Herpetology Notes, volume 6: 553-554 (2013) (published online on 21 November 2013)
Heaviest recorded specimen of Madagascar ground boa
Acrantophis madagascariensis (Serpentes: Boidae)
Charlie Gardner*, Naci Germain2 and Cédric de Foucault2
The Madagascar ground boa Acrantophis
madagascariensis (Duméril & Bibron, 1844) is the
largest snake in Madagascar, to which it is endemic
(Raxworthy, 2003). It is widespread throughout
northern Madagascar where it inhabits a range of native
and anthropogenic habitats (Glaw and Vences, 2007).
Adults can reach a total length of 320 cm (Brygoo,
1982), though most individuals do not exceed 250 cm
(Glaw and Vences, 2007). In captivity adults reach
sexual maturity at a weight of 4.3-5.0 kg (Glaw and
Vences, 2007), though the maximum weight is not
recorded. Here we present an observation and weight
record of an adult A. madagascariensis (Fig. 1) from
northwest Madagascar, which we believe to constitute
the heaviest record of this species, and thus the heaviest
snake hitherto recorded in Madagascar.
On 02.07.2013 we measured and weighed a specimen
of A. madagascariensis known as ‘Big George’ in the
grounds of Anjajavy l’Hôtel, Sofia Region, northwest
Madagascar (14°59.3 S, 047°13.4 E). The snake is well
known to staff at the hotel, where it has been resident
since 2004, and has been observed predating brown
lemur (Eulemur fulvus) (Fig. 2) and Coquerel’s sifaka
(Propithecus coquereli), diurnal primates which can
attain a mass of 1.7-2.1 kg and 3.7-4.3 kg respectively
(Mittermeier et al., 2010). The snake is free-living
within the hotel gardens, presumably attracted by
the resident troops of both diurnal lemur species. We
Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of
Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent,
Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NR, UK, and WWF Madagascar
and Western Indian Ocean Programme Office, BP 738,
Antananarivo 101, Madagascar; e-mail: [email protected].
2
Anjajavy l’Hôtel, Eden Gallery, Ankorondrano, Antananarivo
101, Madagascar.
* Corresponding author
estimated the length of the snake using a strip of cloth,
which generated a conservative estimate of 270 cm total
length, and weighed it using a set of electronic kitchen
scales sensitive to the nearest 100 g. The snake weighed
8.2 kg.
No obvious swelling could be felt or seen along the
length of the boa, suggesting that it had not recently
eaten. It therefore seems logical that the species could
attain weights of over 10 kg immediately following
consumption of a prey item such as an adult Coquerel’s
sifaka.
1
Figure 1. Adult Acrantophis madagascariensis ‘Big George’
photographed at Anjajavy l’Hôtel on 02.07.2013. Photo C.
Gardner.
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Charlie Gardner et al.
Figure 2. Adult Acrantophis madagascariensis predating an adult brown lemur (Eulemur fulvus) at Anjajavy l’Hôtel. Photo: C.
de Foucault.
Acknowledgements. We thank Chris Raxworthy for comments
which helped improve an earlier version of this manuscript.
References
Brygoo, E.R. (1982): Les ophidiens de Madagascar. Memorias do
Instituto Butantan 46: 19-58.
Glaw, F., Vences, M. (2007): A Field Guide to the Amphibians and
Reptiles of Madagascar, 3rd Edition. Köln, Vences and Glaw
Verlags GbR.
Mittermeier, R.A., Louis, Jr., E.E., Richardson, M., Schwitzer,
C., Langrand, O., Rylands, A.B., Hawkins, F., Rajaobelina, S.,
Ratsimbazafy, J., Rasoloarison, R., Roos, C., Kappeler, P.M.,
Mackinnon, J. (2010): Lemurs of Madagascar, 3rd Edition.
Arlington, Conservation International.
Raxworthy, C.J. (2003): Boidae, Boas. In: The natural history of
Madagascar, pp. 993-997. Goodman, S.M., Benstead, J.P., Eds.
Chicago, The University of Chicago Press.
Accepted by Zoltán Nagy