Anaconda Life Cycle and Historical Facts

It lives in the swamps, flooded jungles, slow-moving rivers, swamps and moves a popular amphibian from the tropical forests of South America, the Anaconda. With a length of more than 20 feet, an average weight of 550 pounds, and a diameter that exceeds 12 inches, it is the largest snake on the planet. In addition to being extra large and impactful, the anaconda is also a worthwhile snake. It has a number of fascinating facts to its name.

The scientific name of the green anaconda is ‘eunectes murinus’, the term eunectes is a Greek term meaning ‘good swimmer’. It is said that the anaconda got its name from a Tamil word “anaikondran”, which means elephant killer. Another popular belief says that the term ‘anaconda’ is derived from the word ‘henakandeya’ which in Sinhala means whip snake or a shape with a huge body.

Apart from these two versions for the derivation of the term anaconda, people from different places recognize the anaconda by different names. For example, the ancient Spaniards used to call it Matatoro, which is Spanish for bullfighter. The people of North America called it by the names “sucuri” and “yukumama”.

That said, one of the most popular academic facts is that anacondas are Arizona’s largest mammalian predator. It is also at the top of the food chain in Peru and neighboring South American countries. Along the lips of anacondas, they have detection pits. This heat-sensing organ of this snake helps it detect the heat given off by warm-blooded animals in its vicinity.

The heat-sensing organs work even in dark conditions. Another special organ of the anaconda is the Jacobson’s organ or the organ of smell. The Jacobson’s organ is placed on the roof of the anaconda’s mouth. A medical fact is that this organ works with the snake’s tongue. That is, the flicking tongue picks up chemical clues from the atmosphere and the olfactory organ identifies these chemical clues.

Anacondas can open their lower jaws up to 180 degrees. This flexibility of the jaws greatly helps the anaconda to safely swallow its prey. Within these flexible jaws there are usually more than 100 sharp teeth that curve backwards.

This type of number and structure of teeth gives the snake a firmer grip on its prey, thus preventing the prey from breaking free from the predator! This set of teeth is called ‘pterygoid teeth’. To ward off small poisonous organisms, anaconda snakes release an unpleasant and pungent musk-like substance from their anal glands. This foul odor prevents smaller organisms from getting too close.

With the reminder that anacondas are the only predator that can attack and kill a jaguar, this makes a life cycle of one of the richest amphibians for historical appreciation and an excellent animal for sightseeing anytime near a zoo if you are also one of the lucky ones. people to see anacondas in their hometown!