Brazilian Boidae hemipenis morphology: Macroscopic and histological aspects

Abstract

Snakes belonging to the Squamata Order include a variety of species distributed around the planet. Approximately 1005 species and subspecies are distributed throughout the Brazilian territory, totaling 81 genera belonging to 10 families (Bérnils & Costa, 2012; Grego et al., 2014). In Brazil, four genera belonging to the Boidae family are described: Eunectes, Corallus, Epicrates, and Boa. They show worldwide distribution living in very diverse habitats (terrestrial, arboreal, and aquatic). Snakes of the Boidae family are not venomous; they have triangular heads, robust bodies, and developed musculature. They kill their prey by constriction and are called constricting snakes (Noonan & Chippindale, 2006;