Yellow anaconda

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Yellow anaconda
Anaconda jaune 34.JPG
CITES Appendix II (CITES) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Boidae
Genus: Eunectes
Species:
E. notaeus
Binomial name
Eunectes notaeus
Cope, 1862
Synonyms

The yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus), also known as the Paraguayan anaconda, [2] is a boa species endemic to southern South America. It is one of the largest snakes in the world but smaller than its close relative, the green anaconda. No subspecies are currently recognized. Like all boas and pythons, it is non-venomous and kills its prey by constriction.

Contents

Etymology

The Neo-Latin specific name notaeus derives from Ancient Greek : νωταίος, romanized: nōtaios, lit.  'dorsal' (νωταίος is a poetic form of νωτιαίος/nōtiaios). In distinguishing his new species Eunectes notaeus from Eunectes murinus , Edward Drinker Cope stated, "Dorsal scales are larger and in fewer rows." [3]

Description

Close-up of head, at the Reptilium Terrarium and Desert Zoo, Landau, Germany Eunectes notaeus 01.JPG
Close-up of head, at the Reptilium Terrarium and Desert Zoo, Landau, Germany
In the Ohrada Zoo, Hluboka nad Vltavou, Czech Republic Zoo Ohrada, anakonda zluta 01.jpg
In the Ohrada Zoo, Hluboká nad Vltavou, Czech Republic

Adults grow to an average of 3.7 m (12 ft 1+1⁄2 in) in total length. Females are generally larger than males [4] and have been reported up to 4.6 m (15 ft 1 in) in length. [2] [5] They commonly weigh 25 to 35 kg (55 to 77 lb), but specimens weighing more than 55 kg (121 lb) have been observed. [6] The color pattern consists of a yellow, golden-tan or greenish-yellow ground color overlaid with a series of black or dark brown saddles, blotches, spots and streaks. [2]

Distribution and habitat

The range of the yellow anaconda encompasses the drainage of the Paraguay River and its tributaries, from the Pantanal region in Bolivia, Paraguay, and western Brazil to northeastern Argentina [7] and northern Uruguay. [8] [9] It prefers mostly aquatic habitats, including swamps, marshes, and brush-covered banks of slow-moving rivers and streams. [4] The species appears to have been introduced in Florida, although it is unknown whether the small population (thought to derive from escaped pets) is reproductive. [10]

The taxonomic sinking of Eunectes beniensis and Eunectes deschauenseei into Eunectes notaeus proposed by Rivas et al. (2023) results in this species also being found in western Bolivia, northern Brazil and coastal French Guiana. [11]

Ecology

The yellow anaconda forages predominantly in shallow water in wetland habitats. Most predation occurs from June to November, when flooding has somewhat subsided and wading birds are the most common prey. Observations and analysis of gut and waste contents from regularly flooded areas in the Pantanal region of southwestern Brazil indicate that they are generalist feeders that employ both ambush predation and wide-foraging strategies.

Their prey consists nearly exclusively of aquatic or semi-aquatic species, including a wide variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and eggs. [12] Larger specimens can prey upon larger animals, such as brocket deer, capybaras or peccaries. [4] The prey-to-predator weight ratio is often much higher than for other types of Boidae. [13] Cannibalism has been observed in this species, though it is not clear how often this occurs. [14]

The yellow anaconda has few predators. Juveniles and the occasional adult may be taken by caimans, larger anacondas, jaguars, cougars, some canids such as the crab-eating fox, mustelids, and raptors. The species is also hunted by humans for its skin. [10]

Interactions with humans

A yellow anaconda in the waterhole, at the Beardsley Zoo, Bridgeport, Connecticut South American River Bottom Yellow Anaconda, Beardsley Zoo, 2009-11-06.jpg
A yellow anaconda in the waterhole, at the Beardsley Zoo, Bridgeport, Connecticut

In captivity, the yellow anaconda has a reputation for being unpredictable and somewhat dangerous to humans, especially when caught from the wild, leading some professionals and keepers to begin efforts at captive-breeding. [2] [4] In the United States, the import, transportation and sale of the species across state lines was banned in 2012 in an attempt to prevent the yellow anaconda from becoming an invasive species in vulnerable natural areas such as the Florida Everglades. [15] The conservation status of the yellow anaconda has not been assessed by the IUCN.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anaconda</span> Genus of snakes

Anacondas or water boas are a group of large boas of the genus Eunectes. They are a semiaquatic group of snakes found in tropical South America. Three to five extant and one extinct species are currently recognized, including one of the largest snakes in the world, E. murinus, the green anaconda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boidae</span> Family of snakes

The Boidae, commonly known as boas or boids, are a family of nonvenomous snakes primarily found in the Americas, as well as Africa, Europe, Asia, and some Pacific islands. Boas include some of the world's largest snakes, with the green anaconda of South America being the heaviest and second-longest snake known; in general, adults are medium to large in size, with females usually larger than the males. Six subfamilies comprising 15 genera and 54 species are currently recognized.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pantanal</span> Tropical wetland in Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay

The Pantanal is a natural region encompassing the world's largest tropical wetland area, and the world's largest flooded grasslands. It is located mostly within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, but it extends into Mato Grosso and portions of Bolivia and Paraguay. It sprawls over an area estimated at between 140,000 and 195,000 km2. Various subregional ecosystems exist, each with distinct hydrological, geological and ecological characteristics; up to 12 of them have been defined.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green anaconda</span> Species of snake

The green anaconda, also known as the giant anaconda, emerald anaconda, common anaconda, common water boa, or southern green anaconda, is a boa species found in South America and the Caribbean island of Trinidad. It is the largest, heaviest and the second longest snake in the world, after the reticulated python. No subspecies are currently recognized. Like all boas, it is a non-venomous constrictor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emerald tree boa</span> Species of snake

The emerald tree boa is a boa species found in the rainforests of South America. Since 2009 the species Corallus batesii has been distinguished from the emerald tree boa. Like all other boas, it is nonvenomous.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calabar python</span> Species of snake

The Calabar python is a species of non-venomous snake in the family Boidae. The species is endemic to West and Central Africa. It is the only species in its genus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuban boa</span> Species of snake

The Cuban boa, also known as the Cuban tree boa and by locals as majá de Santa María, is a very large species of snake in the family Boidae. With lengths exceeding 5 m (16 ft) and a relatively heavy build, the Cuban boa is one of the largest snakes in the world. The species is native to Cuba and some nearby islands. No subspecies are currently recognized.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alethinophidia</span> Clade of snakes

The Alethinophidia are an infraorder of snakes that includes all snakes other than blind snakes and thread snakes. Snakes have long been grouped into families within Alethinophidia based on their morphology, especially that of their teeth. More modern phylogenetic hypotheses using genetic data support the recognition of 19 extant families, although the taxonomy of alethinophidian snakes has long been debated, and ultimately the decision whether to assign a particular clade to a particular Linnaean rank is arbitrary.

<i>Eunectes deschauenseei</i> Species of snake

Eunectes deschauenseei, commonly known as the dark-spotted anaconda or De Schauensee's anaconda, is a species of snake in the subfamily Boinae of the family Boidae. The species is native to northeastern South America. Like all boas, it is a nonvenomous constrictor. No subspecies are currently recognized.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boa constrictor</span> Species of snake

The boa constrictor, also known as the common boa, is a species of large, non-venomous, heavy-bodied snake that is frequently kept and bred in captivity. The boa constrictor is a member of the family Boidae. The species is native to tropical South America. A staple of private collections and public displays, its color pattern is highly variable yet distinctive. Four subspecies are recognized.

<i>Eunectes beniensis</i> Species of snake

Eunectes beniensis is a boa species known only from the northeastern parts of Bolivia. Its common names, the Bolivian anaconda and Beni anaconda, are derived from the geographic location of its native habitat: the Beni area of Bolivia. Like all boas, it is nonvenomous.

<i>Pliocercus euryzonus</i> Species of snake

Pliocercus euryzonus, commonly known as Cope's false coral snake, is a species of snake in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. The species is indigenous to southeastern Central America and northwestern South America. There are two recognized subspecies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Booidea</span> Superfamily of snakes

The Booidea, also known as booid snakes, are a superfamily of snakes that contains boas and other closely related boa-like snakes. As of 2017, Booidea contains 61 species, including the eponymous neotropical Boa constrictor, anacondas, and smaller tree and rainbow boas as well as several genera of booid snakes from various locations around the world: bevel-nosed boas or keel-scaled boas (Candoia) from New Guinea and Melanesia, Old World sand boas (Eryx) from Northeast Africa, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia, rubber boas (Charina) and rosy boas (Lichanura) from North America, neotropical dwarf boas (Ungaliophis) and the Oaxacan dwarf boa (Exiliboa) from Central America, Madagascan boas or Malagasy boas from Madagascar, and the Calabar python (Calabaria) from tropical West-Central Africa.

<i>Chilabothrus strigilatus</i> Species of snake

Chilabothrus strigilatus, also known commonly as the Bahamian boa, is a species of snake in the family Boidae. The species is endemic to the Bahamas. There are five recognized subspecies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern green anaconda</span> Species of anaconda

The northern green anaconda is a disputed boa species found in northern South America and the Caribbean island of Trinidad. It is closely related to Eunectes murinus, the (southern) green anaconda, from which it was claimed to be genetically distinct in 2024. It is one of the heaviest and longest snakes in the world, with confirmed specimens measuring up to 6.3 metres (21 ft) long. Like all boas, it is a non-venomous constrictor.

References

  1. ↑ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Mehrtens, John M. (1987). Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. ISBN   0-8069-6460-X.
  3. ↑ Cope, E. D. (1862). "Synopsis of the species of Holcosus and Ameiva, with diagnoses of new West Indian and South American Colubridae". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 14: 60–82. Synopsis of the species of Holcosus and Ameiva, with diagnoses of new West Indian and South American Colubridae at the Internet Archive .
  4. 1 2 3 4 Colthorpe, Kelly (2009). "Eunectes notaeus". Animal Diversity Web . Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  5. ↑ McKay, George; Cooke, Fred, eds. (2004). "Snakes: Reptiles". The Encyclopedia of Animals. Vol. 1. Los Angeles: University of California Press. p. 397. ISBN   0520244060.
  6. ↑ Mendez, M.; Waller, T.; Micucci, P. A.; Alvarenga, E.; Morales, J. C. (2007). "Genetic population structure of the yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus) in Northern Argentina: management implications". In Henderson, Robert W.; Powell, Robert (eds.). Biology of the Boas and Pythons. Eagle Mountain, Utah: Eagle Mountain Publishing. pp. 405–415. ISBN   978-0972015431.
  7. ↑ Waller, T.; Micucci, P. A.; Alvarenga, E. (2007). "Conservation biology of the yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus) in Northeastern Argentina". In Henderson, Robert W.; Powell, Robert (eds.). Biology of the Boas and Pythons. Eagle Mountain, Utah: Eagle Mountain Publishing. pp. 340–362. ISBN   978-0972015431.
  8. ↑ Uetz, P.; Hallermann, J. (2018). "Eunectes notaeus COPE, 1862". The reptile database. Hamburg, Germany: Zoological Museum Hamburg. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  9. ↑ "Hay registros de anaconda amarilla (Eunectes notaeus) en el norte del país". La Mochila (in Spanish). 11 June 2010. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  10. 1 2 "Eunectes notaeus". NAS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  11. ↑ Rivas, Jesús A.; De La Quintana, Paola; Mancuso, Marco; Pacheco, Luis F.; Rivas, Gilson A.; Mariotto, Sandra; Salazar-Valenzuela, David; Baihua, Marcelo Tepeña; Baihua, Penti; Burghardt, Gordon M.; Vonk, Freek J.; Hernandez, Emil; García-Pérez, Juán Elías; Fry, Bryan G.; Corey-Rivas, Sarah (February 2024). "Disentangling the Anacondas: Revealing a New Green Species and Rethinking Yellows". Diversity. 16 (2): 127. doi: 10.3390/d16020127 . ISSN   1424-2818.
  12. ↑ Thomas, Oliver; Allain, Steven J. R. (2021). "A Review of Prey Taken by Anacondas (Squamata: Boidae: Eunectes)". IRCF Reptiles & Amphibians. 28 (2): 329–334. doi: 10.17161/randa.v28i2.15504 . S2CID   237839786 . Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  13. ↑ Strüssmann, Christine (1997). "Feeding habits of the yellow anaconda, Eunectes notaeus Cope, 1862, in the Brazilian Pantanal". Biociencias (in Portuguese). 5 (1): 35–52.
  14. ↑ Barros, M. M.; Draque, J. F.; Micucci, P. A.; Waller, T. (2011). "Eunectes notaeus (Yellow Anaconda). Diet / Cannibalism" (PDF). Herpetological Review. 42 (2): 290–291.
  15. ↑ Segal, Kim (17 January 2012). "U.S. bans imports of 4 exotic snake species". CNN .
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