Anyone currently breeding Boa constrictor melanogastor (sic?)?

Just curious if anyone is breeding or has photos of this redtail boa which if memory serves correctly had the common name of "Black-bellied Boa" assigned to it by Langhammer?

Kevin

I believe Vin Russo at Cutting Edge Herps is or is trying to.

Tom

Some one needs to go to Ecuador and get some Black Bellie Boas.

Vin Russo has had a 12 ft female for several years but has been unable to locate a male.

I think the major problem is that it is not recognized subspecie by most.

It could very well be just a melanistic form of Bcc.

Like I said some one has to go and get some to Ecuador.

I am sure the Ecuador Goverment would not mind allowing the export of a few specimens to a biologist or Zoologist with a good cause.

Regards, Luis

I found Vincent's website and sent him a email in regards to his efforts at breeding B. c. melanogaster, but if he only has a female its a moot point for now anyway (thanks Tom for the lead!).

I had a pair, 1.1, of what I thought was this subspecies that I obtained from the pet trade before I had read Langhammer's article. I picked them up because of their unique appearence, i.e. black bellies and the connecting dorsal pattern which appeared similar to some Surinam redtail dorsal patterns I had seen previously. After reviewing Langhammer's article, including writing a review of same, I came to the tentative conclusion that they were probably melanogaster, but without locality data no firm conclusions could be drawn. They were both sold with the rest of my Boa constrictor breeders in 1985 to pursue a career in the medical field - big mistake on my part! Oh well, live and learn until the grave calls your name.

I take it then that no up and coming herpetologist has undertaken the monumental task of working out the taxonomy of this species for their doctoral dissertation? What about any other papers being written on the taxonomy of B. constrictor since Langhammer's paper was published? Been pretty much out of the loop since 85 so any info is appreciated.

Kevin

I sent an adult male Melanogaster to Vin and I later ended up buying it back from him. Unfortunately, I had it sent directly to Kim Felts of Southern CA and have never seen it or a female I also sent her on breeder loan since. There's a whole thread on that about her here on the BOI. Vin Russo told me he was getting out of the large boas and specializing on dwarfs and locality boas. If I ever get my animals back I will consider selling the male only after producing a litter with him. It's supposed to be in the works right now but as I said I got ripped off by Kim Felts.

Here is a pic of my 12' melanogaster. Vin Russo was at my store and said it was the biggest boa he has ever seen. At one time I tried to purchase Greg Riso's male but Vin Russo beat me to it by only minutes....lol
Vin & I were going to work together on breeding these but now the male is nowwhere to be found.
Greg if you should ever recover him I surely would like to purchase him or work some sort of breeding loan with you.

It's a shame someone that least deserves such a beautiful boa and has no clue about how rare they are has it. I''ve seen your posts at Kingsnake looking for a male and here I have one somewhere but who knows where? Needless to say I have had a terrible time with breeding loans but I'd consider doing something with you since these NEED to be bred. You'll be the first person I contact if it surfaces and makes it's way back home.

If someone happens to contact me with a male melanogaster I'll send you over a pic to make sure it's not your male. If for some reason he's yours you'll know who has it and can maybe figure out what needs to be done that you get it back.
I've been searching for a male for a very long time and I'm coming up empty

a eye out for a male melanogaster and hopefully reconnect with some old boidae breeder contacts I had in Calif. Possibly one of them may know where a certain male is located with any luck.

On another note, after reviewing some of the photos of this boa subspecies, I see where the controversey arises over this subspecies being nothing more than a color variation of B. c. imperator. I know I no longer have my copy of Langhammer's article, but will try and dig up my review of same and discuss this further. That is, if anyone is interested?

Kevin

If it is a color variation it would have to be from B c constrictor not B c imperator.

Regards, Luis