Yes, you could say that. They would stay hidden in the sand with just part of their head out and "dart" and strike their prey and very quickly "throw" and wrap themselves around it...
In all the literature I've consulted it's been said that the "SAND boa" actually doesn't live in sand... They usually hide under something, anything available, but not in sand... so the books say, at least.
Regarding "darting", I had the opportunity to watch a Telescopus fallax throwing itself on a Podarcis siculus I had offered it (as a farewell midnight supper, before releasing it tomorrow morning), and that was some jump indeed. In a split second the lizard was totally blocked and bitten by the neck. What I mean, is the "javelin boa" that much exceptional, as to deserve the name?
But anyway it's just a name and even if they didn't do that it wouldn't be the first time a species was named "incorrectly". Anyway, you might wanna open another thread for this one as well...
Some names are inappropriate, we all know that, but some are really apt. That's why I asked. Maybe E. jaculus
is better at jumping than some others, better than my blitzschnell fallax (which I doubt), but maybe better at that than other boas, who knows... Does anybody?
Personally, I doubt it. A small and rather fat boa being faster and more agile than a slim fallax...? No way. But being faster than much bigger and heavier boas? That would sound plausible. (But who could have compared the
actual performances of different species of boas, to reach a conclusion like that? Just forgetaboutit, I would
say. Which brings me back to Ilian's thesis... that it's just a name.)
And, no, don't be afraid, I won't open a new thread. I've asked such a simple question...