外形特征
紅(hong)(hong)(hong)尾(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)蚺(ran)全長1.8-3米(mi)(mi);重(zhong)量10-15公斤(jin)。雌性較大(da)。個(ge)別(bie)人(ren)(ren)工(gong)飼養的(de)(de)(de)紅(hong)(hong)(hong)尾(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)蚺(ran)殼長至(zhi)3.7米(mi)(mi),重(zhong)45公斤(jin)。 成(cheng)年的(de)(de)(de)紅(hong)(hong)(hong)尾(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)蚺(ran)體(ti)(ti)(ti)型大(da)小差異(yi)頗(po)大(da),各亞種的(de)(de)(de)體(ti)(ti)(ti)型并(bing)不(bu)一致。分布(bu)于(yu)南美洲的(de)(de)(de)紅(hong)(hong)(hong)尾(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)蚺(ran)身體(ti)(ti)(ti)較長,目前在蘇里南有兩條紅(hong)(hong)(hong)尾(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)蚺(ran)是(shi)至(zhi)今(jin)為止體(ti)(ti)(ti)型最巨大(da)的(de)(de)(de),分別(bie)是(shi)411厘米(mi)(mi)及(ji)427厘米(mi)(mi)長。然(ran)而這(zhe)種體(ti)(ti)(ti)型畢竟較罕見,一般而言超(chao)過300厘米(mi)(mi)長的(de)(de)(de)紅(hong)(hong)(hong)尾(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)蚺(ran),就(jiu)此種蛇類而言已算巨蛇(大(da)多都在250厘米(mi)(mi)到300厘米(mi)(mi))。紅(hong)(hong)(hong)尾(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)蚺(ran)的(de)(de)(de)尾(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)巴相當有力(li),能(neng)抓緊東(dong)西。頭(tou)部(bu)并(bing)無熱能(neng)傳感頰(jia)窩(wo)。體(ti)(ti)(ti)色(se)(se)(se)方(fang)面,紅(hong)(hong)(hong)尾(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)蚺(ran)身體(ti)(ti)(ti)多以紅(hong)(hong)(hong)色(se)(se)(se)或棕色(se)(se)(se)為基(ji)調,尾(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)部(bu)則呈磚紅(hong)(hong)(hong)色(se)(se)(se)。背部(bu)以褐(he)黃色(se)(se)(se)的(de)(de)(de)斑(ban)紋(wen)為主,尾(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)部(bu)的(de)(de)(de)斑(ban)紋(wen)較為淺色(se)(se)(se)。 現今(jin)在人(ren)(ren)工(gong)培育下紅(hong)(hong)(hong)尾(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)蚺(ran)已有許(xu)多體(ti)(ti)(ti)色(se)(se)(se)表現,如:白化(hua)、鮭色(se)(se)(se)。
生活習性
紅(hong)(hong)尾(wei)(wei)(wei)蚺(ran)能(neng)適應多種(zhong)生態(tai)環境,由熱(re)帶雨(yu)林(lin)至(zhi)干燥地區均能(neng)活躍。紅(hong)(hong)尾(wei)(wei)(wei)蚺(ran)幼蛇(she)會(hui)攀爬于林(lin)木或矮樹之間,但當它們(men)(men)逐漸成長,隨著體(ti)重增加(jia),會(hui)改為于地面行動為主。中美洲的紅(hong)(hong)尾(wei)(wei)(wei)蚺(ran)性情較為暴躁,容易被(bei)觸怒并(bing)向敵人發出嘶(si)叫聲,甚至(zhi)輕(qing)易作出咬擊;而分布于南美洲的紅(hong)(hong)尾(wei)(wei)(wei)蚺(ran),性情則(ze)較為溫(wen)馴(xun)。一(yi)般市(shi)面上所見的紅(hong)(hong)尾(wei)(wei)(wei)蚺(ran)多是(shi)哥倫比亞紅(hong)(hong)尾(wei)(wei)(wei)蚺(ran),變異(yi)品(pin)種(zhong)也(ye)多是(shi)以這個亞種(zhong)培育(yu)的。紅(hong)(hong)尾(wei)(wei)(wei)蚺(ran)的捕獵對象甚眾(zhong),包括許多種(zhong)哺乳(ru)動物及(ji)鳥類,當中尤以鼠類為主。紅(hong)(hong)尾(wei)(wei)(wei)蚺(ran)亦(yi)可能(neng)會(hui)捕食大蜥蜴,甚至(zhi)大如(ru)虎(hu)貓亦(yi)可能(neng)是(shi)它們(men)(men)的獵食對象之一(yi)。
生長繁殖
紅(hong)尾(wei)蚺(ran)是卵(luan)胎生,一(yi)胎可(ke)產下(xia)50只小蟒。他們通常會在(zai)旱季(ji)4月和8月之間(jian)進行交(jiao)配,紅(hong)尾(wei)蚺(ran)屬于是一(yi)夫多(duo)妻制的卵(luan)胎生蛇(she)類,孕(yun)期約(yue)100-120天,每產10-65條(tiao)幼蛇(she)(年(nian)齡(ling)越(yue)大繁殖的數量(liang)就越(yue)多(duo)),通常在(zai)25條(tiao)左右,幼蛇(she)長38-51厘米。3-4歲(sui)性成熟。紅(hong)尾(wei)蚺(ran)壽命可(ke)達20-30歲(sui)。
分布范圍
紅尾蚺(ran)主要分布于墨西哥北部、中美洲:伯利(li)茲(zi)、危地馬(ma)拉(la)、洪都拉(la)斯、薩爾(er)瓦(wa)多(duo)、尼加(jia)拉(la)瓜、哥斯達(da)黎加(jia)及巴拿馬(ma)。
南美洲:哥倫比亞(ya)、厄瓜多爾、秘魯、委內瑞拉(la)、圭亞(ya)那、蘇(su)里南、法屬(shu)圭亞(ya)那、巴西、玻利維亞(ya)、烏(wu)拉(la)圭及(ji)阿根廷(ting),小安的列(lie)斯群島:多米尼(ni)加及(ji)圣盧西亞(ya)。