Posted by:
natsamjosh
at Mon Apr 7 23:45:01 2008 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by natsamjosh ]
>>Could it be that the "Guyana Boa" isn't addressed because it isn't considered a true species? I interpret the dots on the map as discrete positions where snakes were caught. If this is true, then the ranges of E. cenchria and E.maurus overlap. Perhaps the Guyana rainbow is a hybrid of the two.
Mike,
Not to add to the confusion, but in Mark O'Shea's new book, he separates out Colombians and Guyanans from the other Epicrates cenchria, and actually classified Colombians as a separate species of Epicrates, claiming that they don't interbreed with Brazilians. If I remember correctly, he put Guyanans in the same class (ie, didn't really name it as a species or subspecies) as Colombians. Now I admittedly don't know much other than looking at a lot of pictures, but visually, many young snakes listed as CRB's do closely resemble those listed as Guyanas. Then again some young CRB's look identical in pattern to BRB's. It's very confusing to me!
But this taxonomy stuff is all an arbitrary, man-made construct, and it's ever changing, which is why I sometimes challenge those who get hung up on "crosses" and "intergrades."
Whatever they are, they are wonders of evolution, that's the main thing in my mind. 
Great thread, this forum is so much better than some of the others I participate in.
Thanks,
Ed
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RE: Rainbows from brazilian localities - natsamjosh, Mon Apr 7 23:45:01 2008