World’s longest, 26-feet-long anaconda discovered in Amazon, say reports
The researchers believe this new species existed for a long time, but we just didn’t know about it until now.
14 researchers, along with the famous TV wildlife presenter Professor Freek Vonk, have discovered in the Amazon what they are calling a new species of snake.
They revealed in a new study that the renowned green anaconda, often depicted in movies and tales as a colossal serpent, is, in fact, made up of two distinct species.
The giant northern anaconda had eluded documentation until recently when it was stumbled upon during a National Geographic expedition.
“The green anacondas that occur in the northern part of their range in South America (including Venezuela, Suriname, and French Guyana) turn out to be a completely DIFFERENT species!” wrote Vonk in an Instagram post.
While visually similar, the genetic disparity between the two species amounts to a 5.5% substantial contrast. To contextualize, Vonk said that the genetic difference between humans and chimpanzees is 2%, highlighting the magnitude of this discrepancy.
'Big snake' anaconda
The newly discovered species of anaconda has been named Eunectes akayima. It’s different from the one we already knew, called Eunectes murinus. Akayima means ‘big snake’ in an indigenous language from northern South America.
Their research indicates that the Northern Green Anaconda diverged from its southern counterpart approximately 10 million years ago. The researchers believe this new species existed for a long time, but we just didn't know about it until now.
Vonk, clearly an adventure junkie, also uploaded a video swimming along with the biggest snake he’s ever seen in his life – eight meters long and weighing over 200 kg.
It just so happened that this discovery was made amidst the filming of the National Geographic Disney+ series 'Pole to Pole,' featuring actor Will Smith.
The co-author of the study, Bryan Fry, told The Independent that there are anecdotal reports from the indigenous people that they have seen anacondas measuring over 7.5 meters and weighing around 500 kilograms.
But that's just what they are. Anecdotes. They haven't been documented.
Discovering different anaconda species in the Amazon
The study looked at different types of anacondas in South America, which is super diverse with lots of different plants and animals, making it a great place for studying diversity and protecting nature.
But figuring out exactly how many species live there is tricky because some look the same but are genetically different, while others look different but aren't genetically different enough to be separate species.
Anacondas, those big water snakes, are a good example. There are four known types, with the biggest one called the Green Anaconda, living in most of South America. But there are also smaller ones with different names like the Beni Anaconda and Dark Spotted Anaconda.
Some of these anacondas live in the same areas and might even mate together. People sometimes hunt them for medicine or clothes, but we don't know enough about their populations.
The study suggests that these different anaconda species may have evolved because of changes in South America's landscape millions of years ago. These changes created separate habitats for the anacondas, leading to the formation of different species.
The study, which has been published in the journal Diversity, also highlights the need for more research to fully understand the diversity of anacondas and study their genes and where they live.
Present world records for snakes
Currently, the world record for the longest snake is held by the reticulated python with a record length of 10 meters (32 feet and 9.5 inches).
The world record for the heaviest snake is indeed the green anaconda, with the heaviest weight ever recorded at 227 kilograms.
Interestingly, the biggest snake ever known is Titanoboa cerrejonensis, found in Colombia. Fossils of this prehistoric boa were discovered in 2009.
It was found that Titanoboa lived around 58-60 million years ago, during the Palaeocene Epoch, and could grow up to 12-15 meters long, with a body width of about 1 meter, and weigh around 1135 kilograms.
This makes it much larger than today's longest snake, the reticulated python, and the heaviest snake, the anaconda.
Study abstract:
Anacondas, genus Eunectes, are a group of aquatic snakes with a wide distribution in South America. The taxonomic status of several species has been uncertain and/or controversial. Using genetic data from four recognized anaconda species across nine countries, this study investigates the phylogenetic relationships within the genus Eunectes. A key finding was the identification of two distinct clades within Eunectes murinus, revealing two species as cryptic yet genetically deeply divergent. This has led to the recognition of the Northern Green Anaconda as a separate species (Eunectes akayima sp. nov), distinct from its southern counterpart (E. murinus), the Southern Green Anaconda. Additionally, our data challenge the current understanding of Yellow Anaconda species by proposing the unification of Eunectes deschauenseei and Eunectes beniensis into a single species with Eunectes notaeus. This reclassification is based on comprehensive genetic and phylogeographic analyses, suggesting closer relationships than previously recognized and the realization that our understanding of their geographic ranges is insufficient to justify its use as a separation criterion. We also present a phylogeographic hypothesis that traces the Miocene diversification of anacondas in western South America. Beyond its academic significance, this study has vital implications for the conservation of these iconic reptile species, highlighting our lack of knowledge about the diversity of the South American fauna and the need for revised strategies to conserve the newly identified and reclassified species.
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