Researchers recently announced the discovery of a new species of green anaconda and believe the snake may be the heaviest in the world. The new giant anaconda (Eunectes murinus) was found in Ecuador.
Boas, pythons and anacondas are among the largest of snakes. Of the three, green anacondas are the heaviest. According to The Conversation the largest females can be more than 20 feet long and weigh over 500 pounds. Although pythons can top 28 feet they weigh perhaps half as much.
“Green anacondas are true behemoths of the reptile world. The largest females can grow to more than seven metres long and weigh more than 250 kilograms.
The snakes are well-adapted to a life lived mostly in water. Their nostrils and eyes are on top of their head, so they can see and breathe while the rest of their body is submerged. Anacondas are olive-coloured with large black spots, enabling them to blend in with their surroundings.
The snakes inhabit the lush, intricate waterways of South America’s Amazon and Orinoco basins. They are known for their stealth, patience and surprising agility. The buoyancy of the water supports the animal’s substantial bulk and enables it to move easily and leap out to ambush prey as large as capybaras (giant rodents), caimans (reptiles from the alligator family) and deer.”
Up to this time researchers were unaware of the differences among anacondas. The Ecuadorian research made a major discovery. Some of the green anacondas had a genetic divergence of about 5.5 percent. Humans and apes diverge by as little as two percent. The discovery means that the anaconda family tree will need revising.
Although anacondas are not native to the United States they may be part of the invasive species problem in Florida. Florida is home to many avid snake collectors and there is some concern anacondas may establish a breeding population in the beleaguered state. Green anacondas may already be established near Fort Myers. Florida, of course, is already plagued by Burmese Pythons (Python bivittatus) and there is concern the snakes may be on the move.