Green anaconda

The green anaconda (Eunectes murinus), also known as the common anaconda and water boa, is a non-venomous boa species found in South America. It is the heaviest and one of the longest known extant snake species. The term anaconda often refers to this species, though the term could also apply to other members of the genus Eunectes.

Etymology

The green anaconda's scientific name is derived from the Greek ευνήκτης, meaning "good swimmer", and the Latin murinus, meaning "of mice", for being thought to prey on mice.

Description

The green anaconda is the world's heaviest and one of the world's longest snakes, reaching 5.21 m (17.1 ft) long. More typical mature specimens reportedly can range up to 5 m (16.4 ft), with the females, at around a mean length of 4.6 m (15.1 ft), being generally much larger in adulthood than the male, which averages around 3 m (9.8 ft). Weights are less well studied, though will reportedly range from 30 to 70 kg (66 to 154 lb) in an average-range adult. It is the largest snake native to the Americas. Although it is slightly shorter than the Reticulated python, it is far more robust: the bulk of a 4.5m green anaconda would be comparable to a 7.4m reticulated python.Eunectes murinus is probably the heaviest extant species of snake or squamate in the world, perhaps only rivaled by the Komodo dragon. Reports of anacondas 35–40 feet or even longer also exist, but such claims need to be regarded with caution, as no specimens of such lengths have ever been deposited in a museum and hard evidence is lacking. A $50,000 cash reward is offered for anyone who can catch an anaconda 30 ft (9.1 m) or longer, but the prize has not been claimed yet. The longest (and heaviest) verified specimen encountered by Dr. Jesús Antonio Rivas, who had examined thousands of anacondas, was a female measuring 521 cm (17.09 ft) long and weighing 97.5 kg (215 lb).

Giant anaconda

Reports of giant anacondas date back as far as the European colonization of South America, when sightings of anacondas upwards of 50 meters (164 feet) began to circulate amongst colonists, and the topic has been a subject of debate ever since among cryptozoologists and zoologists. Anacondas are well-verified to grow to sizes of 5.21 metres (17.1 ft), and 97.5 kilograms (215 lb). In particular, the green or common anaconda is the heaviest and largest among all extant snakes in terms of robustness, and it is also the second-longest. The longest reputably-measured and confirmed anacondas are about 5.21 metres (17.1 feet) long. Lengths of 50–60 feet have been reported for this species, but such extremes lack verification. Some seemingly reliable claims that can be found describe measured anacondas ranging from 26 to 39 feet, although these remain unverified.

History

The first recorded sightings of giant anacondas were from the time of the discovery of South America, when early European explorers entered the dense jungles and claimed to have seen giant snakes measuring up to 18 metres (59.1 ft) long. Natives also reported seeing anacondas upwards of 10.5 metres (34.4 ft) to 18 metres (59.1 ft). Anacondas above 5 metres (16.4 ft) in length are rare. The Wildlife Conservation Society has, since the early 20th century, offered a large cash reward for live delivery of any snake of 9 metres (29.5 ft) or more in length, but the prize has never been claimed, despite the numerous sightings of giant anacondas. In a survey of 780 wild anacondas in Venezuela, the largest captured was 5 metres (16.4 ft) long. A specimen measured in 1944 exceeded this size when a petroleum expedition in Colombia claimed to have measured an anaconda which was 11.4 metres (37.4 ft) in length, but its claim has never been proven.

Anaconda

An anaconda is a large snake found in tropical South America. Although the name applies to a group of snakes, it is often used to refer only to one species in particular, the common or green anaconda, Eunectes murinus, which is the largest snake in the world by weight, and the second longest.

Anaconda may refer to:

National Geographic

National Geographic or NatGeo may refer to:

See also

Burmese python

The Burmese python (Python bivittatus) is one of the five largest species of snakes in the world (about the third-largest as measured either by length or weight). It is native to a large variation of tropic and subtropic areas of South and Southeast Asia. Until 2009, it was considered a subspecies of Python molurus, but now is recognized as belonging to a distinct species.

They are often found near water and are sometimes semi-aquatic, but can also be found in trees. Wild individuals average 3.7 m (12.1 ft) long, but have been known to reach 5.74 m (18.8 ft).

Description

Burmese pythons are dark-colored snakes with many brown blotches bordered in black down the back. The perceived attractiveness of their skin pattern contributes to their popularity with both reptile keepers and the leather industry. The pattern is similar in colour, but different in actual pattern from the African rock python (Python sebae), sometimes resulting in confusion of the two species outside of their natural habitats. The African rock python can generally be distinguished by its tighter pattern of markings, compared to the Burmese python, which has bolder patterns, similar to those seen on a giraffe.