The snake genus Boiga is widely distributed across much of Asia, with representatives occurring from Iran, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan eastward through Tajikstan, Afghanistan, and India east to eastern China (including Taiwan and Hainan Island). The northern boundary of the distribution extends along the southern regions of Central Asia, northern India and Nepal, and southern China. Boiga are found as far south as Sri Lanka, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the Indo-Australian Archipelago (including the Philippines). One species is found in Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland, and New South Wales in eastern Australia), and northwestern Melanesia (New Guinea and Solomon Islands). (Orlov & Ryabov 2002)
Orlov & Ryabov (2002) provided an annotated list of the Boiga taxa they recognized at that time:
Boiga andamanensis (Andaman Islands, Bay of Bengal, India)
Boiga angulata (Philippine Islands: Catanduanes, Leyte, Luzon, Mindanao, Negros, Polillo)
Boiga barnesi (Sri Lanka)
Boiga beddomei (Sri Lanka, southern India [Western Ghats])
Boiga ceylonensis (Sri Lanka, India [Western Ghats, Andaman Islands])
Boiga cyanea (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, mainland Malaysia, Myanmar, eastern India [West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya], Bhutan, Bangladesh, China [Yunnan])
Boiga cynodon (Indonesia [Nias, Mentawai Islands, Sumatra, Riau Archipelago, Bangka, Billiton, Borneo, Java, Bali, Sumbawa, Flores], Malaysia [peninsular and Borneo], Singapore, Penang Island, Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, eastern India, Philippine Islands [Basilan, Culion, Leyte, Luzon, Mindanao, Palawan, Polillo])
Boiga dendrophyla dendrophyla (Java)
Boiga dendrophyla annectens (Borneo)
Boiga dendrophyla divergens (Philippine Islands: Luzon, Polillo])
Boiga dendrophyla gemmicincta (Sulawesi, Indonesia)
Boiga dendrophyla latifasciata (Philippine Islands: Mindanao, Samar)
Boiga dendrophyla melanota (Only subspecies of B. dendrophyla not limited to islands; found in Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Penang Island, Indonesia [eastern Sumatra, Riau Archipelago, Bangka, Billiton], Cambodia, Vietnam [Riau Archipelago, Bangka, Billiton])
Boiga dendrophyla multicincta (Philippine Islands [Balabac, Palawan])
Boiga dendrophyla occidentalis (Indonesia [Nias, Pulau, Babi, Batu Islands, western Sumatra])
Boiga dightoni (southern India [Kerala State])
Boiga drapiezii (Thailand, Malaysia [peninsular Malaysia and Borneo], Singapore, Indonesia [Java, Mentawai Islands, Sumatra, Natuna Islands, Borneo])
Boiga forsteni (Sri Lanka, southern and eastern India, southeastern Nepal)
Boiga fusca fusca (Australia [Northern Territory and Queensland, except for the Victoria River basin valleys, eastward to the western coast of the Cape York Peninsula], New Guinea
Boiga fusca ornata (Western Australia and Victoria River to Northern Territory)
Boiga gokool (India [southern Sikkim, Bengal, Assam], Bangladesh, Bhutan
Boiga guangxiensis (southern China [Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region], northern and central Vietnam southward up to Tay-Nguyen Plateau, Gia-Lai Province], central part of eastern Laos
Boiga irregularis (Indonesia [Kai Islands, Goram, Seram, Ambon, Buru, Sula, Sulawesi, Sangihe, Halmahera, Morotai, Ternate, Batjan, Salawati, Aru Islands, Misool, Schouten Islands], New Guinea [Papua New Guinea and Irian Jaya, Indonesia], Solomon Islands, eastern Australia [Queensland, New South Wales])
Boiga jaspidea (Thailand, peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Penang Island, Indonesia [Nias, Mentawai Islands, Sumatra, Bangka, Borneo, Java])
Boiga kraepelini (China [Taiwan, Hainan, Fujian, Guangxi, Guangdong, Guizhou, Sichuan], northern and central Vietnam and, reportedly, adjoining Laos)
Boiga multifasciata (Himalayan region in northern and eastern India, Nepal, Bhutan)
Boiga multomaculata (southern China [Hainan, Hong Kong, Yunnan, Guangxi], Myanmar, Indochina [Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia], eastern India, Bangladesh, Indonesia [Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi])
Boiga nigriceps nigriceps (Thailand, Malaysia (Malay Peninsula and Borneo], Indonesia [Simalur, Nias, Sumatra, Borneo, Java])
Boiga nigriceps brevicaudata (Indonesia [Mentawai Islands])
Boiga nuchalis (India, southern Nepal)
Boiga ocellata (northern peninsular Malaysia, Thailand, southern Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, eastern India
Boiga ochracea ochracea (Bhutan, eastern India, Bangladesh, Myanmar)
Boiga ochracea stoliczkae (Nepal, northern India [Darjeeling (West Bengal) and Sikkim]; Bangladesh)
Boiga ochracea walli (Southern Myanmar, Andaman and Nicobar Islands)
Boiga philippina (Philippine Islands [Luzon])
Boiga quincunciata (Myanmar, eastern India)
Boiga schultzei (Philippine Islands [Palawan])
Boiga saengsomi (southern Thailand [Trang and Krabi provinces])
Boiga trigonata trigonata (Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh)
Boiga trigonata melanocephala (Iran, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, western Pakistan)
Boiga wallachi (Andaman and Nicobar Islands)
(Orlov & Ryabov 2002 and references therein)
Boiga is a large genus of rear-fanged, mildly venomous snakes, known commonly as cat-eyed snakes or simply cat snakes, in the family Colubridae. Species of the genus Boiga are native to southeast Asia, India, and Australia, but due to their extremely hardy nature and adaptability, have spread to many other suitable habitats around the world. There are 38 recognized species in the genus. According to the study done by Jiří Smíd regarding Old World cat snakes, the ancestor of the cat snake originated in Africa, from where it diversified and expanded to other countries. Despite this diversity however, the different species have very similar needs in terms of temperature and precipitation.[1]
The following species and subspecies are recognized as being valid.[2]
Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was original described in a genus other than Boiga.
Cat snakes are long-bodied snakes with large heads and large eyes. They vary greatly in pattern and color. Many species have banding, but some are spotted and some are solid-colored. Colors are normally black, brown, or green with white or yellow accents.
Snakes of the genus Boiga are primarily arboreal,[3] nocturnal snakes.
Snakes of the genus Boiga prey on various small species of lizards, snakes, birds, and mammals.
The toxicity of Boiga venom varies from species to species, but is not generally considered to be life-threatening to humans. Since their venom does not usually harm humans, they are popular exotic pets.
Boiga species are oviparous.[4]
Boiga dendrophila is by far the most common species in captivity, but B. cyanea and B. nigriceps are also found. Nowadays, B. cynodon, B. philippina and a “Katherine morph” of B. irregularis are also circulating in the South-East Asian exotic pet trade. Others are not commonly available. They are hardy and adaptable and tend to do well in captivity after the initial period of stress from the importation process is passed. They are not bred commonly in captivity, so most specimens available are wild caught, and thus are prone to heavy internal parasite load. Adjusting them to a rodent only diet can be difficult for the inexperienced reptile keeper.
Boiga irregularis in particular has been federally banned in the United States because of its effect by accidentally being introduced to the island of Guam. Some time during the 1950s, some B. irregularis of both sexes (or possibly a single female with eggs) reached the island, possibly having hidden in imported plant pots. The island of Guam lacks native snakes or predators that can deal with snakes the size and aggressiveness of B. irregularis. As a result, it has bred unchecked as an invasive species, and has begun consuming the island's bird life in extreme numbers. Dozens of bird species have been completely eradicated from the island, many species that were found nowhere else on earth, and the snake has reached astonishing population densities, reported to be as high as 15,000 snakes per square mile. In addition to devouring the native fauna, this species will routinely crawl into power transformers, and this typically results in both an electrocuted snake and substantial blackouts.[5]
Boiga is a large genus of rear-fanged, mildly venomous snakes, known commonly as cat-eyed snakes or simply cat snakes, in the family Colubridae. Species of the genus Boiga are native to southeast Asia, India, and Australia, but due to their extremely hardy nature and adaptability, have spread to many other suitable habitats around the world. There are 38 recognized species in the genus. According to the study done by Jiří Smíd regarding Old World cat snakes, the ancestor of the cat snake originated in Africa, from where it diversified and expanded to other countries. Despite this diversity however, the different species have very similar needs in terms of temperature and precipitation.
