African Burrowing Python

Calabaria reinhardtii grows to no more than 1 m (39 in) in total length (including tail), and the body is fairly uniform in its thickness from head to tail, with a pronounced cylindrical profile. No palatal teeth are present and, unlike other boids, the compact skull includes a prefrontal bone. No thermoreceptive labial pits are present. Adapted to burrowing, the body is cylindrical with a blunt head and equally blunt tail. The head is covered with enlarged shields. The shape of the tail closely resembles that of the head which may be a defensive adaptation, meant to confuse an attacker. The body is muscular and strong. The eyes are relatively small and usually a dark reddish-brown color. The pupil is round. The color pattern consists of a dark brown or black ground color speckled with red, yellow and/or grayish spots. The tail may be ringed or have a partial ring of bright white scales. This ring of scales is assumed to exist to confuse attackers and draw attention away from its head. The smooth dorsal scales are arranged in 29 to 32 rows at midbody. The ventrals are 221–239. The anal plate is entire. The subcaudals are 20–28, also entire.

Calabaria reinhardtii is found in the equatorial rain forest regions of West and Central Africa, from Liberia and Sierra Leone to Cameroon (including Bioko Island), the Central African Republic, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In the DRC, it is found almost as far east as Lake Kivu. According to Stimson (1969), the type locality is the "Gold Coast". It also occurs in Gabon and the Cabinda enclave of Angola.

Calabaria reinhardtii is fossorial but, unlike other burrowing boas such as Eryx, it tunnels in loose rainforest soil and leaf litter instead of sand. When threatened, the tail is used as a decoy, being elevated and set in motion, while the head is pressed to the ground and covered with a section of the body. If this fails, the snake coils itself into a tight ball with the head in the center, similar to the royal python (Python regius). It is a very docile snake. When threatened, it has a tendency to coil itself into a tight ball with its head safely tucked in its own coils. Also, it may thump its tail against the ground in a defensive posture as well, but will rarely bite in aggression. The tail of Calabaria often has a conspicuous white ring, which may serve to attract attention of predators away from the head. When first disturbed, it will often remain very still while slowly moving the tail in an effort to increase the effect of this deception. In captivity, this species will thrive under the right conditions. Requirements include a thick layer of loose organic material for burrowing and a cage temperature of 25–29 °C (77–84 °F). Although C. reinhardtii is occasionally available through the exotic animal trade, captive reproduction of this species has only been accomplished by a few individual keepers. …

The specific name or epithet, reinhardtii, is dedicated to Danish herpetologist Johannes Theodor Reinhardt (1816–1882).