title: Chilabothrus fordii
text: # Chilabothrus fordii
  
  Chilabothrus fordii, also known commonly as Ford's boa and the Haitian ground boa, is a species of snake in the family Boidae. There are three recognized subspecies.
  
  ## Geographic range
  
  C. fordii is endemic to the island of Hispaniola (in both Haiti and the Dominican Republic), including the surrounding islets of Île à Cabrit, Île de la Gonâve, Isla Catalina, and Isla Saona.
  
  ## Habitat
  
  The preferred natural habitat of C. fordii is forest, at altitudes from sea level to 713 m (2,339 ft), but it has also been found in agricultural areas.
  
  ## Etymology
  
  The specific name, fordii, is in honor of South African-born George Henry Ford, artist at the British Museum (Natural History), "whose merits in herpetology are well known by his truly artistical [sic] drawings".
  
  ## Description
  
  C. fordii is a small snake. Adults may attain a total length of 74 cm (29+1⁄8 in), which includes a tail 12.5 cm (4+7⁄8 in) long.
  
  Dorsally, it has a ground color that is pale olive, yellowish, or reddish, overlaid by a series of transverse dark brown blotches, which are oval or kidney-shaped, with blackish borders. Some of these blotches may merge to form a wide wavy stripe in some places. Ventrally, it is yellowish, with small brown spots.
  
  The smooth dorsal scales are arranged in 33-43 rows. The ventrals number 250-265; the anal plate is entire; and the subcaudals, which number 70-80, are also entire.
  
  On the dorsal surface of the head, the large frontal contacts the supraoculars; the remainder is covered by small irregular plates. There are 13 or 14 upper labials, without labial pits.
  
  ## Diet
  
  C. fordii preys upon lizards and rodents.
  
  ## Reproduction
  
  C. fordii is viviparous.
  
  ## Subspecies
  
  Three subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominate subspecies.
  
  * Chilabothrus fordii fordii (Günther, 1861)
  * Chilabothrus fordii agametus Sheplan & Schwartz, 1974
  * Chilabothrus fordii manototus Schwartz, 1979
  
  Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Chilabothrus.
  
  