Corallus caninus Nederland - website dedicated to the Emerald Tree Boa of South America

Of all snake genera, the snake genus Corallus is probably the most variable in coloration and pattern in the world. These gems of the tropical forests inhabit a large part South America (Surinam, Guiana, Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador etc.) and several small islands off the northern coast of S. America (Trinidad, St. Vincent etc.).The tree boas are located within the Family of the Boidae (Boas and Pythons). Although a small family, it is very divers and spread over 5 continents. As its common name suggests, snakes of the Corallus genus live in trees and shrubs (being arboreal).

These boas, as is the case with all boas, are live-bearing, with the greatest distribution located in the New World continents of North and South America. There are also representatives of this subfamily in the Pacific Islands and on Madagascar. They are primarily encountered in wet forests or areas of relatively high humidity. In inhabited areas, these snakes may also be found in fruit orchards, plantations and in savannahs. They are well adapted to their environment, have strong prehensile tails and infrared thermal receptors located in scales along their upper and lower jaws. From a taxonomical viewpoint, this group has undergone various changes since 1991, the most significant since 1996 after studies undertaken by HENDERSON et al. in the field.

Other subspecies of the former Corallus genus have been renamed accordingly and are now a species within the Corallus group, not a subspecies. The views of Henderson and his new classification have now become widely accepted by herpetologists all over the world.

The tree boas may vary widely in coloration and pattern. Some are coloured yellow or orange and may be completely patternless (exceptional!), whilst others show distinct dorsal markings and patterns, as in the Garden Phase Corallus hortulanus. Corallus annulatus, as the name suggests, has a ring-like pattern alongs its back and sides and differs from the more nominate types, which generally have a brownish or yellowish base color and darker distinctive markings over the back and and sides.

The variations can be tremendous, even within a specific Corallus group. For a more detailed description of the various tree boas in the Corallus complex, go to: http://www.corallus.com/

The tree boas of the genus Corallus (according to the new arrangement by HENDERSON et al.) of South America include:

Corallus annulatus - Northern Annulated Tree Boa
Corallus blombergi - Ecuadorian Annulated Tree Boa
Corallus caninus - Emerald Tree Boa
Corallus cookii - Cook's Tree Boa (Island of St. Vincent only)
Corallus grenadensis - Grenadian Bank Tree Boa
Corallus hortulanus - Amazon Tree Boa
Corallus ruschenbergerii - Central American Tree Boa
Corallus cropanii - Cropan's Boa [presumed extinct as of 1996)

Many tree boas have spectacular colouring, varying from grey and black to red, orange and yellow, with or without patterns. Most coloured variants are found in the Guyana Shield region ranging from Northern Surinam, Venezuela to S. Guyana.

These are the new names given to the various species which was formerly designated as Corallus enhydris enhydris with several subspecies names like Corallus enhydris cooki etc. Corallus enhydris is now known as Corallus hortulanus and Corallus cookii.