The Emerald Puzzle

Geographic Variation in Corallus caninus

Authors

  • Robert W. Henderson Section of Vertebrate Zoology, Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI

Keywords:

Treeboas, Corallus caninus, South America, Amazonia, Guiana Shield

Abstract

The Emerald Treeboa (Corallus caninus) is one of the most famous and easily recognized snakes in the world. Despite this and its aesthetic appeal as an exhibit animal, surprisingly little is known about its biology. It has a wide geographic distribution in South America (the Guiana Shield and Amazonia), but is common nowhere. Emeralds are nocturnal and occur in mature rainforest where they prey on lizards, marsupials, and rodents. Corallus caninus has had a remarkably stable taxonomic history since being described nearly 250 years ago, but ongoing examination of geographic variation in morphological characters and analysis of DNA sequences strongly indicates that more than one species may be masquerading under the C. caninus umbrella.

Black Page with dark green text reading Iguana. Color Photo depicts an Andros Island Rock Iguana on a fallen branch in a lush jungle. It has navy blue scales on its body with striking crimson coloring on its head and tail and spikes of the same red along its spine.

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Published

2005-03-01

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 1 (2005): Iguana

Section

Feature Article

How to Cite

Henderson, R. W. (2005). The Emerald Puzzle: Geographic Variation in Corallus caninus. Iguana, 12(1), 2-7. https://journals.ku.edu/iguana/article/view/17474