indet. (79200)
MP 10	56.0 - 48.07	France (Picardie)	Boidae indet., Calamagras gallicus (68440)
MP 8 + 9	56.0 - 48.07	France (Picardie)	Calamagras gallicus (84997)
Ypresian	56.0 - 48.07	France (Aude)	Boidae Forme A, Boidae Forme B (182641)
Ypresian	56.0 - 48.07	India (Gujarat)	Boidae indet. (55494 180565)
Ypresian	56.0 - 48.07	France (Champagne-Ardenne)	Calamagras gallicus (28546)