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 , 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 , which includes a tail 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