Anaconda: Difference between revisions
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An Anaconda can grow up to 90 feet long and can eat an entire family of 7. |
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{{otheruses}} |
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{{Taxobox |
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| color = pink |
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| name = Anaconda |
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| image = Eunectes_notaeus.jpg |
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| image_caption = Yellow Anaconda, ''Eunectes notaeus'' |
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| regnum = [[Animal]]ia |
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| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]] |
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| classis = [[Reptile|Reptilia]] |
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| ordo = [[Squamata]] |
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| subordo = [[Serpentes]] |
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| familia = [[Boidae]] |
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| genus = '''''Eunectes''''' |
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| genus_authority = [[Johann Georg Wagler|Wagler]], [[1830]] |
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| subdivision_ranks = Species |
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| subdivision = |
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4, see article. |
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}} |
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'''Anacondas''' (local name: '''Sucuri''') are four [[species]] of aquatic [[boa]] inhabiting the swamps and rivers of the dense forests of tropical [[South America]]. The Yellow Anaconda can be found as far south as [[Argentina]]. |
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There are two possible origins for the word 'anaconda': It is perhaps an alteration of the [[Sinhalese]] word 'henakanday', meaning 'whip snake', or alternatively, the [[Tamil language|Tamil]] word 'anaikondran', which means 'elephant killer', as early [[Spain|Spanish]] settlers in South America referred to the anaconda as 'matatoro', or 'bull killer'. It is unclear how the name originated so far from the snake's native habitat; it is likely due to its vague similarity to the large [[Asia]]n [[python]]s. |
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== Taxonomy and General Characteristics == |
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Two species are well-known: |
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* The '''Green Anaconda''' (''[[Eunectes murinus]]'', from the Greek "ευνήκτης, eunectes", meaning "good swimmer"), which has been reliably reported in the 9 metre range (30 feet) in length (although most are considerably smaller). Although shorter than the longest recorded species, the [[Reticulated python|Reticulated Python]], it is considerably heavier. In fact, it is the heaviest snake species in existence: it can weigh 250 kg (551 pounds) and have a diameter of more than 30 cm (11.8 inches), but zoologist Johnathan Wright notes that average weight is about 126-150kg (about 275-330lbs), though specimens in captivity are generally smaller. Females average 6.7-7.9m (22-26ft) in length, while males average 3-4m (12-16ft). These are found mainly in northern [[South America]], in [[Venezuela]], [[Colombia]], [[Brazil]], [[Ecuador]], northern [[Bolivia]], northeast [[Peru]], [[Guyana]], and the [[Nariva Swamp]] in [[Trinidad]]<ref name="CTT">[http://trinbagobiodiversity.gov.tt/reptiles/snakes/index.htm#Boidae Boidae: Boas and Pythons in Trinidad and Tobago] at [http://trinbagobiodiversity.gov.tt/ Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Biodiversity Clearing House]. Accessed 15 November 2006.</ref> where they are known as "Huille" (pronounced ''Wheel'')<ref> Cote ce Cote la: Trinidad & Tobago Dictionary. John Mendes. 1986. Arima, Trinidad</ref>. |
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[[Image:Eunectes murinus2.jpg|thumb|200px|Green Anaconda, ''Eunectes murinus'']] |
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[[Image:anacondatree.jpg|thumb|200px|A wild anaconda snake, Amazon basin, Peru.]] |
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[[Image:anacondatree2.jpg|thumb|200px|An anaconda snake on a tree branch, waiting for its prey above the river, Amazon basin, Peru.]] |
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[[Image:Anacondatongue.jpg|thumb|200px|Anaconda at the Reptile Zoo east of Monroe, Washington.]] |
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* The '''Yellow Anaconda''' (''[[Eunectes notaeus]]''), which reaches a relatively smaller average adult length of 3 metres (9.8 feet). These live further south in Bolivia, [[Paraguay]], [[Uruguay]], western Brazil, and northeast Argentina. |
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The two lesser-known species are: |
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* The '''Dark-Spotted''' or '''Deschauense's Anaconda''' (''[[Eunectes deschauenseei]]'') found in northeast Brazil. |
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* The '''Bolivian Anaconda''' (''[[Eunectes beniensis]]'') found in Bolivia, which was only identified in [[2002]] by [[Lutz Dirksen]], and is still being studied. |
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''Eunectes murinus'' (formerly called ''Boa murina'') differs from [[Boa]] by the snout being covered with shields instead of small [[scale (zoology)|scales]], the inner of the three nasal shields being in contact with that of the other side. The general colour is dark olive-[[brown]], with large oval [[black]] spots arranged in two alternating rows along the back, and with smaller white-eyed spots along the sides. The belly is whitish, spotted with black spots. The anaconda combines an arboreal with an aquatic life and is active mostly during the night. It lies submerged in the water, with only a small part of its head above the surface, waiting for any suitable prey, or it establishes itself upon the branches of a tree which overhangs the water or the track of game. |
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The anaconda has a large head and a thick neck. Its [[eye]]s and [[nostril]]s are positioned on the top of the head, enabling the anaconda to breathe and to see its prey while its stocky body lies submerged under water. The extremely muscular anaconda is a [[constriction|constrictor]] and is not venomous; however, it still has teeth and powerful jaws that it utilizes to clench onto its prey. It grabs its victim and pulls it underwater, drowning the prey. The anaconda has a cavity called a cloaca which is where the intestinal and genito-urinary tracts empty, with spurs on either side of the cloaca, and a gland which emits a foul-smelling musk. <ref>{{cite web|title=Nashville Zoo: Anaconda|url=http://www.nashvillezoo.org/anaconda.htm|author=Lori Hamlett|accessdate=2006-12-17}}</ref> |
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Despite the hold they have on the imagination, relatively little information was known about the anacondas until [[1992]] when the first study was made on the field biology of this species in the Venezuelan [[llanos]] by Dr. Jesus Rivas. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://pages.prodigy.net/anaconda/|author=Jesus Riva|title=Anaconda|accessdate=2006-12-17}}</ref> They typically feed on large [[rodent]]s, [[tapir]]s, [[capybara]]s, [[deer]], [[peccary|peccaries]], [[fish]], [[turtle]]s, [[bird]]s, [[sheep]], [[dog]]s, and aquatic reptiles like [[caiman]]. They have been known to occasionally prey on [[jaguar]]s and attacks on humans can be confirmed, although this is rare. Younger anacondas feed on [[mouse|mice]], [[rat]]s, [[chicken|chicks]], [[frog]]s and [[fish]]. Most local people kill these snakes on sight, out of the fear that they are man-eaters. In most instances, if an anaconda senses humans in the area, it will retreat in another direction. Human death by anaconda is quite rare. They themselves are preyed by jaguars, large caimans and by other anacondas. A wounded anaconda can also fall prey to [[piranha]]s. |
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Anacondas are usually coiled up in a murky, shallow pool or at the river's edge. They wait to ambush their unsuspecting prey when they come down for a drink. Anacondas bite their prey with their sharp teeth, hold on with their powerful jaws and pull them under water. The victim may drown first or it may be asphyxiated in the anaconda's muscular coils. Anacondas, true to the boa family, constrict their hapless victims to death. The snake squeezes tighter each time its prey breathes out, so the prey cannot breathe in again. Suffocation does not take long. Anacondas swallow their prey whole, starting with the head. This is so that the legs fold up and the prey goes down smoothly. The Anaconda can swallow prey much bigger than the size of its mouth since its [[jaw]] can unhinge and the jaw bones are loosely connected to the [[skull]]. While the snake eats, its muscles have wave-like contractions, crushing the prey even further and forcing it downward with each bite. |
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Just about every species of snake on earth has [[tooth|teeth]], but the anacondas' teeth are not used for chewing. Most snakes' teeth are used for holding onto their prey, preventing them from escaping. Some snakes have venom in two specially designed, extra long teeth which they use to kill their prey. Anacondas do have teeth, but their bites are neither fatal nor venomous. They rely on their enormous size and power to subdue their victims. It is possible to be bitten by an anaconda, but the bite itself would not be fatal.<ref>[http://www.extremescience.com/BiggestSnake.htm Section: "Do Anacondas Bite?"]</ref> |
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Like almost all boas, anacondas give birth to live young. |
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== Giant Anacondas == |
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There is some debate about the maximum size of anacondas, and there have been unverified claims of enormous snakes alleged to be even much larger. |
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According to Lee Krystek <ref>[http://www.unmuseum.org/bigsnake.htm The Unmuseum: Big Snakes]</ref>, |
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a 1944 petroleum expedition in Colombia claimed to have measured an 11.4m (37.5ft) specimen, but this claim is not always regarded as reliable; perhaps a more credible report came from scientist Vincent Roth, who claimed to have shot and killed a 10.3m (34ft) anaconda in [[British Guiana]]. |
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There are some reports from early European explorers of the South American jungles seeing giant anacondas up to 18.2m (60ft) long and some of the native peoples of the South American jungle have reported seeing anacondas up to 15.2m (50ft) long.<ref>.[http://www.extremescience.com/BiggestSnake.htm Extreme Science: Which is the Biggest Snake?]</ref>, but these examples are not verified, and are often regarded as exaggerated. |
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Another claim of extraordinary anaconda size was reported by adventurer [[Percy Fawcett]]. During a [[1906]] expedition, Fawcett wrote that he had shot and wounded an anaconda in South America; he reported the snake measured some 18.9m (62 ft) from nose to tail. <ref> [http://www.cryptozoology.com/cryptids/anaconda.php Cryptozoology: Sucuriju Gigante, by Aaron Justice] </ref> Once publicized, Fawcett’s account of the giant snake was widely ridiculed, although he insisted his account was both truthful and accurate. Decades later, Belgian zoologist [[Bernard Heuvelmans]] came to Fawcett's defense, arguing that Fawcett's writing was generally honest and reliable. <ref> [http://www.trueauthority.com/cryptozoology/anaconda.htm Section Bernard Heuvelmans] </ref> Furthermore, Heuvelmans noted that mainstream experts were repeatedly forced to revise their limits regarding the maximum size of snakes when confronted with specimens that defied the generally-accepted estimates: at one point 6 metres (20 feet) in length was the widely-accepted maximum size of an anaconda, but during Heuvelmans' life, figures in the 9m (30ft) range were accepted as plausible. |
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Historian [[Mike Dash]] writes <ref>Dash, Mike ''Borderlands: The Ultimate Exploration of the Unknown''; Overlook Press, 2000 ISBN 0-87951-724-7</ref> of claims of still larger anacondas, alleged to be as long as 30-45m (100-150ft) -- some of which are evidenced with photos, all of which lack any sense of scale; Dash notes that if a 50-60ft anaconda strains credulity, then a 150ft long specimen is generally regarded as an outright impossibility. |
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== In captivity == |
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Anacondas have a reputation for bad temperament; that plus the massive size of the green species mean that anacondas are comparatively less popular as pets than other boas, but they are fairly commonly available in the exotic pet trade. |
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==In movies== |
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* In ''[[Swiss Family Robinson (film)|Swiss Family Robinson]]'', Fritz and Ernst have a run-in with an Anaconda. |
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* In the movies ''[[Anaconda (film)|Anaconda]]'' and its sequel ''[[Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid]]'' the anaconda has the role of a giant man-eating snake. In the first film the anaconda is shown at an exceptionally exaggerated length and girth, clearly far larger than actual anacondas in the wild get. The second movie takes fiction to a new level by placing the anaconda at [[Borneo]], and making it a 'super snake', growing up to 21 metres long, supposedly because of the blood orchid. Anacondas on average grow up to 6 metres, but have been rumored to reach 12 metres. |
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* In [[Jackass: Number Two]], [[Johnny Knoxville]], [[Ryan Dunn]], and [[Wee Man]] crawl around in a ball pit, trying to catch two anacondas that were let loose in the pit. Knoxville is bitten several times in the arms. |
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* The [[Discovery Channel]] series ''[[Animal Face-Off]]'' featured an episode wherein an Anaconda was pitted against a [[Jaguar]] in a computer simulation to determine which animal would win a battle between the two. |
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*[http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Eunectes_murinus.html ADW: Eunectes murinus (green anaconda)] |
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*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12785679&dopt=Abstract Infectious disease serologic survey in free-ranging Venezuelan anacondas.] |
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* The movie [[Snakes on a Plane]] featured an Anaconda falling from a ceiling light. |
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== References == |
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{{reflist}} |
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* {{cite book|author=Bernard Heuvelmans|title=On the Track of Unknown Animals|publisher=Hill and Wang|year=1958|isbn= 0710304986}} |
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==External links== |
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*[http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN0916984220070209 Man frees grandson from anaconda death grip] |
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[[Category:Boas]] |
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[[Category:Fauna of Brazil]] |
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[[Category:Fauna of the Amazon]] |
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[[Category:Reptiles of South America]] |
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[[Category:Fauna of Trinidad and Tobago]] |
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[[Category:Reptile cryptids]] |
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[[Category:Tamil terms]] |
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[[ar:أناكوندا]] |
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[[da:Anakonda]] |
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[[de:Anakondas]] |
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[[es:Eunectes]] |
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[[fa:آناکوندا]] |
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[[fr:Anaconda (animal)]] |
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[[gd:Anaconda]] |
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[[gl:Anaconda]] |
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[[ko:아나콘다]] |
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[[hr:Anakonde]] |
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[[it:Eunectes]] |
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[[he:אנקונדה]] |
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[[ka:ანაკონდა]] |
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[[lt:Anakonda]] |
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[[nl:Anaconda]] |
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[[ja:アナコンダ]] |
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[[no:Anakonda]] |
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[[pl:Anakonda]] |
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[[pt:Anaconda]] |
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[[fi:Anakondat]] |
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[[sv:Anakonda]] |
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[[ta:ஆனக்கொண்டா பாம்பு]] |
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[[th:อนาคอนดา]] |
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[[vi:Trăn anaconda]] |
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[[uk:Анаконда]] |
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Revision as of 01:10, 14 February 2007
An Anaconda can grow up to 90 feet long and can eat an entire family of 7.