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I finally got my hands on Dick Bartlett's article in Reptiles featuring rainbows in the field.
The one photo of the Venezuelan rainbow Dick took in my back yard last year. We had obtained a trio of them from Glades Herp and I was keeping them here. The trio (1.2) were at first vividly patterned but later only the female pictured in the article retained any beauty. The other two both became very muddy and dark at around 3 feet. The female pictured was around 30 - 36" when photographed.
They were (according to Glades Herp staff) produced by a breeder in Canada from W/C adults. Glades originally had 6 neonates when Dick got the trio and sent them here. Dick is correct I think when he states that they are a maurus type rainbow too. Although very well patterned, they did not in any way resemble E. c. cenchria and they were also massively heavy bodied like maurus.

Albinoman can tell you much more about Venezuelan rainbow boas, here just a pic of a red phase E. c.c. from the Orinoco Basin.

>>I finally got my hands on Dick Bartlett's article in Reptiles featuring rainbows in the field.
>>The one photo of the Venezuelan rainbow Dick took in my back yard last year. We had obtained a trio of them from Glades Herp and I was keeping them here. The trio (1.2) were at first vividly patterned but later only the female pictured in the article retained any beauty. The other two both became very muddy and dark at around 3 feet. The female pictured was around 30 - 36" when photographed.
>>They were (according to Glades Herp staff) produced by a breeder in Canada from W/C adults. Glades originally had 6 neonates when Dick got the trio and sent them here. Dick is correct I think when he states that they are a maurus type rainbow too. Although very well patterned, they did not in any way resemble E. c. cenchria and they were also massively heavy bodied like maurus.

Orange phase E. c.c. from the Orinoco Basin.

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>>>>I finally got my hands on Dick Bartlett's article in Reptiles featuring rainbows in the field.
>>>>The one photo of the Venezuelan rainbow Dick took in my back yard last year. We had obtained a trio of them from Glades Herp and I was keeping them here. The trio (1.2) were at first vividly patterned but later only the female pictured in the article retained any beauty. The other two both became very muddy and dark at around 3 feet. The female pictured was around 30 - 36" when photographed.
>>>>They were (according to Glades Herp staff) produced by a breeder in Canada from W/C adults. Glades originally had 6 neonates when Dick got the trio and sent them here. Dick is correct I think when he states that they are a maurus type rainbow too. Although very well patterned, they did not in any way resemble E. c. cenchria and they were also massively heavy bodied like maurus.
>>

E.c. maurus from Central Venezuela (Braquisimeto area). Maurus from that area retain much of the juvenile pattern making them very attractive. Maurus from other areas will turn dull brown.

>>>>>>I finally got my hands on Dick Bartlett's article in Reptiles featuring rainbows in the field.
>>>>>>The one photo of the Venezuelan rainbow Dick took in my back yard last year. We had obtained a trio of them from Glades Herp and I was keeping them here. The trio (1.2) were at first vividly patterned but later only the female pictured in the article retained any beauty. The other two both became very muddy and dark at around 3 feet. The female pictured was around 30 - 36" when photographed.
>>>>>>They were (according to Glades Herp staff) produced by a breeder in Canada from W/C adults. Glades originally had 6 neonates when Dick got the trio and sent them here. Dick is correct I think when he states that they are a maurus type rainbow too. Although very well patterned, they did not in any way resemble E. c. cenchria and they were also massively heavy bodied like maurus.
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This is a so-called Guayanan Rainbow boa, not sure if it has a scientific name yet. This sub-species comes also from Orinoco Basin but is found in savannas rather than the forest where E. c. c. is found.

>>>>>>>>I finally got my hands on Dick Bartlett's article in Reptiles featuring rainbows in the field.
>>>>>>>>The one photo of the Venezuelan rainbow Dick took in my back yard last year. We had obtained a trio of them from Glades Herp and I was keeping them here. The trio (1.2) were at first vividly patterned but later only the female pictured in the article retained any beauty. The other two both became very muddy and dark at around 3 feet. The female pictured was around 30 - 36" when photographed.
>>>>>>>>They were (according to Glades Herp staff) produced by a breeder in Canada from W/C adults. Glades originally had 6 neonates when Dick got the trio and sent them here. Dick is correct I think when he states that they are a maurus type rainbow too. Although very well patterned, they did not in any way resemble E. c. cenchria and they were also massively heavy bodied like maurus.
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This is pretty much what my understanding is about rainbows in Venezuela. There are two subspecies (cenchria and maurus) found there but inhabiting different regions.
As for the 'Guyana' rainbow do you think that they are actually a subspecies or just heavily patterned maurus?
BTW.....it used to KILL me when I would see them advertised on pricelists as 'crassus'!!

>>This is pretty much what my understanding is about rainbows in Venezuela. There are two subspecies (cenchria and maurus) found there but inhabiting different regions.
>>As for the 'Guyana' rainbow do you think that they are actually a subspecies or just heavily patterned maurus?
>>BTW.....it used to KILL me when I would see them advertised on pricelists as 'crassus'!!

Venezuela can be devided VERY roughly into 2 major regions, north of the Orinoco and south of the Orinoco river. E. c. c. occures only south of the Orinoco river (the Orinoco Basin) and E. c. m. occures only north of the Orinoco. The Guayanan rainbow boa occures south of the Orinoco but does not share the same habitad as the E. c. c. Albinoman can tell you more since he collected many rainbow boas himself in Venezuela, including E. c. c. and Guayanan. I do not believe that the Guayanan is a heavily patterned maurus, body shape/form is just too different.

PAF,
. I am glad to see you posting here. The info you share with us about the Rainbows in your area and the range information is much appreciated. When I saw that PIC in Bartlett's article I noticed that it looked like the PICs that you have posted and sent in the past.
Jeff

>>>>This is pretty much what my understanding is about rainbows in Venezuela. There are two subspecies (cenchria and maurus) found there but inhabiting different regions.
>>>>As for the 'Guyana' rainbow do you think that they are actually a subspecies or just heavily patterned maurus?
>>>>BTW.....it used to KILL me when I would see them advertised on pricelists as 'crassus'!!
>>
>>Venezuela can be devided VERY roughly into 2 major regions, north of the Orinoco and south of the Orinoco river. E. c. c. occures only south of the Orinoco river (the Orinoco Basin) and E. c. m. occures only north of the Orinoco. The Guayanan rainbow boa occures south of the Orinoco but does not share the same habitad as the E. c. c. Albinoman can tell you more since he collected many rainbow boas himself in Venezuela, including E. c. c. and Guayanan. I do not believe that the Guayanan is a heavily patterned maurus, body shape/form is just too different.

That looks like a E.c.crassus. the body and head are like the colombians but they retain the pattern.
very few around here in Canada that arn't related.
Piers

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"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance- that principle is contempt prior to investigation." Herbert Spencer

Patrick you told everything with those great specimens from Venezuela. The one from the South that we used to call crassus, live in the Savanas of Venezuela and in the same area but in the forest you can find cenchria cenchrias so in just minutes driven your car you could find both subspecies, knowing the similarities between them is easy to think about interbreeding

How far from cenchria are they found? Do they ever intergrade?
Thanks!

Carl,
. I found a few maurus at night on trails in moderately thick jungle in Panama. I also found many of them dead on roads. The highest concentrations seemed to be in transistion areas between the woods/jungle and agricultural land. The habitat preferences of maurus in Panama may be different than in Colombia and Venezuela.
Jeff

NEAT! Did you ever notice any differences in color? I had seen one once that was reportedly from Panama that was typical maurus except the color was more orange-brown that the usual dark chocolate brown.
I know Dick Bartlett has found maurus in a few different countries but the ones he found have been pretty normal.
Except in Venezuela.

Carl,
. All I saw in Panama were chocolate brown. PICs I have seen of Costa Rican maurus were also chocolate brown.
Jeff

>>NEAT! Did you ever notice any differences in color? I had seen one once that was reportedly from Panama that was typical maurus except the color was more orange-brown that the usual dark chocolate brown.
>>I know Dick Bartlett has found maurus in a few different countries but the ones he found have been pretty normal.
>>Except in Venezuela.

You can found maurus in drier and hotter habitats than cenchria like savanas, agriculture fields but also maurus is found in forest, but you will never found cenchrias in those drier hotter areas, I have not proof of integration between these two sub species, but like I said before it may happen, like with variegatas subspecies in Australia